...and my friends are running the first 15 miles for me! Saturday is the big Myrtle Beach Marathon relay for me and my three gal pals :) They are each taking a 5 mile leg and I will finish up with the last 11.2 miles and cross the finish line.
Truth be told, I do not know how I will feel. Crossing the finish line with other people who have just run 26.2 miles will be bittersweet. Sweet because I will be finished and ready for a beer. Bitter because I will not be able to share in the same feelings of achievement, accomplishment, and jubilation as someone who has just completed such a long journey.
For the time being though... that is OK with me. I will get my chance soon enough :) I am looking forward to spending some fun times with the girls in Myrtle Beach and running a fun race!
Wish us luck!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
...to quote the great Lulu...
"Why do I do this to myself?"
Let's just leave it at that, OK?
Off I go... :)
Let's just leave it at that, OK?
Off I go... :)
Monday, February 12, 2007
One Day Down, The Rest of My Life to Go!
Today was a great day. I have implemented some new changes into my life- for the good. Mostly it includes switching up my diet a little bit thanks to my personal dietitian who also doubles as my mom. After getting to the 30 lb loss mark, I was not seeing any progress. Not losing, not gaining... just staying the same. I started to get mad. I mean, I am running a ton. Why is it not working? I kept a food journal for a week with what I ate and the times I ate. She concluded I was not eating enough protein, I was not eating enough breakfast, not eating frequently enough, and I was eating dinner too late (8:00 PM or so) when getting back from night runs. Throw in the hectic travel schedule, time changes, and cases of beer I have consumed recently and I am pretty much completely off track.
I started to think about this… I seemed to be dropping weight easier when working out in the mornings… hmm… interesting. Makes sense based on her feedback because I would eat a larger breakfast after working out and eat less as the day wore on. Inevitably, I will be switching to morning workouts again during the week as the weather turns warmer. Being a total masochist, I will be hitting peak marathon training for Chicago in the dead of hot and humid summer here in Charleston. Hurray!
Game plan- eat more breakfast, eat more protein, more frequent and smaller meals throughout the day, drink less alcohol, run faster.
OK, break!
I started to think about this… I seemed to be dropping weight easier when working out in the mornings… hmm… interesting. Makes sense based on her feedback because I would eat a larger breakfast after working out and eat less as the day wore on. Inevitably, I will be switching to morning workouts again during the week as the weather turns warmer. Being a total masochist, I will be hitting peak marathon training for Chicago in the dead of hot and humid summer here in Charleston. Hurray!
Game plan- eat more breakfast, eat more protein, more frequent and smaller meals throughout the day, drink less alcohol, run faster.
OK, break!
My Running Check Up
Today I did some thinking about my running and where I stand right now... I have done two half marathons in the last two months (my first two ever!) and I am running the final 11.2 mile leg of the Myrtle Beach Relay Marathon this Saturday. After that, I stand at a bit of a crossroads. Of course, I will run the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K on March 31st... my homecoming to running race. I also want to run the KY Derby Festival half marathon in April as my family in KY has already formed my cheering team. Other than that, I haven't committed to anything else besides the Chicago Marathon in October. THE Chicago Marathon. My marathon. My first full marathon!
I will admit, reading others' blogs about marathoning makes me want to run one sooner... although I must learn marathons take time. They take patience. They take hard work. It is not necessarily a race to the start. It is a journey which I know I need to take in my own time to get there.
I am so excited about running Chicago. I am amazed how much support I have received from friends and family members about my decision to run. After signing up for it, it felt real. I knew I was locked in...no turning back! I think it is pretty cool how I get email updates from the marathon with info and other motivation bits. I especially liked this part-
Over the course of the next 8 months, runners just like you will also be inspired to register for the race, making the same devout commitment you did to train for and complete the 26.2-mile challenge. Between now and race morning, each of the 45,000 participants who sign on for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is likely to question his or her abilities, rethink the commitment and experience extreme physical and emotional challenges.
Wow... I can't wait! :)
I will admit, reading others' blogs about marathoning makes me want to run one sooner... although I must learn marathons take time. They take patience. They take hard work. It is not necessarily a race to the start. It is a journey which I know I need to take in my own time to get there.
I am so excited about running Chicago. I am amazed how much support I have received from friends and family members about my decision to run. After signing up for it, it felt real. I knew I was locked in...no turning back! I think it is pretty cool how I get email updates from the marathon with info and other motivation bits. I especially liked this part-
Over the course of the next 8 months, runners just like you will also be inspired to register for the race, making the same devout commitment you did to train for and complete the 26.2-mile challenge. Between now and race morning, each of the 45,000 participants who sign on for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is likely to question his or her abilities, rethink the commitment and experience extreme physical and emotional challenges.
Wow... I can't wait! :)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Park City Skiing Recap
Six days of vacation just wasn’t enough! After getting back from Houston late Friday afternoon, I did laundry, ran to buy some last minute ski essentials, and tried to get the best night’s sleep before taking off for UTAH! Geez, I was happy I splurged with my miles and booked a first class ticket. It was wonderful to relax in first class with my friend Jim and have a little Bailey’s in my morning coffee. It was also fun playing in-seat trivia with everyone else on the plane. Apparently, my voice carries more than I thought as I could see on the scoreboard that the guy in 2A and I were tied for first place right when we were touching down and I yelled, “SUCK IT, guy in 2A… booo yaaa!” Unfortunately, we never got the last question but I would have totally wooped ass. Amateurs.
We get to Utah and meet up with a few of our group members flying in from other locations. I went on this trip just knowing Jim so I met a lot of new folks. Six days in a condo helps the getting-to-know-you process. The ride to Park City was pretty quick- only 35 miles or so. The men (in typical fashion) did not mapquest or ask for directions so we went based on my instincts and Blackberry navigation. HA!
We immediately start drinking and planning our week. We all agree to ski most days and maybe take a day “off” aka drink beer all day and watch movies. I hit the hay early in anticipation of a full day of skiing at Park City Mountain Resort.
Day 1 comes early. Luckily, Park City has a fantastic shuttle system and we have a stop right outside our door! Getting everyone out of the house is a chore but we are finally all outside waiting for the bus. I get to the equipment rental place and within the first 5 minutes of being there, I SEE MY BOSS FROM WORK!! Can you believe it, of all the places in the world… he has come to Park City the same week as me. I end up seeing him 4 or 5 times more all over the resort. CRAZY.
Park City Mountain Resort
I take the first day easy with a couple green slopes. See, I learned to ski at Paoli Peaks Ski Resort in Indiana. Yes, Indiana. What they called greens out here would have clearly passed as a black trail back in Indiana. Daaaaamn…
Skiing starts to come back to me… no problem! I brag to the guys about how I am really getting back into it, my turns are going well… and then I ski off down the mountain and totally wipe out. I mean, WIPE OUT. I then decide to keep my mouth shut.
The next day we took off from skiing. Most people were so sore they could not even move. I decide to get a run in that morning and the 7,000 ft altitude kicks my ass. A good 5 mile run though and some core work. I feel great! The rest of the people in the house think I am c-c-c-crazy for going out and running although they wholeheartedly cheer me on from the porch with Bud Lights in their hands. We spend the remainder of the day drinking downtown and enjoying the gorgeous weather.
We head back to Park City Resort the next day and I feel a little more confident. I warm up with a couple greens and then hit some easy blues. I am doing awesome! In a moment of complete confidence, I ask the guide at top about a couple of the blues that intersect from that point. I notice he is from Rock Hill, South Carolina. This should have been my first clue that this guy had NO idea about the trails and their level of difficulty. He tells me to go on “High Card”, a ‘signature run used in the 2002 Olympics but has since been scaled back to an easier level of difficulty’.
No problem! Bring on High Card!
I get to the top and look down, past the point of return. Holy shit. It is super steep. And moguls.
Moguls.
Moguls.
Moguls.
I don’t do moguls.
I freak out.
I see a guy skiing up towards me and wave him down. I ask, “Is this run hard? I did not know it had moguls.”
He laughs and says, “Well, does it look hard? Good luck!” and skies on.
It felt like I was on that mountain for an hour. I saw one other skier the entire time. I started crying at some point. I felt helpless. I took it slow. I fell at times. I was sweating bullets. But, I was not going down that mountain with the ski patrol.
I have never been so happy to get to the bottom. And who do I see? My boss. And his 6 year son. Apparently, they had done the run the day before.
Damn.
We ski the next couple days at Deer Valley, a gorgeous ski resort that does not allow snowboarders. I have to admit, snowboarders do not really bother me as a skier but some people hate them. One difference is the narrow, narrow trails at Deer Valley. I guess they assume skiers do not need a wide trail. Wrong. Most of the runs I went on at Park City were wide enough that you were still going to live if you ventured off trail, at least into the trees. If you go off trail at Deer Valley, you go off a ledge into a deep ravine. Scary!
Gorgeous scenery though. A true treat!
We broke for lunch at the top of the mountain and had a couple beers at lunch. I was heading down the signature green trail, “Success” after lunch and hear some lady behind me yell, “Get out of my way, I am out of control!” She wipes out right behind me and her pole comes flying towards me and gets caught in my skis. I wipe out too and hit my head on the snow. Hard. Eeekk! I took a couple minutes to get up, put my skis back on, and not kill her. Having decided that I was happy to be in one piece, I called the next trail my last as I did not want to get majorly hurt and I took this a sign.
All in all- I had an amazing time! It was so nice to get out West again and take in some beautiful scenery. I am hoping to tack on a couple days to my Colorado trips in the next couple months and do a little skiing… might try cross country next time around too!
We get to Utah and meet up with a few of our group members flying in from other locations. I went on this trip just knowing Jim so I met a lot of new folks. Six days in a condo helps the getting-to-know-you process. The ride to Park City was pretty quick- only 35 miles or so. The men (in typical fashion) did not mapquest or ask for directions so we went based on my instincts and Blackberry navigation. HA!
We immediately start drinking and planning our week. We all agree to ski most days and maybe take a day “off” aka drink beer all day and watch movies. I hit the hay early in anticipation of a full day of skiing at Park City Mountain Resort.
Day 1 comes early. Luckily, Park City has a fantastic shuttle system and we have a stop right outside our door! Getting everyone out of the house is a chore but we are finally all outside waiting for the bus. I get to the equipment rental place and within the first 5 minutes of being there, I SEE MY BOSS FROM WORK!! Can you believe it, of all the places in the world… he has come to Park City the same week as me. I end up seeing him 4 or 5 times more all over the resort. CRAZY.
Park City Mountain Resort
I take the first day easy with a couple green slopes. See, I learned to ski at Paoli Peaks Ski Resort in Indiana. Yes, Indiana. What they called greens out here would have clearly passed as a black trail back in Indiana. Daaaaamn…
Skiing starts to come back to me… no problem! I brag to the guys about how I am really getting back into it, my turns are going well… and then I ski off down the mountain and totally wipe out. I mean, WIPE OUT. I then decide to keep my mouth shut.
The next day we took off from skiing. Most people were so sore they could not even move. I decide to get a run in that morning and the 7,000 ft altitude kicks my ass. A good 5 mile run though and some core work. I feel great! The rest of the people in the house think I am c-c-c-crazy for going out and running although they wholeheartedly cheer me on from the porch with Bud Lights in their hands. We spend the remainder of the day drinking downtown and enjoying the gorgeous weather.
We head back to Park City Resort the next day and I feel a little more confident. I warm up with a couple greens and then hit some easy blues. I am doing awesome! In a moment of complete confidence, I ask the guide at top about a couple of the blues that intersect from that point. I notice he is from Rock Hill, South Carolina. This should have been my first clue that this guy had NO idea about the trails and their level of difficulty. He tells me to go on “High Card”, a ‘signature run used in the 2002 Olympics but has since been scaled back to an easier level of difficulty’.
No problem! Bring on High Card!
I get to the top and look down, past the point of return. Holy shit. It is super steep. And moguls.
Moguls.
Moguls.
Moguls.
I don’t do moguls.
I freak out.
I see a guy skiing up towards me and wave him down. I ask, “Is this run hard? I did not know it had moguls.”
He laughs and says, “Well, does it look hard? Good luck!” and skies on.
It felt like I was on that mountain for an hour. I saw one other skier the entire time. I started crying at some point. I felt helpless. I took it slow. I fell at times. I was sweating bullets. But, I was not going down that mountain with the ski patrol.
I have never been so happy to get to the bottom. And who do I see? My boss. And his 6 year son. Apparently, they had done the run the day before.
Damn.
We ski the next couple days at Deer Valley, a gorgeous ski resort that does not allow snowboarders. I have to admit, snowboarders do not really bother me as a skier but some people hate them. One difference is the narrow, narrow trails at Deer Valley. I guess they assume skiers do not need a wide trail. Wrong. Most of the runs I went on at Park City were wide enough that you were still going to live if you ventured off trail, at least into the trees. If you go off trail at Deer Valley, you go off a ledge into a deep ravine. Scary!
Gorgeous scenery though. A true treat!
We broke for lunch at the top of the mountain and had a couple beers at lunch. I was heading down the signature green trail, “Success” after lunch and hear some lady behind me yell, “Get out of my way, I am out of control!” She wipes out right behind me and her pole comes flying towards me and gets caught in my skis. I wipe out too and hit my head on the snow. Hard. Eeekk! I took a couple minutes to get up, put my skis back on, and not kill her. Having decided that I was happy to be in one piece, I called the next trail my last as I did not want to get majorly hurt and I took this a sign.
All in all- I had an amazing time! It was so nice to get out West again and take in some beautiful scenery. I am hoping to tack on a couple days to my Colorado trips in the next couple months and do a little skiing… might try cross country next time around too!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Saturday morning run with my marathon relay team!
Damn, it is nice to be home. I have not spent a weekend in Charleston since the middle of January so I figured it was high time to gather the troops and do a group run with my relay team. We are just a week away from the Myrtle Beach Marathon Relay next Saturday and I wanted to make sure everyone had met and was as excited as I am!
This morning was picture perfect running weather... 50's, sunny, blue skies. I had originally sent my Outlook meeting request to the girls (yes, we are computer nerds) for 8 AM and then re-thought it and sent an update for 10 AM.
8 miles this morning with the girls- started downtown at my friend's Edi house, ran by the water on East Bay Street (saw the debarkation of a cruise ship that just came into town....weird to see cruise ships in Charleston), and ran to the top of the Cooper River Bridge and back. Lots of folks out enjoying the beautiful weather!
I have decided that I am going to concentrate on training for the Cooper River Bridge Run after Myrtle Beach but still keep my mileage up to train for the KY Derby Festival Half on April 28. And from that point forward... it is ALL ABOUT CHICAGO, baby!!!
This morning was picture perfect running weather... 50's, sunny, blue skies. I had originally sent my Outlook meeting request to the girls (yes, we are computer nerds) for 8 AM and then re-thought it and sent an update for 10 AM.
8 miles this morning with the girls- started downtown at my friend's Edi house, ran by the water on East Bay Street (saw the debarkation of a cruise ship that just came into town....weird to see cruise ships in Charleston), and ran to the top of the Cooper River Bridge and back. Lots of folks out enjoying the beautiful weather!
I have decided that I am going to concentrate on training for the Cooper River Bridge Run after Myrtle Beach but still keep my mileage up to train for the KY Derby Festival Half on April 28. And from that point forward... it is ALL ABOUT CHICAGO, baby!!!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Back in Carolina...
My 3 week travel bender is o-ver! (OK, until next week) I am back in Charleston and enjoying some peace and quiet, low (or no) elevation, and not having to wear ski boots anymore. Those f-in things kill your feet!!!!
I did manage to get two runs in this week in the 6,700-7,000 ft altitude which was a new "high" for me... whoa... I wore my Garmin to graph the elevation. It felt so good to actually run and not have 49 pounds of ski equipment on!
Here is my favorite photo I took from atop the gorgeous slopes at Deer Valley (appr 11,500 feet at the summit which was a new record for me)... I had such a kick ass time!!
I did manage to get two runs in this week in the 6,700-7,000 ft altitude which was a new "high" for me... whoa... I wore my Garmin to graph the elevation. It felt so good to actually run and not have 49 pounds of ski equipment on!
Here is my favorite photo I took from atop the gorgeous slopes at Deer Valley (appr 11,500 feet at the summit which was a new record for me)... I had such a kick ass time!!
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Tales from a Road Warrior…
Here I sit in Atlanta airport. Delta Crown Room. C Concourse. A familiar scene. Middle-aged business men chatting on cell phones and trying to make haircut appointments with their secretaries, people fresh off the redeye looking to catch some sleep, overcast skies out the windowed wall, dozens of planes waiting for taxi and takeoff. I have always been in awe of airplanes. What makes them fly and how do they stay in the air? I like to think about the people inside of them and where they are going, who they will see, how they feel about where they are going…
I sit here and I am tired. I have been on the road for almost 2 weeks straight (sleeping at home one night in between). I have been to Philly, DC, VA, Austin, and Houston. Somewhere in between... I also ran a half marathon, presented about 25 software demos, and entertained prospects and clients every night. I took a 6:00 AM flight this morning so I can get home in enough time to run my errands, pay bills, and go shopping for last minute stuff for my ski trip tomorrow. Yes, I am turning around in Charleston and taking a 7:00 AM flight to Utah in the morning. Ironically, my boss is also going to Park City for vacation and we will be there for the same time period. HA!
So, off I go soon to get on another plane. Seat 2 D today. Bulkhead window seat. Perfect for sleeping and getting a good look at my beautiful hometown city when we fly in over the ocean, tidal creeks, and my beloved Cooper River Bridge. Hoping the weather holds up and the storms from Florida did not creep up. Would be nice to get a run in…
Happy trails!
I sit here and I am tired. I have been on the road for almost 2 weeks straight (sleeping at home one night in between). I have been to Philly, DC, VA, Austin, and Houston. Somewhere in between... I also ran a half marathon, presented about 25 software demos, and entertained prospects and clients every night. I took a 6:00 AM flight this morning so I can get home in enough time to run my errands, pay bills, and go shopping for last minute stuff for my ski trip tomorrow. Yes, I am turning around in Charleston and taking a 7:00 AM flight to Utah in the morning. Ironically, my boss is also going to Park City for vacation and we will be there for the same time period. HA!
So, off I go soon to get on another plane. Seat 2 D today. Bulkhead window seat. Perfect for sleeping and getting a good look at my beautiful hometown city when we fly in over the ocean, tidal creeks, and my beloved Cooper River Bridge. Hoping the weather holds up and the storms from Florida did not creep up. Would be nice to get a run in…
Happy trails!
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