Best of 2010

So, I know I probably should have written this post during the last week of December, but I have been busy. Sue me.

Movies
Hubby and I are big movie fans. Our normal routine seems to be to watch the new discs that arrived from Netflix each week over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Of course, we may have other things to do those evenings, but we do seem to watch a ton of movies. Provided I have not seen every movie that came out in 2010, here are a few of my favorites:
Inception-Unique, thought provoking, and full of action
Toy Story 3-Made me long to play with my Barbies and remember the beauty of childhood
Easy A-Smart, funny, made me want Patricia Clarkson & Stanley Tucci for my parents
Black Swan-Beautiful, fragile, absolutely insane

TV
We do watch TV, and really like our DVR. I have to say though, there are not many new shows that debuted in 2010 that have made me a loyal viewer. We have watched No Ordinary Family and Raising Hope, but I have to say I wouldn't be terribly disappointed if they were gone. I am much more impressed by the shows that are still going strong in their second seasons:
Modern Family-this crazy family makes me laugh every week
The Good Wife-passion, drama, and law with the amazing Julianna Margulies
The Vampire Diaries-tense, sexy, always twisting plot of vampire goodness
Being Human-what's not to love about about a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost living together as roommates?

One exception - FX's Archer. This cartoon about an inept spy agency is definitely for adults. It make us laugh out loud every episode with its outrageousness. Look for Season 2 to start January 27.

Concerts
Hubby is definitely a classic rock guy, and I guess I enjoy a strange mash up of music that is not necessarily current, but not really classic either. We did see some kick butt shows this year:
Steve Winwood-we had never seem a harpsichord in action
Eric Clapton with Roger Daltrey-Hubby says Slow Hand was the best concert he'd ever seen
Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon-Double trouble from the 80's under the stars at Koka Booth Amphitheater
Joe Bonamassa-The best young Blues guitarist around - it was our 3rd time seeing him
Mollybond-our neighbor and her 6 bandmates making amazing music. Each woman writes and performs lead vocals on their own songs
Daniel Tosh-the handsome comedian has great sense of humor. Check out Tosh.0 on Comedy Central starting January 11.

Vacations
The Netherlands and Belgium-the best vacation we have taken to date. The beer was intense!
Asheville-our first trip with the dogs. It didn't go as expected, but we will try again.
Wilmington, NC-our first real visit to this great seaside city that hosts NC's only Iron distance triathlon
Charleston/Kiawah Island-One can never be tired of Charleston. We have been over and over and I will always want to go back. This trip included a new destination - Kiawah Island.

Races
This year was full of races for us. We each completed our first international distance triathlon (1500m swim, 45K bike, 10k run) in White Lake, NC, with our group of tri friends. Hubby went on to complete his first Half Iron distance (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) race in Wilmington, while I finished an additional 6 triathlons at the sprint distance. We both completed the Kiawah Island half marathon as well.

What a great year 2010 was!! What was your best of 2010?

Nuclear Swim

I have been meaning to write this blog for about 2 weeks now, so here it is!

Hubby and I participated in a one mile open swim event called the Nuclear Swim on August 29. Our friends, G and K, have been participating in this series of swims all summer. We kid of thought they were crazy for doing a one mile open lake swim, but then decided it is probably a good idea. Hubby will have to swim just over a mile for the half Ironman race, and we both need to swim just under a mile for our upcoming International distance. So, we signed up to make sure we could handle the distance.

Our swim was in Harris Lake, home to the Shearon Harris Nuclear facility (hence the race name). Interestingly, the lake is not open to swimmers on a normal basis. This event was our second swim of the year at Harris as it is also the home to The Triangle Triathlon. Our day started bright and early as we drove out to Harris, late, of course. I was panicked that we would not be able to get our race numbers, but we made it (with little time to spare).

We found our friend, G, and it was time to race. The guys headed into the water, and the ladies followed 10 minutes behind them. I watched from the water as the guys took off, and tried to calm myself for the event ahead. The scary thing was that I could not even see the first swim buoy from where I was treading.

Soon, the horn sounded and the women were off. My race strategy was to remain calm, and not worry about the race part. I just wanted to make sure I finished. The water was warm (thank you, Mr. Reactor) and very cloudy. I didn't really worry about not seeing in the water as I was more worried about finding the first sighting buoy. Luckily, my strategy kept me behind the pack and it was easy to follow along. I was swimming along when suddenly the water was not as opaque. I could see the weeds in the water and they seemed to be about 6 inches below my face. I didn't panic, but I was pretty grossed out by swimming just over the weeds. I was also afraid I would get caught in them. I did get tangled in a few weeds, but they cam right off. I just hated knowing they were there. Luckily, I was distracted by a kick to the face. There was no blood, but it did make me stop for a few seconds.

I soon passed the sighting buoy and was at the first turn. The course was like a rectangle, so we turned 90 degrees and continued to a second turn buoy. I realized that I felt great (despite the kick). I was calm and doing what I planned to do. I actually felt confident. I even decided to try a barrel roll around the second turn buoy. I was please to see that I was no where near the last woman in the lake. I kept this confidence as I headed back to shore. Soon, I could see the lovely dancing blow up man beckoning me to the sand. I was out of the lake in 44:31.7. I felt fantastic.

I later found out that I beat both of the guys. I was so pleased with my race. I didn't come anywhere near winning, but I felt great during the swim. I wish I had participated in the events earlier in the year. At least I know I can do the distance this weekend. I am already looking forward to competing in mile swims next year.

Pain Update

Update on my shoulder pain - there no longer is any pain!! I was shocked (and very happy) to recover most of my mobility just a few days after seeing the orthopaedist. Now, I have no pain at all. I am glad the Advil, heat, and rest did the trick. Now I know the recipe for muscle pain relief.

My shoulder felt so good that I participated in the Triangle Sportsplex Triathlon this past Saturday. It went fine. My results were not as good as I had hoped, but I don't think I can attribute any of it to the shoulder. It was the longest pool swim I have ever done in a tri - 400 meters. Luckily, the pool was really nice and had wide lanes. I only got passed once (by the 22 year old behind me). I had some bad turns off the wall, but I finished the swim in 10:10 which was 39th out of 54 competitors.

After a 2:03 T1, I was off on the bike. I really did not study the race course or even ride it beforehand (I wasn't sure I was even going to be able to race), so I didn't know what was in store. I should never participate in a race in a town that starts with the word "Hill". The bike course was one hill after another. I don't think there was a flat section of the course. It seemed that I was either going uphill or downhill for the full 12 miles. I am not a great uphill rider, so I finished in 46:45 - 42nd place.

I had a shorter transition in T2, and was off for the double loop run course. The uphills were not friendly to my legs. My calves felt like lead for probably the first 2 miles of the 3.1 mile course. I was planning to do 2 and 1's for the race, but I had to make adjustments for the big hill on the course. I was rounding the course to make the second loop when a water volunteer told me that I needed to start running now. It really upset me. He looked like he could run a marathon without breaking a sweat. It was my race, and if I wanted to walk, it was my business. I finished well, but my time was dead last for the run at 37:37. The sad part is that the time is very close to a PR for me. I don't know whether I should be happy that I ran close to a PR, or be sad because my near PR was the slowest run of the day.

I guess overall I am happy with the race. I was glad I could participate at all. It was nice to try a new race. I just wish it were in a flatter place.

Triangle Triathlon x2

This past Sunday marked my second year of competing in The Triangle Triathlon. This race is the toughest and longest race I have done to this date. The Triangle Tri is a 750 meter open water swim in Harris Lake (home to the Shearon Harris Nuclear Reactor), a 17.5 mile bike ride, and a 3.1 mile run. It is a longer swim and bike than the normal sprint triathlon, so it is a great race to test your endurance and see if you really want to move to the next level of triathlon racing.

Of course, it was not the ideal time for a race. Hubby and I just finished a two week no holds barred vacation in Europe. There was plenty of eating and drinking (OK-lots and lots of drinking), but absolutely no training. I was a bit concerned about how I would fare in this race, but it all worked out fine. I would have probably done better without two weeks off, but that two weeks was worth it!!

We decided to do the Sunday edition of this race. Due to the popularity of the event, it was expanded to a full weekend this year. I am glad we chose the Sunday race as it was the smaller group of the two days. We arrived early at the race site, but had no problem getting a parking space inside the park. Soon, we had our race packets, our bodies marked, and our transition area set up. It was time to hang out with G & K and our good friend C who got up way too early in the morning to cheer the four of us in this race. G and Hubby were in the water soon, and K and I were waiting for our turn to take off.

I did my usual when starting the open water swim. I started in the rear of the group to the outside. The gun went off and we were off. The water was very warm (high 80s), but murky. The race course takes you out to a triangle buoy where you turn left and head to another triangle buoy before returning to the shore. The nice part about the first length of the swim is the electrical wires and poles in the lake. It makes for easy spotting while swimming. I felt that I held me own with the group and didn't get too far behind. My arms were aching, but I kept moving without getting run over by other swimmers. After what felt like a long time (really only 19:02 minutes), I was out of the water. I had trimmed over 3 minutes from my time last year and would later find out that I had beaten both G and Hubby in the swim.

There was a long run from the water to the transition, but again I bettered my time from last year. I changed as quickly as I could, and was off on the bike course. I was passed by a few folks heading out of the park. I think that biking may be the weakest area for me. The first few miles of the course are not too bad, with more rolling hills than steep hills. I did manage to pass a few people on my own, and played back and forth with a few others. I was nervous about what I knew was coming - the killer hill. It is a long steady incline a little over half way through the course. It wasn't as bad as I anticipated. I made the steady climb, and soon turned right onto Avent Ferry Road. I got some water and a GU packet, and was re-energized for the ride back to the park. I was picking up some really good speed when I saw something no athlete wants to see - a biker down of the side of the road. I heard later that he was clipped by a car and landed in a ditch. The police, a fire truck, and race officials were there with the athlete. I hope he was OK. I made it back to the transition area taking about 8 minutes off my ride from last year. I finished it in 1:08:49.

I started to have some problems at this point. My T2 time was slower than 2009 (must put the pull tabs on my running shoes!), and I knew I was tired. I headed out to the run course, but I knew what was waiting for me. It is a short run on asphalt leading to a trail. I am not a trail runner at all. I was having problems with my legs and had to take walk breaks more often that I wanted. I would count about 45 breaths running, then walk for about 30 breaths. I did improve over the course, but it was still difficult to run on the trail with little shade in July. It was getting hot. I would be sure to dump water on my head at every water stop. I finally reached one stop, and the volunteers told me I had about .2 miles left - thank goodness! I could hear the finish and I was heading home. I ran in from the trail to the finish (must look good crossing the finish line), but I was beat there by another triathlete - a 72 year old woman in a green tri suit! Oh well, she looked great. I finished the run in 42:07, a disappointing two minutes slower than last year. I blame the vacation.

Overall, I finished the race in 2:16:25, a better time than the 2:26:54 I posted in 2009. I hope 2011 will be even better. Now, it is time to hit the training hard. We have less that 2 months until the White Lake International race, and I want to be ready. Gotta run!!

First Triathlon of the Season-2010

Yesterday was my first triathlon of the 2010 season. Bill and I chose to do the Triangle Orthopaedic Sprint Traithlon. We figured this would be a good event to start because it featured a challenging swim - a 750 meter open water lake swim. In retrospect, I may not chose this event again.

The race began at 8:00 am on a very chilly April morning. The race took place on NC State's Centennial Campus in Raleigh. We woke at about 5:30 am, and arrived at the race site at about 6:30ish. At this point, I was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt over my tri suit. I was still a bit cold setting up my transition area. I did recently purchase a wetsuit for racing, but I have been having issues with the fit. Since I have not been able to get it on properly, I decided to forgo the wetsuit. I was quite disappointed to find that about 98% of the other 257 participants were wearing wetsuits. I became quite nervous prior to the start, but I have never quit a race. So, I stripped down and headed to the lake.

The swim was in Lake Raleigh. It was a "dock" start meaning that each participant went in to the water one at a time. We walked down the boat ramp into the water. I was freezing just standing in line waiting for my start. I had no idea what was coming.

The lake temperature on Friday afternoon was 65 degrees. In contrast, our pool at the wellness center is kept at 84 degrees. To say the water was shockingly cold is an understatement. I went in to the water and pretty much screamed for the first 100 meters. I was just shouting "cold" or "ah" because I could not help it. I could not put my face in the water; it simply took all of the air from my body. So, I did a weird version of a doggie paddle until I was able to get acclimated. I can honestly say that I never became comfortable in the water, but I was able to get my head down and take two strokes before needing to breathe. There were some good things about my swim. I did not feel tired during the swim. It is a much longer distance when you get in the water than it looks from the shore. Still, I felt my sighting of the buoys was good. It was a much smoother swim than my first open water swim at the Triangle Triathlon last year. I did not have to stop to look for the buoys, and I did not need to resort to the breast stroke because I was tired. It took a bit on time getting out of the water (I planted my right foot on the boat ramp to get out, and my left foot slipped off. I was down in the water again, so I took extra time making sure my footing was good before trying again). I actually knocked about 2 minutes from my other 750 meter swim time. I wonder how much better I would have done in perfect conditions.

I hate being barefoot, so I left a pair of flip flops to grab on my way to transition. From the lake, you had to run up a long hill to the sidewalk, then over to the grassy transition area. I decided to take my time getting back to transition, but I was soon off on the bike. I saw my friend, Amy, shortly after starting the bike. I was still pretty cold, but it was nice of her to check in with me. We shouted encouragement to each other before we parted ways. The 10.5 miles bike route was on open roads. It was a big, hilly loop around Raleigh. I found out very quickly that the roads around NC State are not well maintained. At some points, I was shaking quite hard going over the rough asphalt. Again, the bike was the strongest of my disciplines. I finished in 43:45.

I went into transition to drop my bike, and found that my neighbor's bike was laid down across my spot. I was really frustrated since I now had to put up that bike while attempting to balance my own. Luckily, a nice man head my cries, and took my competitor's bike from me. I changed shoes, and headed out on the 3.1 mile run. Running in a triathlon is always a weakness for me. My legs are just shot after the bike. This run had a particularly hilly first mile. We wandered through campus, and I thought it seemed like most of the mile was uphill. I had to stop to walk quite a bit. Mile 2 was much better as we finally got a bit of a downhill break. I was able to run more by then and felt much more comfortable. Of course, the race ended on yet another up hill, so I walked a bit until I got near the finish line. I did finish in a run at 39:15. My overall finish time was 1:51:02.4. I was hoping to finish under 2 hours, so my goal was met.

It was a tough choice for a first race - cold weather, COLD water, and lots of hills. During the race, I would have said I will never do this event again. Now, a day later, I am thinking about next year. With some better preparation, I just might be able to break my course record.

Next triathlon: Ramblin' Rose Raleigh - May 23.

I'm a Ramblin' Rose

Last Sunday, I participated in my second Ramblin' Rose triathlon. The Ramblin' Rose series is a triathlon celebrating the empowerment of women. I did last year's event as my first triathlon ever, and it was nice to have this year's event as my final tri of the season.

The morning started early with my fantastic crew chief, hubby Bill, and I heading over to the race site. The worst part of a triathlon is that you have to get there early to set up your transition area before the race starts, then you have to stand around waiting for your individual race to start. We arrived around 7:20am, and I had to wait until about 9:30 for my swim time. Luckily, it was not nearly as cold as it was last year, and there were more vendors around as well. I got to see the first several finishers cross the line before I even headed to the pool.

My swim was pretty good. I got very lucky and had a young girl behind me. With only 10 seconds between swimmer, it is very easy to get caught up to the person in front of you. I had no problems whatsoever. I felt like I had a great swim up until I was ready to get out of the pool. Then, racer 464 was standing in my way. It was clear she was a first timer, so I resisted the urge to yell "Move your ass, 464!" at her. I finished by swim in 6:30 which was pretty consistent with my 250m swims this year.

My T1 time was a little slow (again, 464 stood in my way when I was ready to get out of the bike rack area) at 2:43, but I was soon off on the ride. I was just behind 470 (my number was 471) heading up the first big hill. My goal was to keep up with her, but she was a bit too speedy. I wound up trading places about 4 times with 469 on the bike. It was cold (being wet did not help), but I had a good ride. I bested my time on the same course that I did the UNC Wellness sprint in August. I finished the 9 mile bike in 36:30, which was 169 overall. It was much faster than my 332 place finish in the swim.

Racer 464 was nowhere to be found when I returned to the transition area (thank goodness). I re racked my bike and changed shoes to head out for the run. After a 2:30 transition, I was on my way. I was determined to run the best I could for the 2 mile course. My legs were definitely tired after the bike (must do brick workouts next year), but I kept moving. I got some encouragement from my yoga teacher who was cheering on the course. I managed to keep a slow run for the entire two miles with the one exception of a short uphill after the turnaround. I did feel like I finished strong coming in at 23:17 for the running section of the race. My time for a mile on fresh legs at the beginning of the season was 11 minutes, so I was very happy with my run.

At the finish, I got a first that I have never had at a triathlon. Each finisher received a necklace. The pink cord held a metal ring with Swim, Bike, Run engraved on one side and Ramblin' Rose 2009 on the other. Medals are common for marathons and half marathons, but this was the first time I have ever received anything for a triathlon. It was a great surprise.

Overall, I finished 296 out of a field of 473 with a final time of 1:11:27. I was very happy with my race. I am a little sad to see triathlon season over, but now is the time to focus on the next big challenge - The Philadelphia Marathon.

A Second Tri

This past Sunday, I participated in my second triathlon. It has been about 8 months since my first triathlon, so I was a bit anxious about this one. While I have been working out, I didn't really "train" specifically for this race. I swam, took spin class, and ran as individual pursuits, but never did a "brick" workout (putting together two of the disciplines - usually a bike ride followed by a run).

The morning started at a very early 4:30 am. This tri was located in the town of Wake Forest, about 45 minutes from home. We had only been to the venue the day before the event. The swim club were the pool was located was very nice. It was big enough so that racers did not have to use the same lanes for going down the pool and back again. That was a tremendous advantage when you needed to pass another swimmer or to be passed. It didn't slow down your particular race too much. As with my first tri, I felt very comfortable in the water. Even though I was passed several time during the 250m swim, I felt very strong. I finished by swim in 6:30, which was faster by about a minute from my first tri.

I was off on the bike pretty quickly. The beginning of the bike race felt like it was mostly downhill. I was a bit nervous as I saw the racers before me coming back on the same route. I wondered if I would still have the strength at the end of the race. Luckily, I felt that my legs and my riding just got stronger as I continued the 12 mile bike ride. Those hills I feared didn't seem too bad on the way back to the transition area.

I saw Bill in transition. He had started the race almost 40 minutes before I started my race, so he was finished well before I reached T2. He gave my words of encouragement as my weary legs took me out to the 5K run.

The run was tough. Not only did I have wobbly legs, the route was a very hilly one and the heat of the day was setting in. I also started feeling a bit of an upset stomach and my left foot was tingling due to a too tight race chip. Still, I felt like I finished strong and was only about 3 minutes off my PR for a 5K.

All in all, it was a great race. I really do like the challenge of the three sports together. I was aiming for a 1:50 finish, and I came in at 1:44:24.2. I was quite pleased. I also had a good time wtaching my friends, J&M, in their first triathlon. We all finished the race with smiles on our faces.

Next tri is in 2 weeks - featuring a longer lake swim and a longer bike ride. Hope I do as well.

My Race Report - Shamrock Half Marathon, 3/22/09

Bill and I were unable to leave for Virginia Beach until Saturday before the race. No worries, though. Since Virginia Beach is only about 4 hours away, we made it to the expo with hours to spare. We picked up our race numbers and received a shoe bag (which also doubled as the checked gear bag) and a short-sleeved tech shirt in Shamrock green. After the expo, we checked in at The Cavalier Hotel, the perfect pick for this race. We were literally across the street from the starting line. We had a fantastic pre-race dinner at Aldo’s (look it up if you are in VA Beach) and called it an early night.

We were up before sunrise to prepare for the race. Luckily, we walked out of our hotel, across the street, and into our corrals. The temperature was chilly, but not too cold. A long –sleeved shirt and tights under my running shorts were just the right weight. At 7am, we were on our way.

The course headed north on Pacific Avenue. There were several people on the race route as it was a nice residential area. There was even a booth where people were handing out beer on the route, just in case you couldn’t wait until the finisher’s festival. After about 3 miles, we made the turn onto Shore Drive.

The route turned from residential to a quiet tree lined street. There were a few speaker stands along the way, and the only live band played around mile 5. I felt great as I ran along this flat course. I had high hopes of a PR. When I checked my watch at the 5-mile mark, I knew that it was a definite possibility.

At about mile 6, we headed into Fort Story. There were signs posted along the route with funny quips and interesting bits of trivia. I can tell you that the old lighthouse is 90 feet tall. I learned that at about the time we ran the road between the old and new lighthouses.

I was still on course for a PR by mile 10. I was running better than ever and I felt wonderful. The flat course was really helping me out. We looped back to Pacific Ave for the final stretch. I still felt great at mile 12 as I headed into town. We made the big left turn onto the boardwalk where the crowds cheered as we finished the race. I had made my PR. I shaved 8 minutes from my previous best. Bill also made his PR.

I got my medal, a nice bottle of water, and a Mylar cape. As I made my way through the gauntlet after the finish line, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a hat embroidered with the logo of the race and the phrase 13.1 Finisher. I also received a reusable green lunch bag filled with beer tickets and food. Those tickets did not last long. They were quickly exchanged for Yuenglings (title sponsors of the race). We also enjoyed a fine Irish Stew while local bands entertained us. It was the best post race party I have ever attended.

In summary, perfect weather, a flat fast course, great swag, cold beer, and hot Irish stew makes for the best half marathon I have run. We are already planning a return trip for next year.

I am such a slacker

I have not been very good at updating my blog lately. It just seems that so much is going on these days with work and personal life. There just doesn't seem to be time for everything, and my blog has been suffering. I decided the heck with it - I will take a few moments to update it today.

It is hard to remember where I left off, so I am just going to start with this past weekend. It was another good one. We are so very lucky to have such great friends in our lives. We were able to relax and watch a movie Friday night at home with our pups to get ready for the weekend ahead. On Saturday, The Junior League held their annual Holiday Market. My good friend, Rebecca, and her friend Laura joined me again this year for the event. We each found something cute for a holiday present for a loved one. After the market, we all went to Chapel Hill (Laura's college stomping grounds) for a nice lunch and a walk around downtown Chapel Hill. After I left them, I went shopping on my own, something I haven't done in a very long time. That evening, we went to our wonderful neighbor's house for a evening of drinking and games. It was so much fun, and I really hope we get to do it again soon.

Sunday was a race day. Bill and I both ran in the Old Reliable 10K in Raleigh. It was the 25th running of this race. We had always wanted to do it. What made it even better was that several friends were running as well. After a 20 minute delayed start t move the timing mats, we were off. It was another hilly Raleigh run. Bill did very well finishing the 6.2 mile course in 54 minutes. He was very happy. I finished in an expected 1:19, but was disappointed that I was so close to last. Still, the disappointment didn't last that long as we all headed over to the Flying Saucer for post race drinks.

Monday was Monday. Tuesday was better as we were all at our fall team meeting. All of our employees from around the country are in town. Since we are all together, it is also time for our holiday party. Last night, we went to the Angus Barn for a wonderful dinner in The Pavilions. It was lovely and the food was wonderful. Our chef was none other than Chef Walter Royal. Some of you may know him from his appearance on Iron Chef America. To this day, he still holds the highest score from a competitor on that show. He made us a special dessert - his grandma's apple cobbler cooked in a dutch oven over an open fire. It was as good as it sounds. After dinner, we all danced the night away to the sounds of the DJ. Almost everyone got out on the dance floor to shake their booty at least once. It was just a fantastic night.

Well, that's my update. I hope (but can't promise!) that I will be able to update more soon.

My First 10K

I ran my very first 10K this past weekend at The Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC. What a great race pick for my very first!! Charleston is a wonderful city to begin with, but add the excitement of a race, and it is fantastic.

I was nervous for the race. I wasn't sure how my body would handle the distance or how I would feel. I guess my nerves got to my immune system. By Friday night, I had a full blown head cold. When we got up at 5:15 am (that is not a typo!), I wasn't sure if I would be able to walk 10 feet, let alone run 6.4 miles. I figured that we went all the way to SC just for this race, so I had better get up. We walked the few blocks from our hotel to the shuttle site, and I felt better just being outside. We had to get in line no later than 6:00 am to take the bus to Mount Pleasant where the race would begin. We arrived with plenty of time before the 8:00 am start. I had never seen or experienced anything like this race.

Bill and I started together, but I ran while Bill walked (he is still nursing a hip injury). There were so many people at the race, it took about 9 minutes to get from where we stood to the starting line after the gun went off. We went about 2 miles before hitting the bridge, then ran about 2 miles along the bridge 160 feet over the water. After the bridge, we headed into downtown Charleston where we made a loop to the finish while enjoying the cheers of the spectators. I have never been in a race where it was wall-to-wall people the whole time I was running. Little did I know at the time that I was moving with 29,245 other people.

I stopped 3 times for walk breaks, but felt pretty good considering the head cold and the lack of sleep. I finished just over my goal time at 1:22:18. I was the 8,991 female to finish the race (and I got my name in the local paper!) and the 18,963 finisher overall. Bill was walking really fast as he finished in 1:28:54. I am shocked to say that I actually liked that distance, and look forward to running more 10K races. I hope I am not sick for the next one!!

The Great Human Race 2008

It was cold. It was windy. It started to rain. I did it anyway.

Today was the annual Great Human Race - a 5K event to support our local volunteer center. It is a race that Bill and I have done several times before, and we signed on to do it again this year. I didn't know that the temperatures were going to drop so much from the upper 70s, sunny day we had yesterday, or I may have reconsidered.

Bill is still working on his hip injury, so he had to pass on the race. I was standing out there in my shorts, wearing a pair of socks from the goody bag on my hands to keep them warm, thinking I should pass, too. I didn't - I decided I was already there. I ran the race in about 38:25. Not a fast pace for most, but just over my personal best. I am glad I did it. It is so much easier to realize that once you finish the race. Perseverance gets us through the tough times. Now, I can feel good for the rest of the day knowing I accomplished something this morning. Not only the 5K, but the mental fortitude to get through it.

It's Official - PR for a 4 mile Race!

I found the official results for the Coach Bubba 4 mile race online. I have officially set a personal record for a race in that length. I am very proud to say that I shaved 6 minutes and 30 seconds off my time from the 4 on the Fourth race last 4th of July. My pace was 12.22 per mile. While the pace is not blistering by any means, it is an improvement for me.

I never knew I could run like this. When I was in junior high school (it wasn't called middle school back in the day!), I dreaded the days we would have to run one lap around the track. I was always the slowest kid in class, and I would have to beg my squad leader to slow down so I could keep up. I still may not keep up with the fast kids, but I am out there doing it and having fun.

2008 Coach Bubba

This morning, Bill and I participated in the Coach Bubba 4 mile run (as apposed to the 20K which was run at roughly the same time). It was a little tough getting out of the bed at 7:25 am to get ready for the race. It was especially difficult since it was overcast, foggy, and raining just a little bit. We went anyway, and in the end, we were glad we did.

Despite being down with the flu last week, Bill ran a great race. He had a good pace and finished in just over 37 minutes. I set a personal record for a 4 mile run at about 49:30. It beat my 4 on the Fourth race last July by several minutes. I am going to wait for the official time to post, and I need to check last year's time, but I think I knocked about 5 minutes from my time. It was great to have run and get home by 10:00 am. I feel like I have accomplished so much already today. We have a few errands to run this afternoon, then we have a hockey game tonight at the early start time of 5:00 pm. It just means we will be drinking beer (which is a great re-hydration drink) at The Sauce that much earlier.

GO CANES!!

***UPDATE*** The Canes crushed the Caps 6-3 in a fantastic and exciting game! The lead the SE division by 6 points as of Saturday evening.

Jingle All the Way

On Saturday, Bill and I participated in the Jingle Bell Run in Raleigh. It was a 5K race benefiting the Arthritis Foundation. What a great day for the race! The temperature was cool, but not cold, and the skies were clear and filled with sunshine. Race participants were given jingle bells to tie to their shoes, and several runners were in holiday garb . I wore my red running shirt and had my Santa earrings as well as my jingle bells on. Santa Claus was even there to cheer for the runners. I guess it was the holiday atmosphere that got me running faster. I set a personal best for a 5K. I was pretty darn excited. I think it helped to have a few friends in the race, one who I kept pace with for the whole course. She really pushed me at the end and helped me to sprint for the finish. I am happy to say that we ended with the same official time.

What did we do to celebrate our great race? Go to the Sauce, of course, for a few celebratory beers.