Good Genes

My mom called last night to inform me that my counsin, who I don't know very well, or at all, but I kind of recongize the name WON the Des Moines marathon (Check out the full story here)

Anyway, my mom went on to tell me that I must have good running genes and I just had to laugh! I have never been a runner, I mean... don't get me wrong, I did track in Junior High, and the only event that I did was 200M hurdles (which I am sure my mom would tell you, she had to close her eyes every time I went over a hurdle, I wasn't a graceful hurdler) and maybe the occassional 400M Relay, and then of course I did shot put but I didn't really love track practice, but it was the "sport" of the season so I did it.

I didn't participate in Track when I got to HS, to much running I said. And I never really ran in College, I tried to pick it up a couple times, but it was to painful, I couldn't breath, How was anyone supposed to run and breath at the same time and not have their side ache with pain! I gave up quickly.

I never picked up running again until our coach in Waterpolo made us run and once again I thought I was going to die.. you can see my previous post..

But now.. I live to run! I LOVE running! I beg my roomate at 9:00 at night to just let me go run just one mile, 12 minutes and i'll be back I promise. (Thanks A) Yes, its still tough, yes its definitly a challenge, yes sometimes it hurts, but its amazing!!

I just recently bought my second pair of running shoes, that means I have ran a little over 400 miles! WOW!! How in the world did I run 400 miles! at my slow pace of 14-15 minutes a mile which was last year that would be 100 hours of running! Thankfully because I have been running more I have gotten faster! Yay!! I am now down to 11 minutes a mile! WHEW!

Anyway, someday I hope to complete a marathon, like my counsin, but definitly won't be that fast, she finished in 2:42:19! Thats like.. 6:19 a mile! thats smoking fast in my opionion and for 26.2 miles, wowa. She also gets to compete at the Olympic trials in Boston how sweet is that.

I have major goals ahead of me.. I've now completed 3 5K's all with improving times(SUCCESS) and I've done a Sprint Triathalon(SUCCESS). But I have some other goals on the list, next summer I plan on racing in at least one Olympic Distance Triathalon (1.5Km swim, 25 mile bike, 10K run), I also plan on doing at least one Sprint Triathalon, I am so excited yet nervous at the same time, I hoping those good genes will help me with my running training to get me to the 10K run and i'll be set... who knows in a couple years, I may be tri'ing a Ironman.. who would have ever thought, and nope.. I haven't gone crazy.. yet! :)

219 out of 891 - I'll take it!!

This past weekend I completed the 5K Run for the Schools and I am pretty happy with my results! :) - Pics Here

I placed 219 out of 891 who ran/walked the 5K - I'll take it!!
I placed 12 out of 23 finishers among Women 20 - 24 - I'll take it!!!

That means.. I am in the top 1/4 of the 5Kers!! I am pretty psyched about this! This run was my fastest time so far in any 5K that I have ran, and I wasn't even close to being last... oooh it makes me feel good.

Saturday I got a call from a friend who I was supposed to race with, saying she couldn't race because she was sick, I felt so bad.. I felt bad because we trained together, I was pumped up to run with her, and it would have been her first 5K. I felt so bad.. I was totally disapointed but it wasn't her fault, it happens.. but I decided that even if others cannot come to watch, or to run, I can still run and who am I doing this for? me or someone else.. it would have been really nice to have a running partner.. but its okay, I had the best running partner there ever could be, GOD!!

I made it to mile 1 in 11:14 which I was fairly happy with, thats the fastest mile I have ever ran. The second mile was a little more of a struggle but I made it in a little over 12 or 13 minutes, however by the last mile, I felt so wonderful, I was estatic! I am sure the photographer dude got a cheesy grin on my face around 2.6 miles or so.. we'll see when they come out. I couldn't wait to see the finish line, and I had settled into a good pace. The last 1/4 of a mile is all down hill I can't think of a better way to end a race! I finished the race it was great!

However, the after the race effect did not go so well. Shortly after finishing I was coughing up a storm, I felt like I coudln't breath, I sounded like when I had brochitus, and my lungs were all rattly, I thought maybe it was from not wearing enough to protect my lungs from the cold air, but after doing some research I am finding that Exercise Induced Ashma, which I have, tends to flair up in colder air, It took all day and eventually me just sleeping to feel like I could breath again, I am hoping it will get better, as I would love to continue running outside this winter.

I am just amazed time and time again how amazing God was when he designed this body of his, all the wonderful things it can do with some training and trusting in him, he definitly deserves all the glory for my victory! He was an amazing running partner, with all his encouraging vereses and wisdom, how could you go wrong, how could you not be at your top game, for if God is for you, who possibly can be against you!

A Healthier Me?... Or The Lies We Listen To..

Last year..
Blood Pressure - 145/95 (On a Good Day)
Resting Heart Rate - 85
Cholesteral - 225
Triglicerides - 162


This Week
Blood Pressure - 120/75
Resting Heart Rate - 58
Cholesteral - 192
Triglicerides - 147
Inches Lost -62


I visted the gym today which I haven't been to for quite some time, not because i haven't been working out, but because I have been running outside and it's suddenly getting colder which I am also not a fan of!

When I originally started running outside, I hated it! Every ounce of my body hated it, it was much harder to run outside than to run on a treadmil, but now, I like running outside, its enjoyable, I get to see things, people, the weather, beautiful things God has created, it's amazing!! I thought that I may have to resort to running inside for the winter, but now I am rethinking this plan.

SO I go to the gym, I think I hate the gym, I forgot when I was running outside that the gym has a mirror on every wall, showing you every fault you have in your body, and not to mention showing you how silly you look when you run. The first 5 minutes of my run I think I spent analizing if I had made any progress on my body, my self anything the past year, because it sure didn't look like it! WOW the lies we let our mind wander with when it has any chance!

I kept thinking about how much I needed to workon, which maybe gave me some new motivation that I had been lacking, but I am thinking I am not really to anxious to go back to the treadmill anytime soon, I prefer running outside with no mirrors, running in God's glorious land he has created enjoying all the things he provided. What's your prefernce? Are you an indoor runner, or an outdoor? Do you LOVE the mirrors at the gym or do you have a love hate relationship with them :)

Note to Self

Note To Self - When planning to go for a practice 5K Run, do not take two goldon retrivers with you!

Oh my, I am having a last minute nerves.. I have a 5K on Sunday, the Run for the Schools, which of course I am super excited for, however, I am also nervous. I am also dog sitting this week and thought.. ooh the dogs would like to go for a run, lets go for a run together, two things done at once... bad bad bad idea!

We geared up, using my new nike + ipod which i LOVE!! I will have to do another blog on that at another time, but we started off walking to the end of the street and jumped on the trail, down the hill and before we got .5 kilometers, I felt like I was dragging the dogs! They wanted to stop at everything, and it became so frustrating, I ended up having to walk at times to pull them along. As you can see the dips are where we were walking! but hey, we made some decent time, some part of it!

Not to mention holding the leash and pulling on it at times, made my shoulders cramp up, and hurt! Oh my! What I thought was going to be a fun 5K practice run became a stressful run.. as we were finishing the 3K we had made it back to their street they knew it too, they quickly veared off the path, heading fro the street, and I had to be like.. no no, come over here! whew! what a challenge.

But the last 2K they were peaceful, they were less distracted, I made it successfully through my 5K, I didn't give up when I could have.. all and all it was successful run! I mean... if it was the past me I would have turned around in the first 1K but I made it. However, I am going for run number 2 of 5K tonight and hoping than I can rest until sunday :)