Belmar Boardwalk Long Run and the NY Giants

Wellll, let's start with the NY Giants and keep this in order!
Wednesday was the final pre season game of the summer, and I was all set to watch it at home, like always. Then I got the text! My friend Pam knew someone at work who had tickets and was trying to sell them. Because of plans I already had to take my daughter into NYC I had no money for Giants tickets. Bummer! Pam texted me again, and said I might be able to get them for FREE. Holy heck! I tried not to get excited, and went about my day, and got a text a few hours later telling me to come pick up the tix and a parking pass. WOW! I went to her office, thanked her coworker profusely, and offered to send money the follwing week. She declined, and said to just have fun. Double WOW. And the seats? 8 rows in from the field, on the End Zone. O.M.G.
I picked up hubby on the way to the game and off we went. The parking pass got us right up close, and the seats were just amazing!

I could go on for hours and post 20 more pictures, lol, but I will move on to running now!

Last night was my long run and I joined my running club again on Belmar Boardwalk. I had 5 miles scheduled but my running partner wanted to do 8, so I decided to go for it! The Half is in 2.5 weeks so I want to be ready!
We headed South, into the wind for 4 miles. The gazebo we stopped at last time was at mile 3.78 so we ran to the end, which was about 4.07 and turned back. We were amazed at how much easier it was going this week, and how less tired we felt at the halfway point. Once we turned around the breeze was *gone* and we sweated the whole way back. It was dripping into my eyes and running down my back. YUCK! I didn't start getting tired until the last mile but I pushed on, to finish 8.13 miles in 1:33:29 and got to this view:

Same time of day as last week, but less sun. Summer really is ending!
I also finished my Mommy, Run Fast Labor Day Weekend 5 mile run *and* brought me closer to the end of Week 9!! The Color Run NJ is on Saturday and that closes out my week. I can't believe how fast time is going!
Well, I must be off to take the girls to NYC. You would think that taking two 15 year old girls in would make a person crazy, but I love going, and we are visiting Madame Tussaud's which should be fun!
One last pic to end the blog:

GO GIANTS!!!!!!

the Dreadmill

You all know what it is....the Dreadmill! Some love it, I know, and prefer it to running outdoors, but I am one of those who *needs* to run outdoors. I need the scenery to change, to be interesting, to be different. I will run different routes each run, although I do have a few out-and-back favorites. I do like people watching, and the Dreads at Gold's Gym are upstairs, overlooking the weight machines. It dies tend to be the same ole view though, so I avoid it at all costs!
I woke up, wanting to walk the dogs with hubby and then go right out and run 4 miles. I was excited for it, until hubby called out that it was raining. I checked the forecast and it was rain all morning. I was afraid I would not run if I didn't go in the morning, so I dropped Morgan at her babysitting job and went right to the gym.
I decided to make the most of it, and try running a little faster for short bursts. I started off at 5.0 and about 4 minutes in I realized that I left my water bottle in the car. UGH...sweaty mess, here I come! After I ran a little over a half mile, I walked a bit and then ran the last quarter mile at 6.0 which was easier than I thought. I repeated this for mile 2 and then during mile 3 I walked a little longer than planned, so I ran 6.0 for the last 4/10 of  a mile. My 3 mile run was over in 33:50ish, which was just over an 11 minute mile. Hooray! That 6.0 was way easier than it used to be, so I am going to start making a point of doing that on all of my runs!
I cleaned the machine, and then went to the stretching area, stretched my calfs extra, stretched everything else, and then prepped to do my 6th plankaday. The darn mat kept shifting, and constantly trying to shift my body back into good form really burned, but I managed a 1:06.8 plank. Not my PR, but more than a minute so WOOT! I cannot wait to hit 90 seconds!
I also wanted to keep up with my BurpeeBOOM Challenge, so I did 60 burpees today while waching TV. I have 250 on the schedule this week, and I want to beat that number early, so I can email my final calendar in to RoadRunnerGirl. I am amazed at how much easier they are getting!
Pat on the back for the day:While running I suddenly realized how *thin* I felt. Weird, right? But I noticed that my belly wasn't flopping around. At all. WOW! Hubby commented on that the other day, but it really hit me today. The weight loss is slow, but the firming up is definitely still going on!
19 days til Philly!

 

 

OOOHHHHH I almost forgot to add.....I have been doing alot of Virtual Races. It is a great way to stay motivated, help charities fundraise, and get bling! One of my faves so far is the Great Cupcake Race. The bling actually has a cupcake on it! As an extra bonus, there wa a drawing and I won a decal for my car: Will Run for Cupcakes! I will post a pic when it arrives!

Great day!

Week 9 Begins!

Today begins week 9 of the Galloway Training Plan for the Disney Marathon. I am following his plan to finish upright, lol.
Today is an off day so I did Ellen Barrett's Skinny Sculpt. It is my favorite at home workout, it uses light weights and yoga moves/pilates moves. I also did my 5th PlankADay today, with my best time of 1:18:2. That's one minute, lol, not one hour! I am already seeing a difference in my core and I am loving it! I finished my BurpeeBoomChallenge week already, but I am going to try and get in 50 more today anyway, for a total of 250 this week! LOVE these challenges, they really keep me going!
I also joined a challange at Sara-Use it 2 Lose it, here, where she posts a monthly challenge. You get to pick your level: mileage and strength training. I chose E3, which is 50-90 miles and 40 minutes of strength per week for the month of August. I currently have 47.5 miles and 195 minutes of strength! Woohoo I beat my strength goal and I am 4.5 miles away from exceeding my mileage goal!
This week's plan is 4 miles tomorrow, 5 on Thursday night with JSRC, and 3.1 on Saturday at the Color Run NJ with team Run Like a Motha, my son Jonny, and my friend Shannon, who I dearly miss running with and am so glad she will be coming with me!
Some parting words of wisdom:

Color Run NYC

The excitement started yesterday when I prepped our shirts for the Color Run. Team Pride was ready to rock!
We woke up entirely too early in the morning to drive into Brooklyn. That's right, Color Run "NYC" was in Brooklyn, lol. It took about 90 minutes to get there, but we didn't hit traffic until the last 3 miles, so it was pretty painless. Well, other than the ridiculously early time, lol. My son and daughter were supposed to come too, but my son bailed at the last minute, the little stinker. Morgan and I got our bibs and sweatbands and got in line to run.


The run started and we were off! Every km they have a color station and volunteers shoot dyed corn starch at you with oversized ketchup bottles! It was CRAZY fun! It was very muggy and we started walking between stations. They also give you your own color packet, we eneded up with 3 purple and we threw it at each other just before the finish line!

It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait for Color Run NJ! Here is the back of our shirts after the Color Run:

After we removed the tape that spelled out our team name:

Unfortunately, most of the dye washed out and you can't see the team name anymore! I ordered medals for my kids' first 5K's, so Morgan got one and I kept Jonny's lol.

Long Run, Burpees, and Plankaday

Today is my long run day, since I am doing the Color Run in Brooklyn on Saturday. Instead of doing it alone, I decided to finally attend one of my Running Club's evening runs. This left my day open to do...well...nothing. I am in my last 2 weeks of vacation before school starts, and I go back to work. I did do my burpees for the Burpee BOOM Challenge at Road Runner Girl and decided to finally give in and start doing Plankaday. This challenge involves tweeting, which I do not do, so I have been holding off. I finally decided to just do it, and did my first plank. It lasted one minute and the last 10 seconds were sheer torture! My abs actaully hurt a little! Yikes!
The time finally came for me to go to the group run. I admit, I was a little nervous! I walked up and saw all the fasties from the Summer Series, and got even more nervous. And then  my savior, Eileen, who was leaning against the wall, latched onto me and asked me if I was fast. When I told her my average she was so happy. She said she averaged 11 but would stay with me. Hooray!
My schedule called for 9, but after the group pic, they started so fast that I never had time to turn on my gps. I started the timer, though, so I know it took us 88 minutes. I mapped our run and it looks like about 7.5 miles. It was very hot, with an occasional breeze, and the view was amazing. We ran along the boardwalk so we always had a view of the ocean, which was nice. Our average mile was about 11:46 and my blister gave me minimal pain.
This was our view as we returned to the start:

 

Great way to end a run, right?

Week 8 begins......

I started week 8 of marathon training today with a 4 mile run. It was 68* out when I left the house, nice breeze, and I had 3 miles on the schedule for the day. I decided to take advantage of the day and run 4 instead. The route I chose took me over the bridge near my house, down a nice straight road into the next town (Point Beach for all the locals) and onto their main street.

 Halfway down this road, a rude woman in a fancy SUV decided that pulling out of a parking lot was far more important than my life. Luckily, she looked right at me before she did it, and I could just tell she was going to pull out so I slowed down. Lucky me, or I would have been waffled. I am almost ashamed to say I muttered a swear in her general direction, something similar to witch. Not my finest moment, I admit, although the 2 guys in the juice delivery van at the 7-11 were amused. If she hadn't looked right at me, I would have been less angry, it just felt so deliberate. It was deliberate, lol. Anyway...I continued on my way towards Arnold Avenue, and come across a woman standing in the middle of the sidewalk texting. I say 'excuse me' giving her plenty of time to step to the side. She didn't. I ended up hopping onto the grass along the sidewalk. Still embarrassed at my previous reaction, I just said 'thank you' in my sweetest possible voice and carried on, lol.

I make it to Arnold Avenue, hating on the cobblestone sidewalks that tilt horribly. I never noticed before, but it is like running on a race track. For cars, not people!  I turn the corner, checking my watch and seeing that Green Planet's front door is exactly 2 miles from my front door. Lil bit of trivia there, for ya, lol. Not a coffee drinker, but a huge fan of their carrot cake. Alas, I kept on going.

Down Arnold I go, passing all of the stores, restaurants, loving the old houses, wishing I had one and yet glad all at the same time that I do not. Have you ever seen the closets in those old Victorians? Not for the faint of heart, I assure you! Around the bend, and I see an old man on a wobbly bicycle. I automatically hop to the grass, but he stops, and waves me past with a flourish. SO sweet, and now I no longer hate humanity for messing with my run! I thank him and he smiles (did I mention? SO sweet) and continue on my way.

Around another corner, passing the church and the Dunkin, crossing the highway and turning towards the 88 Bridge. The breeze is amazing and I hit the top just past mile 3. So glad that I decided to extend my run! Right about now my first blister in over a year starts to ache. I got it during my Barking Mad run, which irks me, because I am not sure why I got it! (I suspect my lasy mud run had something to do with it, I broke the nail on that toe way too short and it has been sore ever since) I had on a blister BandAid though, so not too bad!

I pass the town library at mile 3.45, past another runner who has stopped to walk, past the Fire Department, and turning towards Community Park. Sweating but not super sweaty, which I am loving, and I hit mile 4 just as I pass the clock at Community Park. I averaged a nice 12 minute mile, and walked the last .3 miles to my house as a cool down!

My final report on Barking Mad About Cancer 10K is due as well! The registration offically closed yesterday when the 100th medal was accounted for! I cannot believe I had 100 racers! I am so excited about this! The racers represented 29 States plus Canada, and I raised $1490 for Susan G Komen through this event!

My next virtual race, Barking Mad Turkey Trot 5 Mile Virtual Run, is up at Facebook. Check it out! The medal is very cool, I chose a square medal this time:

This race will benefit the Cancer Concern Center, a local organization that I became aware of this past Spring when I was running the Long Branch Half. I joined their team and fundraised for them, and they are just so dear to me that I am fundraising for them again this Fall! Hoping they will have a team again for the 2013 Long Branch Half to continue the tradition! Here are some of the team members and I at the Half on May 6th:

If you happen to knit or crochet, I also head up a local Head Huggers group, Jersey Shore Head Huggers. I collect handmade Cancer Caps and distribute them to local hospitals and organizations. I have sent out two boxes of caps so far, and the next box will be going to the Cancer Concern Center to replenish what we donated to them in the Spring.
WHEW! That was alot, sorry! Hopefully my next blog will be short and sweet!

A year ago today....

This very date last year I began running for the first time. I had been in training to walk the 3 Day and my team mate, who I thought was my best friend, decided we were not friends anymore. It was one month away from our walk in DC. She went. I stayed home. I just couldn't imagine going with her, sleeping in the same tent, when she had decided to hate me. I am still not sure what brought it on. I know she was unhappy. Our training walks were filled with her complaints and nasty comments about her other 'friends', and I tried to change the subject as often as I could. She would later tell me that this was selfish and bragging. I weighed 181 pounds on this day. All that walking and I weighed that much! I never realized how unhappy this person made me until she was no longer around!

I felt so free once she was gone. No longer stressed, unhappy, angry. I started doing the Couch to 5K Plan, so that I could run the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure that October. My average mile on August 19, 2011 was 16:03. I finished the race that October in 37:31. Since that day last year, I have managed to knock my best 5K time down to 31:10, I completed a 10  mile race, a Half Marathon, 3 mud runs, and countless 5K and 5 milers. I am unstressed, happy, and no longer angry all the time. I go to plays with friends, race with friends, party with friends. Since January I have raised over $3000 for Komen, Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation, and Cancer Concern Center combined. My goal is to raise over $5000 by December 31.

Today I completed Week 7 of my Marathon training. Today was 4 miles, I averaged about 12 minutes per mile, a little slower than my usual 11-11:30 but still a time I am happy with! I have 10 burpees to do today to hit my week-long goal of 150 for the Burpee BOOM Challenge run by RoadRunnerGirl. Today I weigh 164.2 which is almost 2 pounds below my Spark People goal of 166. My goal is to lose a marathon of pounds by the day of my marathon, January 13.

I look back on the last year, and I am proud of what I have accomplished, for my self and for others. I am showing my kids how fun it is to be healthy. They are doing 5Ks with me this coming weekend and the next weekend, and they both want to try Mud Runs next year. My daughter will do the 5K in Disney with me in January. I think I have come a long way in the last year, and definitely a better way. I am almost embarrassed at the person I was last year, and look forward to becoming a better person in the next year to come. I cannot wait until next August 19, 2013 when I look back again!