Holiday stuff

Get bleach in my eye.

Eat way to much holiday dinner. Find out that no one in family is running the XC race but me. This is just great. That shirt better be worth it.

Saturday (race day): I'm sick and don't feel like running. I desperately want the shirt in medium. Go the race. It is packed. Last year it was windy and 30. This year sunny and 60. Register. Go to get shirt, they just ran out of mediums. Deal with it.

The toughest course is Brandywine Creek State Park. The times are always slow there because of the ultra tough course. The course record is held by Sharif Karee in 15:54. Alan Webb during his Junior year only ran 16:12 there. Peter Hess this year who ran the 4th fastest time ever at Holmdel only managed to run 16:42 at Brandywine Creek. Ben Stern, a footlocker qualifier last year ran 17:02 there. It is by far one of the most difficult courses on the east coast, if not one of the toughest in the nation.

Ok that is the only information you need about the course I ran. First mile 8:16. I was happy because at that point I was running on tree roots and piles of mud. Talk with some lady who desperately needs to go to the bathroom. Go up first hill, it is called bitch and yes it is. Go up second hill it is called maintenance. I walked up part of it. (i hate people who walk during a race) Third hill ... can't remember name, but could think of a few prize ones. Anyhow I barely passed anyone, felt crappy the entire run. I finished in 28.40+.(avg pace 9.14) I'm OK with that time b/c I gave it my all that day. I swear I will never run this race again. Here are some pics:

Bitch hill.

End of Bitch and start of maintenance


Maintenance hill.



Another hill.

God forbid you finish on a downhill.


Me. I sure do like this outfit huh? I just got finished maintenance and don't even look like I am running. My husband was pissed b/c I wasn't looking at him as he screamed my name. He claims I did it on purpose, but at this point I could barely think, do simple math equations or hear above my IPOD.
The coveted shirt.

Next day: My body is killing me. Stomach and legs are sore. Pain is good.

Never say never

When will I learn? I'm running an XC race this Saturday. I am crazy. Right now my pms has started. (i cannot stand to be in same room as hubby, I've put on 2 lbs and have gas...this is just the start) I have not run a trail since the last time I did this race. My whole extended family will be there to watch me claw my way up "maintenance hill" aka...lose a lung hill. At least I get a cool ass t-shirt. I wished I had signed up ahead of time so I could of gotton a cool-ass hat too. (btw those are not my legs, if they were I would be about 6.5. I don't own xc shoes and who has skinny legs like that?) I just have this pic here b/c it is suppose to rain the day before the race.

My husband has been sweet. I was bitching last night about the trail race and he told me that with the hills I've been running it should be a breeze. Nice, but false. I was running larger hills last year, sprints and weight training. If I can run it in under 28 min I will be happy. Last year was 27.51. Last year my PR on pavement was 24.31 this year it's 25.30. Do the math. 28 min is NOT happening. Last year I was beat by a 60 year old woman at this race.

My youngest found his brothers half eaten cake on the dining room table the other day. It was closed in a cake panish thing. No problem. He came into the kitchen covered in sponge bob cake. That was the easy part. Went into my dining room and the entire table and floor were covered (or shall I say smeared) in sponge bob cake. (what I'm trying to say is that there was yellow, orange, and blue icing over everything) I should of gotton a picture to add to the following incidents:

The gold paint incident.
The pink paint incident.
The nativity scene incident.

That's it. I have been running 4-5 miles 3 days a week. Trying to get in as many hill runs as possible. Still debating a 10 miler race in January.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Two 5k races w/in 7 days of each other.

Am I crazy? Probably. This one had free beer so what the hell. Registered, checked everyone out, stretched, walked around and stretched again. I can’t do that running thing before a 5k. The elite runners do that not me.

Line up at start. I’m getting bolder and lining up closer to the front. *BEEP* the start. Me......fall down immediately. (all the way down on pavement) Almost take down 10 year old diabetic child with me. Thank goodness I only rip her bib off. Everyone screems “ohhhhhhh” . (i hear this over my ipod) get up, apologize to 10 year old cutie and sprint to catch up. Hand is bleeding. Run, Run, Run. 5 minutes into 5k decide I hate 5k’s. (i’m getting better on that front) Hit mile marker #1 in 7:57. Think of Try with his little piggy feet in sneakers. New goal improve mile time by 50 seconds so I can jump on a plane to Jolly 'ol England and run 1 mile with him. Start to pick people off. Pick of little boy. He tries to pace me. Where the hell is mile marker #2. Man and lady pick me off. Look at his feet. He runs on his toes. Interesting. I try to run on my toes..........I quit running on my toes. He is weird. See girl in pink top way ahead. Try to catch her. Daydream. Girl in pink top is 2 feet ahead of me. Pace with her. (note to self quit pacing it slows me down) Pass her. Look at watch. 10 min since last mile. Great where was 2. See girl that passed me with “toe boy”. Pace her. Pass her. She passes me. See finish. Pissed off that clock says 25 something. Sprint. She sprints and we race to finish. She wins. She places 5th in age group, and I place 6th. ( the winner in our age group ran it in 19min) Congratulate her. We high five. She’s one year older.

Get free beer. Ask for Miller Lite, they look at me like I’m stupid. Only have tap micro brews. I am bummed. Get lousy micro brew, drink ¼ of it. Eat apple and leave. Final time: 25.31. Oh and here is a picture of me and some stud. I don’t know him. I asked him where the race started and he didn’t know and photo guy asked to take our picture. I wore my pink top to look like my sidebar purple bikini squirrel (aka Sandy).


Sunday....Postscript....my legs hurt and my right arm is in serious pain from fall. Thought about race (i put as much thought into 5k's as people do about marathons) and I think I'm getting better. Even though I'm about a minute off from PR time I've noticed that I have extra energy in last mile. I need to learn how to use energy more wisely and not waste it. OH and no long run this weekend. (again)

This has been a pretty good week.

Running wise I ran Tuesday and brought the kids with me b/c they were off from school. (I left the littlest at home b/c stroller running is for the birds or the crazy people) They biked for 2.64 miles of the run then I went on and did a hill run for 2 more miles. Pacing was pretty good for kids in tow. It was 10:30 pace, which included a LOT of backward, circle and waiting at streets for cars running. Yes and there was complaining from child #2 about how he HATES hills. His idea of a hill and my idea of a hill are two different things. I ran yesterday for 4.2 miles. The weird thing was I was struggling throughout the run and felt like I was running a 10:30 - 11:00 pace. By the time I hit 4 miles I couldn't even sprint the final 10th. BUT I ran a respectible 9:30 pace (one huge hill included) Not to shabby.

Weight wise things are good. I'm at 141-143 on most days. BUT when I went to my OBGYN yesterday I weighed 136lbs. Yes their scale is off, but what a nice little afternoon delight. Shortly after that delight my OBGYn informed me that I had to have a rectal. Delight to downer within 5 minutes. Rectals are one of those unpleasant things that happens when you turn 40. I'm still feeling it. Yeck. I had one in my 20's once and passed out 2 minutes afterwards. Thank God I was out of the stirrups or I would of broke my back. I woke up with my head hanging off the table and my ass in the air. I explained this to him hoping he would change his mind, but nooooo, he has to do his job. I don't think he gets paid enough.

Politics. Don't you LOVE it. I was so damn happy! The message has been sent to 1600 PA Ave. I am a registered Republican btw. I never vote along party lines and for the local offices I knew nothing about I voted for the Dems. Usually I just won't vote, but not this time. I think my husband is in mourning.

I made an awesome butternut squash soup yesterday. My husband downed it all and wants more this weekend. I should of kept it super healthy and omitted the heavy cream, (b/c it was tasty w/out it) but we all need fat in our diets and it tasted so much better with it.

Hope to get a long run in this weekend. I say that every weekend, but maybe this will be the one.

Pointless info

One of my non running bloggers that I love to read lives in New York. I love this girl's writing. Anyhow she went to see her first marathon and did a pretty awesome post about it. She takes a lot of pics and caught some nice shots of the race. The link is at the bottom of the post. NY Marathon entry.

Oh and I finished third in my age group. #2 beat me by 11 seconds. ARGH. If only I had known. I need to start more in the beginning of the pack. Those elite runners scare the shit out of me. You know those 15-20 min 5kers, all lean and everything. I feel like they'll give me the once over and give me that look. Hmpf. Well there is one runner (i wish I had her pic) who is on the chunky side, wears white trashy kinda clothing to run in, looks like she had a few shots of whiskey, smokes, and rode the back of a harley to the race. She kicks ass! I've seen her at two races and completely misjudged her both times. Red shirt girl was 56 and the girl behind me WAS 20. She must of kicked it in too b/c she was 1 sec behind me.

Pre Race Fueling

Friday night - Girls night out. 7-7oz beers, carrots, dip, salad, butternut squash soup, bread, chocolate eclair, cannoli.

Saturday night - Retirement party. 2 regular sized beers, broccoli, dip, chicken wings and nacho chips. Chocolate cake.

Race day - 6:00 a.m. (??) sex. 7:30 wake up again. Make coffee. 7:45 drink coffee and argue to myself about running a race. Things like "I don't feel like running" "everyone else bailed on me and I don't want to go alone" "so not in the mood" 8:00 am get dressed to run race.

Race: tons of people. Will not place in my age group b/c I see two fast 40 year olds. 4 minutes into race decide I hate running 5k races. 9:30 into race "where the hell is the first mile marker" Turn around point, some guy is down b/c he slipped on wet leaves (sprained his ankle) See mile marker #2 (painted on ground) time 16:16. Ok I can deal. Where the hell is the end...don't look at watch, lady in red passes me. Get slightly pissed off. See mile marker 3. Kick it into gear. Pass lady in red. Pass 20 yr old university student (ha!) People yell at me to kick it home. My goal was to finish in under 27 min. Knew I would not beat PR time. (course was dry that year and I was so "on" that day, and I was competing with unkown runner that kept trying to pass me) Anyhow finished in 25:30ish time. Finish guy asked my age, and made sure 20 something knew I was 40. (need more coffee to be less bitchy)

I didn't stay for my free bloody mary or to see race results b/c all my friends bailed on me and I don't drink alone. Called running partner #1 to bitch at her for me not being able to drink.

Lesson learned today: My legs are weaker b/c I no longer weight train them. They felt like jello out there. I am very happy I ran the race and I'm excited about my time. It's a good Sunday.

Stuff

Teenager clothing is about $10 cheaper than women's clothing. So I bought teenager pants instead of women's pants. It's nice being built like a boy (no real hips or ass) so I can get cheaper clothing.

I'm starting to wear tighter clothing. I'm still debating about throwing away my "fat" clothes. It's like when I threw away my maternity clothes after #2. I get pregnant with #3. I'm scared if I donate my "fat" clothes I will gain 25lbs. I will donate the "mom jeans" I discovered in storage.

My daughter has had lice for 2 weeks. I thought she was scratching her head b/c of her infected ear piercings (she's allergic to gold) No it wasn't that. Then I thought she had dandruff, but no that was "nits". Then I saw the lice. Just one. I tried not to freak out and then told myself I didn't see it. Took her to the neighbor that "knows" and yep Lice. Did the first treatment. I'm not even saying how many bugs I found. The next morning I ran the comb in again and found 2 more live ones. This time I put the shit on her hair dry and instead of 10 min left it on for 40 while I ran. (I'm a very good multi-tasker) Needless to say her head is the cleanest head in our state right now. I straightened my hair this morning so I can get my head checked. Thank goodness we don't share hair products.

I spent my day doing loads and loads of wash in hot water.

Hunting season has started. Soon there will be dead ducks in my frig. I will still refuse to cook them.

I think I will run a 5k this weekend. I have a feeling no one is going to run/come with me. Not sure about the family pack b/c the kids have Sunday School.

Blogs. I read blogs all over the place. Half the blogs I read aren't listed on my favorites. Mainly I'm to busy doing other shit to put them there. This is what I don't get. Some of the blogs I read are so damn good, interesing and insightful. They have 2-4 comments. Then I see the blog that is so boring (and maybe mine falls into that category) and that blogger talks about .... lets say a one word sentence about crap and that person gets 25 comments. Now ok if that blogger is so boring, why am I there. I don't know. Maybe because I am interested on how boring they are. Another blog I've read forever and now I have no idea what they are saying. If it were a book I would jump to the last page and see wtf happened. Now I visit maybe 1 a month and see if there is any kind of conclusion. Alas I am lost like the TV show. Though I have to watch that show every week.

I discovered another migraine trigger. Pr0gr3sso t0mat0 bas1l s0up. I love that soup. I woke up this morning and the pain hit immediately. Took my pain pills and it was gone in less than 10 min. I've had that soup 2x this week and got two mirgraines within 8 hours of eating it. Well at least I know.

Happy Halloween?

Argh....He wasn't a happy pirate.



I had to safety clip the outfit on b/c he kept tearing it off. Of course I was laughing the entire time he was throwing a fit. He's my third so I am allowed to do that. There is a cool pirate hat that goes with this outfit. Rather than induce another tantrum he did not have to wear it. BTW he was fine after 5 minutes of screaming.

I do have pics of my other two, but there are other children in those so I will not be posting. Trick or Treating was ..... well let's just say I downed two beers while doing it, stepped in the biggest pile of dog poo (looking at my shoe someone has a cow in their yard) and ended up with a wicked migraine after it was over. The oldest kids had a blast and have way to much candy. The littlest was more interested in pushing a stroller all over the road and into people grasses. He was obsessed with finding pools and puddles of water. He is really, really, really into smoke machines.

I ran 3+ miles before we went and carved two pumpkins. I rock.