Anyone else feeling this way...

So before I posted that I am doing some modifications but now I am doing even more modifications. So this weekend we went to Pittsburgh for a wedding. I was all prepared to run my 10k and I couldn't do it. I have to be honest the two 5 mile runs this week were so hard after doing that 8 over the weekend. My body needs more rest time with these longer runs. It was like my joints hurt. My muscles are fine but it was like I couldnt' stretch enough in my joints. So I bailed. I was also a little hungover but still I wasn't that hungover. It wasn't until yesterday...even after drinking a bottle of vodka mixed with cranberry that I could actually think about running. So now I think I am going to run everyday about 2 miles and then do my long runs and do that until race week. I just hadn't felt that physically tired yet so I am thinking I am just not able to run that many long runs cause face it ladies...5 miles is a long run. Remember a few weeks ago it actually was our long run of the week?? So that's the deal here. I am glad that a few of our old school ladies have touched base with us and I am glad everyone is doing well still. It is officially the home stretch. I can't believe it. I think this has helped me so much and I am thinking that after this I am going to keep running a few times a week but nothing more than 5 and nothing less than 3. I think those are good mileages for me right now and hopefully I will do another half in the spring. Maybe one in Nashville?? Ladies think about it. It's a long way away but I was thinking about doing it last spring but was too sick too often to train properly. It's a music marathon with bands every few miles or so. And it's not super hilly like Knoxville. Happy Monday to you ladies!!

Logging in from the parents house.

HI Girls, I haven't given up I just lost my internet for the time being. I am trying to get the courage to go out for todays run, I think I am going to do 8 again and I was checking back with the blog. I have been cutting down to one run during the week and the long run on the weekend just to make it through this thing. I just want to be done at this point. I am sorry guys for being such a downer but I just want to make it and relax. I am glad I have you guys out there doing the same thing because I would have for sure given up already if you weren't going through the same thing. Anyways, I am hoping to go out in about the next hour and then I will try to check back sometime soon. Our internet went out with the power outages and now we can't rebout our router because we can't remember our password. We are a bunch of dopes I tell you.

Runner's High

Sometimes I feel like the world is against me. We went to the lake this weekend for a little family trip, so I planned to get up early on Friday morning and do my eight mile run that I didn't do last week (in place of the 10k). I spent all Thursday washing, packing, cleaning shit up, the usual (it was Dave's poker night - super!) I get all the kids to bed and I'm relaxing on the couch when I here Jack yelling...he barfed, all over himself and his bed. I spent the next three hours watching him dry heave into a trashcan while Dave slept off poker night on the floor - so tempted to direct the boys spits toward his sleeping father, Jack finally fell asleep about 2am, I brought him to bed with me - you know, so he wouldn't choke to death, so I got some uncomfortable sleep until the baby woke up at 4:30am looking to do some titty sucking - it was at this point that I turned off the alarm and abandoned all hope of running 8 miles. But wait, this sad little story has a happy ending. Gillian and her family were at the lake with us and Friday night she said she was going to get up and run 8. I didn't want to, but when I came down the next morning and she was walking out the door to run I had to do it. I didn't have a computer and I hadn't mapped a route up there so my plan was to run for 1hour and 36 min, that way I felt like I would definitely be going at least 8 miles. I don't know if it was running along the lake shore or what, but I felt so good, I really enjoyed myself, it was the first time I really felt like I could make 13 no problem.

Truckin'

Last week I fell off the wagon. I did my first 4.5 don't remember my time, then I drank too much, and then I left for a wedding in North Carolina, blah blah blah. That was that. This week I am going to get back in the groove. I busted my ass on Monday 5 miles, 55min., the Olympic team hasn't called yet, but I'm waiting by the phone. I took it easy on Tuesday and ran 5 in an hour. I'm going to do 8 tomorrow, should be fun.

Health & wellness fair tomorrow -- free screenings, presentations & giveaways

Oh yes, and another thing. For those of you here in Central Ohio, I wanted to let you know about a health and wellness fair I am coordinating. (Amanda already knows.) It's tomorrow. Given all that you are doing to train for the race, I think you'd find it beneficial for a number of reasons. Plus, you can win prizes, like a gift card for shoes at Fleet Feet for one.

Here are are some of the details. You can also get mor info online -- hope to see you there! Even if you can't make it, please pass this along to others.

The fair is this Thursday, from 4-8 p.m. at the Westerville Community Center (350 North Cleveland Ave., at the corner of Cleveland and County Line Road). It's free and open to all ages and is being put on by the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group.

There will be more than 30 companies demonstrating and providing screenings, tastings, etc. You can meet health and wellness experts from a variety of disciplines, win cool prizes, try out the Wii Fit, get free health and fitness assessments, sample food and nutrition products/services, get a massage, attend short presentations on a number of relevant topics and much more.

We'll have the following screenings available at no cost:

• Blood pressure
• Blood sugar
• Cholesterol
• Body fat/BMI
• Strength tests
• Ear scans
• Personalized health & skin assessments
• Performance stress evaluations, including posture and computerized nerve assessments
• The American Cancer Society's "Great American Health Check"
• Information about how to get assessed so your shoes and bras fit properly

And there will be short presentations/demos on the following:

• Balancing Your Body’s Energy
• Dance demo — Learn to tango, salsa and cha-cha
• What You Need to Know About Health Savings Accounts
• Ease Your Mind by Improving Your Credit Rating
• Five Weight Loss Myths & Four Ways to Permanent Results
• Recycling 101
• Healthy cooking demo
• Lifting Weights to Prevent Injury
• Maintain a Healthy Work/Life Balance

Hi ladies,

Sorry to have disappeared for so long. I do appreciate Kelsey getting my Marco Polo reference way back when! I monitored the blog for a few days after that without posting, then haven't been back in so long till today that sadly, I couldn't even remember my password and had to reset it. I have just been trying to juggle so many things and so this fell off my radar even though it was the last thing I wanted to.

I am so proud of you all. It's awesome that you are all still training for this. I am so impressed that you are balancing it with everything else going on in all of your lives.

I do want to report that, although running the half may not be practical for me at this point, I have been working out regularly and seeing results. I've been running about 2-3 times a week, anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 miles each time. For the first time in my life, I am really enjoying it. It's no longer something I have to do that I dread. It's starting to become something I really WANT to do. I used to feel great after runs but never at all during them. I am starting to feel lighter on my feet and almost fast. (Mind you, I'm not fast, but sometimes it feels that way.) Mike and I did the Abercrombie Challenge two weeks ago and ran it in 28:38, which may be the fastest I've ever done a 5K so I was very happy with that.

I've also been lifting once or twice a week with a trainer and trying to eat better and I signed up for a class I used to take at the rec center again -- it's twice a week. I've dropped about ten pounds overall plus gained some muscle mass and people are starting to say things about it. I put on a pair of jeans I hadn't worn in awhile this morning and they are loose. I'd actually hoped to have seen more results by now, but I can be patient.

I am still disappointed that I haven't made it as far as you guys. I'd still like to participate in this blog if you'll "let" me back in. It's very inspirational to hear about everyone's experiences along the way.

Happy training!
Kacy

Slight correction..

I meant to say 40 minutes for 3 more miles....