treadmills are not my friend

i don't like them and i don't think they like me either, but the weather just isn't cooperating so i had to give in and run inside. it was the longest five miles of my life! blinking lights, thump, thump, thump... and on and on it goes...i personally think they are a medieval torture device not a training apparatus.

(this is a completely random picture of my boys bowling the other night because my post needed a picture.)

i suppose they do have their good points:

i can choose to run with no hills

i can maintain a more consistent pace throughout my run

it has to help the "mind" aspect of racing because it takes every ounce of my willpower to keep running on it

i didn't have to run with a windchill in the 20s

low tech runner

i am currently using a pretty low tech method of tracking my distance and pace when running. i use my cell phone clock and my car's odometer. i look at how far i ran, how long it took, crack the numbers and know about what i averaged in minutes per mile.

i would like to have a slightly more accurate means of determining distance and pace, especially because i don't like to run the same route over and over, but it has to be:

1. simple (runner's watches intimidate me)
2. as cheap as possible (all my current method cost is pocket change for gas)

does anyone have any suggestions?

oh... the ear warmers worked really well...

gettin' crafty: wicking ear warmer

cold weather and running don't go hand in hand in my book, but it's a combination i'm going to have to embrace... like in the morning when i go out for my long run and it's 35 degrees instead of the 65 degree high today.

this means the cold weather running gear is back out, which includes the ear warmers. problem? itchy, sweaty, poly blend, knitted, nasty, ear warmer...

so i pulled out an old pair of shorts that are supposed to be made out of a wicking cotton blend. with a snip, snip, here and a stitch, stitch, there i made wicking ear warmers. here's how:

old shorts...

being silly trying shorts on my head to make sure they would fit...

(that would be the leg hole around my head)
cut the leg off...

put it back on your head, pull it pretty snug until your fingers are about three inches apart at the back of your head (does that make any sense at all?)
cut a 3" piece of elastic and pin it to the leg (turned inside out) at the points that you pulled your material around your head.

sew each end of the elastic to secure it to the material.

fold the top of the loop down over the elastic and pin. make sure you pull the fabric taunt when pinning...

continue your way around, adjusting the amount of fabric you pin over so that the loop is wider around the front and thinner at the back where the elastic is...

zig-zag stitch around the loop and you are done... one free wicking ear warmer, cause have you priced them in a store? those people are smoken' crack...

we'll see how well it works in the morning...

(i know, i know, these pics are great)

runnin', runnin', and runnin' runnin'...

way back here i mentioned that i started training for a 1/2 marathon, then later on i mentioned here that i would share about running my first 1/2...

so three months later i will.

i started the race with three friends, one who is a marathon runner and two who were newbies like me. we started the race running about a 10:30 mile. around mile three we were slowing a bit. i felt good with the pace and decided i wanted to hold it as long as i could and began to pull ahead a bit.

mile four i wasn't sure where my running buddies were but i was starting to pass small groups of runners. I HAVE NEVER passed anyone in a road race! i was feeling good; especially because mile four is my "hump", that mile that is hard to get through.

mile 6 i start walking for about 30 seconds at each aid station. i pick back up my run and start to pass a younger guy (19 or 20 probably) and he began running along side me. he started to talk and i thought "great, i'll have a conversation with anyone to keep my mind off running." i had already listened to everything on my mp3 and was tired of that. after about a 1/4 mile he had to slow down and i felt really great! i was out running some kid... i'm excited... i'm smiling...

mile seven however i am quite sure delirium was setting in. about 7.5 miles in i turn a corner and am running with the sun at my back, looking down at the road i can see my shadow perfectly in front of me... and i notice, my pigtails are lopsided... my pigtails are lopsided... this is going to drive me crazy... maybe i am crazy... should i stop and fix them?

mile nine i have decided that i am just going to sit in the ditch and cry... but i didn't because i didn't think i would get any sympathy from anyone.

mile ten i'm not sure i'm still picking up my feet. is shuffling still considered running?

mile eleven i walked as fast as i could.

i started running again around mile 12 and finished the race at 2:31:21. i really wanted to finish under 2:30, but since the course had some good hills and was considered a more challenging course i was content with my time. hey i finished and was still alive...

i was miserable when i finished. i did not want to (and did not) run for a good month after. i ran the muddy buddy with sister in dallas the end of october and then was done! "i will never run a 1/2 marathon again. it was a challenge. i am glad i've accomplished it. it is over now. i think i will stick to 5ks."

those were my words after the race... so why do i finally tell my tale? because crazy me started training for my second 1/2 marathon this week!

i am hoping it will be easier, since i'm not starting from nothing this time. it's a very difficult course which means i'm not going to be improving my time much, but that's okay. i just want it to be easier to get through this time. that's my goal... just get through it... wish me luck.

where does time go?

okay, okay, its been a while...

work: crazy does not begin to describe...
home: what's that? haven't been there much this week...
life: where is the e-brake? anyone?

hope to have several posts coming up, including a few tutorials and some revamps i'm working on, AND... da, da, da! a recap of my first half-marathon!!!!

i leave tonight after baby brother's football game (homecoming) and run early in the morning.

my goal... to finish the darn thing!
(though i would like to come in under 2 hours but i think that is wishful thinking)

my motto... run til you die or finish the race whichever comes first
(yes, its a little long for a motto)

my shirt... says "my first half marathon, please pray!" across the back

wish me luck and i'll let you know how it goes.

the half marathon: let the training begin

let me start by saying i love living in the foothills of the ozark mountains. where else can you train with views like these? beautiful, huh?

as i have trained for my first two 5ks, i have tried to be selective about where i run because up hill is not my forte. hills are however unavoidable.

well today was day three of my 1/2 marathon training program (i will be running the end of september) which means it was cross training day. and since i am also doing the muddy buddy ride and run in dallas the end of october, i decided biking would be the way to go.

so i get up this morning, get on my so so mountain bike i bought off craigs list for $80 and head out, riding about 7 miles.



what are these? hills... oh my, hills... and more hills. i just wanted to share with the world HILLS.