Philly Kicked My Asphalt!!

Well Philadelphia is a totally awesome city. I loved the food, museums and just the feel of the city. My boys and my brother and I left on Sat. am at 7 and made it to the expo by 11. The expo was great with lots of freebies and organization.

From there we checked into a very nice hotel and immediately set out to find a Philly cheesesteak sandwich!! There was a joint right down the block called Jake's. The sandwiches were yummy and the pizza they had there looked amazing. The best thing about dropping from the marathon to the half was that I could eat and play any which way I wanted before the race.

After Jake's we met up with my sister and her boyfriend to walk to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Oh. My. Goodness. I am just a novice artist but it was sooooooo amazing to be next to the original painting of so many famous pieces. It was just incredible to study the brush strokes of The Sunflower or The Bridge. There was an extravagant painting entitled Lady in Black, that was a sight to behold. Up close you could not figure out what you were looking at but standing back about five feet, you could see the subtle details, it was just so breathtaking. It was also huge, like 15 feet tall. I just can't imagine having that talent.

The other fun thing about the going to the museum with three teenaged boys and one pre-teen boy is that you get all the naked lady paintings and sculptures pointed out to you!

Later that night, we searched for a place to eat and we could not find a place with the appropriate food that could handle a party of 8. So we went all the way to Philly to eat at Applebees! We chowed some pasta and then I warmed up in the hot tub and went to bed by 9. I slept surprisingly well for a pre-race hotel sleep. I bounced out of bed at 5am and went downstairs to my running chicas room to enjoy pre race breakfast and jitters together.

Philly is the city of brotherly love but holy moly it was FREEZING COLD! The start was at 7 am and we arrived to our coral at 6:30 to stand around for 40 minutes in 22' temps and lots of wind. It sucked but there was music and excitment in the air.

We started in the second wave and I felt great, really great for about 6 miles. I started out with three shirts, one pair of tights, gloves and a hat. My feet never really warmed up and a certain times felt swollen. My hands didn't warm up until I picked up a pair of discarded gloves and double-gloved! I shook one of the three shirts at about mile five at the same time as I peed in some bushes in front of church. Sorry God.

By mile 8 my hips started to KILL me, but not in the crampy sorta way more in the Its-so-damn-cold-out-here sorta way. My whole pelvis felt the same way your lower back feels when you are watching a football game outside in the freezing windy cold. My hips just stiffened right up. It felt arthritic I think. I am not really concerned because I don't like running when it is cold anyway. And when I do venture out with my running buddies in the below 20s days, I usually wear a pair of shorts, tights and fleece pants. I didn't think I needed all those clothes for this race and it would have effected my time had I worn so many clothes anyway. But I wouldn't have so much pain though.

The pain only lasted till I got back to the hotel and baked in a steaming hot shower. And I only have a little soreness today. My girlfriends ran really well. Three finished the marathon, with two qualifing for Boston, one ran her first half marathon, and one ran the 8 k and she just had surgery for compartment syndrome in July - so all in all a great showing in Philly!

My time was not my worst but not what I was hoping to do. I clocked a 2:07 half marathon. I am glad I finished and plan to rest for the winter. I am not running much outside and no more than 8 miles at a time. I need a long rest from long distances and I want to build in some more cross training. Don't worry though I plan to run Chicago next fall, so will be back with the big runners soon enough!!!

Photos to follow I can't find my usb cord!

Philly or Bust

On Sat. morning, my boys and I are leaving for Philadelphia. I am ready to run the half. My goal will be to keep a 9min mile. It will be a stretch, I am running slowly right now, but with no discomfort so I am psyched. I have three friends running the full marathon and I am very excited to watch them. Also my family is coming to hang out with us in Philly, which is totally cool. My mom, stepdad, sister, her boyfriend and my little family are all heading down.

I am so happy.

Wolf Rock

There is a totally awesome spot to hike in our area named Wolf Rock. There is a beautiful vista from the top. Here we are on the face of the tiny cliff. A few possible xmas card pics. I adore my three little (well, big) mosters!

Hello

Not much new lately. Just the last of my friend's turning 40. We have one more birthday celebration tommorrow. I like being 40 so far. I feel like a grown up.

I got a new haircut, shorter. My boys said, "oh you got an old lady haircut" as soon as I walked in from the hairdressers. Sometimes I hate them.

Running is fine, definitely in a slump, but I am just glad to run.

I will try to post photos soon. I have been so lazy.

Still slow

I am home today with a sick son. I have boxes in the garage still needing unpacking and I am hosting a Halloween pre-trick or treat dinner so I have plenty to do while my little guy moans in my bed eating crackers, popsicles and drinking ginger ale.

I am still feeling sluggish with my running but I am not fretting. I know if I continue to do what I am doing; resting, only running every other day and usually only about 4 miles, eating well ( actually I have inhaled about 4 dollars worth of Halloween candy since Tuesday so I am not really eating well;-) I should be fine.

Good news is my left hip is completely better. Rest and running in moderation, oh yeah and also stretching really do work!!

My new position at school is kicking my ass, I think that explains a lot of my sluggish running. I spend so much energy trying to get those wild little kids to be civil that I have very little energy left over. I have decided to apply to a reading teacher certification program that would start this summer. I have to do something. I know I don't have the stamina to teach preschoolers for the rest of my career.

On the other hand, I am learning a lot in my new job, I am working as a Head Start teacher this year rather than a Preschool Teacher. The only difference is that Head Start is based on your income. The family has to be living at or below 30% above the federal poverty guidelines. There are a lot of factors that effect children associated with poverty. More later on that, I have to go buy my sicko some more ginger ale!

I am getting slower!

My running group has speed workouts every Tuesday nights. There is a smart man that coaches us and computes what pace and distance we should each strive for every week. After looking at the four weeks we have been training, it appears I am getting...slower! Yikes! I have asked the smart man to explain why perhaps this would be happening but I think it might have to do with that I am EXHAUSTED!

I need a break.

I am tired.

The beginning of the school year has kicked my butt. I am running every other day, no long runs though. I plan to trudge through the half marathon in Philly and I will have fun!!!

I miss reading blogs, hopefully I will get to them soon.

New Goals

Well my hip feels better when I only run every other day and about 4 miles is the limit. It is not pain free, mind you, but at least I can keep running.

BUT I am so sad since I think training to run the Philadelphia Marathon is probably out of the question. I have 11 weeks to train and haven't done a long run in two weeks and definitely can not do one this weekend. I suppose if I keep nursing my hip, I could continue training and see how far I get in the training. I am definitely going to go and run the half for sure. I really really really want to do whole marathon though. Time will tell.

I have had HORRIBLE allergies this fall season. Holy macarel. I think I have finally have a plan to combat the allergies though. I have some natural medicine called Aller Leaf that is effective and Nettles tea along with cleaning my sinuses with a rhino horn (yuck, but it works). I have suffered ever since school started and my naturopath tells me that many teachers are coming complaining. What the heck is in those schools? Dusty books? Moldy basements?

Ouch my hip hurts :-(

Well I am back with the technologically advanced world again. I am not in the habit of checking my email or writing in my blog though. It may take a while.

My left hip has been bothering me ever since I started work. Do you think I am allergic? I think my ITB band is bothered by my increase in mileage to prepare for the Philadelphia Marathon and from sitting in very small chairs built for preschoolers, not tall teachers that run too much and don't stretch!

To rest my hip, I haven't run since last Tuesday and only went swimming and to yoga class and stretched EVERY time I thought about it. The results of this little experiment were very good. No pain by day two. But I went for a very easy jog of three miles this morning and I have a little pain today from that. Not sure how to proceed from here. Any ideas?

My New Haven Pics are up. www.islandphoto.com my bib 786(I thought I figured out how to link and then it didnt work)I was barely awake when my friends picked my up and I forgot my Red Sox cap and my sunglasses. So you are getting a different view of me! More natural state!

Greetings!

I have no internet access for a little while and I am using my school computer to tell everyone I miss them and will be back in Sept. My legs are not moving like they were last summer, but I know as in life everything has it ups and downs. My running is in a down. But that too will change when I least expect it and I will be ready!!!

photos I hope

Here are the photos from the tri http://www.brightroom.com/go.asp?36691407

Today I ran 8 very very sweaty miles. I have been staying at a house on a beautiful lake and swimming a lot. Maybe I should try to fit one more tri in for the season but I am trying to focus on qualifying for Boston in Philadelphia so I don't want to get distracted. Hmm, so many decisions....

Danskin Quick and Dirty

I had a very fun time and a better time than I thought I was going to get. My swim was 4 minutes faster than last year at 12:11. Transition one about the same time as last year. My bike was a titch slower at 16.4 mph instead of 16.5 with a time of 43:48 and T2 was a little slower than last year and my run was a little slower too with a time of 23:08. My overall time was 1:24!!! Yeah for me!

Danskin Here I Come!

Well I am not as prepared this year for the danskin tri and also not as psyched for it, but I am trekking up to Webster MA tomorrow to give it my all anyhow! I have hardly swam all year and don't expect great things in the water. My biking is going very well. My running is a little slower since the trail marathon. I did run a 6:40 mile in the Boom Box Mile on July 4th and it was easy actually.

I am hoping to finish within two minutes of last year's time of 1:28. I am not sure how my transitions will be because last year I just wore sneakers on the bike and could just take off on the run. Tomorrow I have to take off bike shoes and try to tie running shoes, yikes.

More later and hopefully some photos as well.

What a difference a day makes...

Yesterday on my six mile morning run, I was flying. I felt like I could run forever and fast. It was great, what a boost for the day.

Today I am riding my bike with a headwind and oh my goodness, I can barely move the damn thing! To top it all off, my much loved bike is my only mode of transportation since my juicy jeep is having new brakes put on.

My bike is much better on gas at least :-)

Tales of an almost 5 year old

My new sweetheart has a little daughter that will be 5 years old in a week and unfortunately my three older and ruder boys are teaching her a few bad tricks.

The other day my oldest son told one of his beloved brothers to "shut up" in front of the little girl. And she told him, " You shouldn't use words like that, you don't want to teach me stuff like that, do you?"

Review of Nipmuck Marathon 2008

Today I went for a short trail run and realized I haven't given the Nipmuck Trail Marathon its due. It is a great marathon and anyone interested in destination races should put this one on their list. You must be mentally and physically very strong though. Read on...

The marathon has essentially two parts. The first 12 miles you run southbound to a very interesting turn around. You have to run over a beaver dam to get to the turn around, it is very cool. As you can imagine the first half of the marathon was pretty wet, crossing many streams and there are a lot of rocks along the trail.

It was also hot and muggy that day. After the first half, you find yourself back at the start point and my sweetheart, Dan, was there with food and water and support. I felt like s*&t, let me tell you. I thought holy moly this is going to be an even longer day than I had expected!!! In addition my running partner, who had carried me for most of the training, was feeling the heat.

We gathered our reinforcements and I asked Dan to meet us at the next road crossing just in case we needed anything. Mostly we needed moral support and encouragement because the race is very well supported with volunteers. At about every three miles there was a table of liquids rangeing from water to coca cola. There was also a lot of interesting food to choose from, namely soggy grilled cheese, pb and j, cookies, bananas and something that appeared to be beans and cheese but looked like cat puke. I refilled my liquids at the table but stuck to what I ate during the many hours of training: a cashew butter and jelly on a soft taco shell!!! It really hit the spot for me.

The second half of the marathon is dryer and shadier and prettier to me. But it is also much much more hilly. We soldiered on and started to feel better at about mile 19, which is very silly isn't it? The worst part of the marathon was from mile 11-19, that is very long wall to have to deal with, let me tell ya. At about mile 19, we had another turn around and some of our very good friends were working the station. We collected hugs and kisses and then made the incredible climb back. The last seven miles were probably the easiest for us, weird huh?

The last mile of the route is marked in tenths. My partner, Deb, and I woohooed at every tenth. It was so flippin fun. We had a hard day but we definitely had fun.

Unfortunately I never felt the elation I usually feel after completing a marathon. I am usually high for a month after such an accomplishment. It never came or maybe it just hasn't hit me yet. All I have felt the last month while running was TIRED. This marathon and its training definitely kicked my butt. My finishing time was 6:44, just a little slower than I expected so I was fine with the time. My main goals were to finish and have fun with Deb, I completed both of those.

After the race Dan and I headed to Deb's house where I was staying at the time, showered and then went out to eat. I got this awesome chicken dish, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was!!! I also got a big yummy drink, I think it was a pina colada!!!

My recovery was pretty easy as well. I had minimal soreness but I was soooooo tired. I do remember being crabby.

Now onto preparing for my sprint tri. in July. Also I am planning my birthday month of celebrating my 40th birthday!!!! I have to get on that, the first day of celebrating starts tomorrow!

Update from the gypsy

I sold my house in less than a month and of course I did not find a house that quickly. sooooo my three kids and I have been tramping around mooching off of very good friends since May 22!!!! It has actually been fun! We stayed with one very generous couple for the first five weeks of tramping until school let out. Then we moved about 30 miles to a cottage that my mom and step dad own on a lake. But we have hardly stayed there since we have been beaching it! We stayed at the beach for three days and I am going back tomorrow night for another over night! Yippee for me!

My running and training are going well. Nothing much to note. I am taking it easy, giving myself a month to relax and not race after running the nipmuck trail marathon on June 1st. Yikes my four weeks are up on Sunday!

My triathlon is on July 27th. I am totally getting amped for it. I have been riding my bike and did some swimming in the ocean. Not so much swimming in the lake though. I can see the bottom of the ocean and know what is following me, but in the lake it is so dark and so many things are touching my legs as I swim by it freaks me out!!!

I will be moving to a new home hopefully before August 1st. It will be weird to have my own home again after tramping for three months. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again though.

Nipmuck Marathon

Today my friend and new roommate and I ran the nipmuck marathon. It was hot and humid but we got er done. It took us a loooonnnnggggg time. We finished in 6 hours and 44minutes. More later, I am too tired to even sit up.

A little ranting

I have been annoyed by two males in the past two days. The first male was a gas station attendant and when we finished our transaction I said thank you and I was trained that when you are receiving business, you should thank the customer for the business. He replied with "yup". What the hell.

The next bozo was the guy that works at the desk at the gym. I told him to have a nice day when I was leaving and his reply was "sure thing". Hey how about a little "you too"

Now that I have re-read my complaints I feel rather silly for feeling annoyed but I won't bother deleting the post because it is pretty funny.

www.ctmls.mlxchange.com is the website to check out my soon to be sold house. Type in 122 Wadsworth Lane, Willimantic, Ct 06226 once you get there. I hope it works I am so bad at this stuff.

Ready for anything

I am moving on Saturday and closing on Wednesday, May 21st. I am so psyched and scared. I am staying with a totally terrific friend while school is still in session, then my three boys and I are bunking with family till I find a permanent home.

What a crazy ride!

My trail marathon training is the hardest thing I have ever done physically. We finished our last 21 miler on Sat. and I felt great. This week we have a 14 mile trail race scheduled and then the next week we'll probably do 12 or 13. Then June 1st is the big day! I can not wait. I will not break any records but I am so thrilled to be doing this race.

After the race I have to get back in the pool and on the bike. My first tri of the season is scheduled for July 23rd. I would like to do another sometime this summer. I would like to complete an Olympic distance tri. I still haven't given up on my fascination with the Ironman!! One step, stroke and pedal at a time!!!