Mercedes Marathon

I keep forgetting to post about my first marathon in February. It was a great experience and I didn't die!;) Although I hit mile 18 and pretty much hit a wall.  My final time was 4:18.  Which I am happy about.  My goal was just to finish and get under 4:30.  My calves cramped a ton after mile 23 and even had some spasms in my foot that I couldn't control, but they didn't last long.  I learned alot from that race.  Since then I ran my best 5k time post kids, 22:43. I also ran my best half marathon time on a very hilly course in Homewood, Al in 1:52.13.  My goals now are to run in Tallahassee full marathon in Feb. of 2014.  The people I train with are shooting to BQ, but I know that is a very far reaching goal for me.  I would have to get under 3:40.  I would love to break four hours in that race.  I also want to break 1:50 in the half marathon and am setting my sights on Talladega in September and Florence in October.  It is great meeting with friends pretty consistently now 2-3 times a week for speed work and hills.  Getting up at 4am doesn't seem so bad knowing I have that accountability and fun running with them.  I have also been going to body pump at the Y twice a week and spin class once a week.  I just wish I could get healthier eating habits going more consistently.  Definitely going to do better at this! All in all I'm enjoying the running experience, loving the challenges and hard work it brings.  Just hope my body holds up and my feet stay healthy...still dealing with a lot of heel pain, but getting some new shoes in the next couple of days! I am looking forward to that! Soli deo Gloria!

Well, the Mercedes Marathon is 9 days away.  I am getting nervous, but also very excited! I ran two 20 milers, both at 3 hours and 18 minutes! This past Sunday Kasey and I ran the trial course of the marathon in downtown Birmingham.  We ran it in 1 hour and 57 minutes.  I felt good about this, because my PR for 13.1 is 1:54.  We kept a steady pace, speeding up the last three miles.  My plan is to stay with Kasey for as long as I can during the marathon.  She wants to try to get an 8:50 pace.  This might be too fast for me, but I'm going to try and stay with her as long as I can anyway.  I might  regret it 16 miles in but oh well. ;) We have our last long run on Saturday, 10 miles, then just going to try to take it easy next week and not eat too much!;) Not easy with it being Valentines week, and my love for chocolate!;)

I am excited to be running with my friend Sherry, and helping her to achieve her goals.  Also been spinning with my friend Misty, and Sherry too.  We all plan to run in the Rumpshaker 5k at the end of March, which I think it will be lots of fun!

My heel feels great.  I finally went to the doctor and got some good steroids, and I can't believe the difference.  I hope it continues to feel great even though I just finished with the steroids.  So thankful for that! It makes running so much more enjoyable! Ready or not 26.2 here I come!!;)

Blogging

I keep forgetting to journal my runs on here! I must admit, I am a terrible blogger. I can keep up with facebook but that's about it! I'm up to 17 miles right now.  I run 18 this weekend.  I've been concerned about my heel a lot lately.  It's been hurting so much, especially the more miles I do, and to add to it my Achilles is hurting again! I did get new shoes today (Brooks Ghost) I've heard good things about them.  I also got Orthotic inserts to help with the heel pain.  The girl at Track Shack was very helpful and said it was Plantar Fascitis.  I am going to try her hints of using a golf ball rolled on my heel.  It sounds painful, but I will do anything.  I really just want to finish this marathon.  My goal is to get under 4:30, but I know that anything could happen during a race that long.  So I am trying to focus on finishing no matter what the time! I got to run on my high schools new track over the holiday's.  It brought back a lot of memories.  Hard to believe I graduated 17 years ago...I am old, and I feel it but I'm trying to fight it!;) I wish I could run pain free right now, but it probably won't happen till after the marathon when I can fully rest it.  I've been running the three day a week schedule with spinning or body pump 1-2 times per week.  I sure am thankful for Helena endurance running group, and especially for my sweet friend Kasey who lets me run with her even though I'm slower.  I so enjoy running with her! So anyways, that's what's going on in my running world!;) Thanks for reading!

My running week!

This is my training for this week October 28-November 3rd:
Sunday - Rest after UCP half marathon
Monday - 45 minute spinning class with Kasey
Tuesday - Run 3 miles in 28 minutes near my house.
Wednesday - Ran 5 miles with Kasey in her hilly neighborhood.
Thursday - Speed work on the Treadmill at the Y:
                   1 mile warm up 8:57 pace
                   6x400 at 7:24 pace
                    6x400 at 8:57 pace
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Vulcan 10k run in hilly downtown Birmingham.  Felt very tired, started way too fast, my first mile was 7:30! My heel hurt the entire race especially the last 100 yards when I sped up a little.  I have been limping all day.  I think it might be plantar fascitis, but I'm not sure.  I don't want to go to the doctor, but think I might have to.  I might just do spinning classes all this week.  I plan to do 13 miles this Saturday with Kasey for her 20 mile long run.  I know I need to rest it, especially since I have the last of the three half marathons on November 18th(Magic City half).

Running history

So I started running again in 2011 after having five kids.  For almost 7 years I was either pregnant or nursing. Taking care of five kids five and under, homeschooling and just living life didn't leave much time for exercising.  So in 2011 after seeing my sis in law run in a half marathon I decided I wanted to run one to...just once! I ran my first one in April of 2011 in the Country Music half marathon in Nashville, TN.  I ran it in 2:27.  I pretty much hit a wall on mile 9, and I can't remember the last part of that race!;) I was not prepared or ready for it at all.  So I decided after that to do Insanity.  I did it for four weeks and hurt my knee pretty bad. So I took the next six months off and didn't do anything. I gained weight and felt horrible! So on January 1st, 2012. I got up at 6am and ran 6 miles.  It was the start of my training for the Mercedes half that was only a little over a month away.  I was able to run with a friend and ran it in 18 degree weather, and ran it in 2 hours and 16 minutes.  Much improved, but I still felt I could do better.  I kept up with my running, running by myself about 3-4 times a week whenver I could fit it in.  Mostly at night after the kids were in bed, which is never a good time to run or a safe time.  I ran the Nashville half again in April and came in at 2:13 despite the hills and heat.  After this, I heard about the Helena Endurance Running Group (HERG) that met together on Saturday mornings to run.  I started runnng with them, and it helped me so much to run with a group, and stay accountable and motivated.  Through this group I met Kasey, and we started running together during the week as well.  She gave me speed workouts to do and we met at the Y to do them on the treadmill once a week in the morning.  We then started meeting in the morning one day a week and running hills in her neighborhood. 
This fall I signed up for the Triple Crown Challenge which is running in three different half marathons, and after completing all three you get a special medal and t-shirt.  I was up for this challenge, so I signed up for it.  The first race was at the Talladega Superspeedway, which was awesome.  I beat my PR by 12 minutes and came in at 2:01.23.  I was very happy with this, but now had that itch to break that 2 hour mark! The second half marathon was the United Cerebal Palsey race in Florence, AL! I came in at 1:54.50.  I was shocked at the time.  I didn't feel really bad until the last mile, and kept up an 8:45 pace.  I have had a few nagging injuries.  One being my Achilles that has hurt me since the Nashville race in April.  It is getting better, but after this last race my heel has been bothering me feeling like a deep bruise in it.  I am going to start spinning with Kasey once a week as well and running four days a week! I have started the Hal Higdon Novice 1 marathon training for the Mercedes marathon in February! I am very excited for this journey, and am even thinking about trying out a small Triathalon next year.  Guess I need to buy a bike and learn how to swim better!;) Thanks for joining me in this journey and I hope some part of this inspires you as well! To God be the glory!

Giving it all for HIM!

This is our sponsored child from Compassion International.  He is from Brazil.  His name is Henrique.  Lately the Lord has put in my heart and in my path the tremendous need for orphans, for the poor and needy! It breaks my heart every time I read a post or a blog about the orphans (there are over 149 million of them) I want to do so many BIG things to help! But today I was reminded of the two sponsored children we help.  Most of the time all I see them as is a bill we pay each month that goes to Compassion or towards World Vision.  Today I was challenged by Ann Voskamp, she said, "I’m wildly angry that I want to forget the struggle of the poor so I can pin the next pretty idea on Pinterest."
I could say the same after reading this post.  I am angry at myself for caring more about my comfort, of having a nice home, going out to eat more often than I care to admit, having healthy kids and just taking for granted all the blessings I have! I need to do more.  I need to care more! I want my heart to break at the things that break the heart of God! So I was challenged today to do what I can now, do the small things.  Write to my sponsored children more often.  Talk about them with my kids more, pray for them more!

How am I loving? Am I loving God and loving others with all that I am and giving God all the glory for it? Am I stepping out of my comfort zone and giving all, am I willing to suffer for the cause of Christ? Just some things that have been in my heart lately...JESUS He is worth it ALL!

Summer 2012

Here is our family beach picture that we had taken this summer from our wonderful friend Sherry of Synergy Photography.  We had such a great time at this session, and I thought it was amazing that she got everyone to look and smile for this picture! We also had a great time playing on the beach with her family.  I am treasuring the moments and memories with my family this summer. 

We are now preparing for the new School year that is fast approaching.  I am so thankful for the Lords great blessings! To God be the glory!