Here they are!

Finally I have them framed and hung up!!!


Sure they might be a little crooked here and there but considering how MANY frames I had to hang up, it was crazy. I actually did use a laser level and also a measuring tape to make sure I had it right so I was pretty close! I'm digging it.

There's also a pretty big empty wall space between my St. Louis Marathon frame and my bookshelf. I think once I get my medals engraved (I have them all labeled and in a box ready to go, I just need to get my butt up there) I'm going to put in 2 nails and hang them from there. Instead of from my closet's door handle. Actually show them off a little bit.

On the wall to my left is a sign that my family made for me for one of my races. I have another sign that they made and would like them hung up too but don't have the room unless I take other stuff down. Then I also have a stained glass item that a boyfriend made for me. Supposed to be me running. I think it's pretty cool. She's wearing blue and has reddish hair! Sounds like me!


Pretty soon, this room will be called my running room instead of "the office" or "the cat's bedroom" or "the guest room."

Also, I'm pretty excited because it looks like there's a very good chance that I'm gonna have cheerleaders at my race on Saturday morning! My BFF Rob may run it. If he doesn't, he still wants to head up and cheer me on! Our friend Melissa may also join in the cheering section. So Yay! They've never seen me race, ever. And of course there's the China House Buffet afterwards for lunch!! SCORE!

Categories: friends, medals, memorabilia

Marathon Memorabilia & Tattoos

Today's run was a 60 minute run. It was OK on a scale of Great to Awful. About 20 minutes into it, the middle of my back was hurting. Like I had to pop it or something. It would even hurt taking a deep breath. Not under my lungs but in my back! So at 25 minutes, I stopped to twist and WOW, did it EVER pop. But unfortunately the soreness never went away. I think the damage had been done by that time. I managed to stick with it until the 60 minutes. And of course as soon as I was done, I didn't feel the pain anymore. HA!

I did do the biking of the 4.4 miles last night. My thighs were shaking by the time I was done. Though I was going at like 16-19 mph nearly the entire time. Once I headed north, I got a head wind. Then when I headed east, same thing. Come to find out, the winds were coming from the NE at 14 mph, gusting up to 18 mph! Yay DeKalb winds. This bike ride tomorrow is gonna KILL MY thighs!

I do have two random things to share:

I FINALLY got a memento frame for my St. Louis Marathon. The certificate, picture, medal, map and bib. I can't believe I fit that all in there! They're also all taped using scotch tape to a flimsy piece of cardboard. But it seems to be staying in place. I haven't hung it up yet. Trying to figure out placement on my wall.

I also got a couple frame sometime ago for my first half and first marathon. Since they were both St. Jude, I wanted to get them something that matched. I have a picture already printed for the marathon, just need to take it out of the double frame that I have it in.



The other thing is that eventually I'm going to get a running tattoo. Specifically one of these or something similar that I haven't found yet.

I know, I know, all you nay-sayers out there about getting a tattoo in general. But listen, this isn't my first one. I have 8 total, they could be counted as just 5 but I have several in the same area at different times so I count them as separate. And I've been running since I was in high school with my college years off but I wanted to run then just didn't have the motivation. And no matter what I do, whether or not I finish my 50 marathons in 50 states goal or run a 30k race or even tackle a 100 mile, I will still run and run I will enjoy doing. So I want to get something that celebrates that I want to get off my ass unlike most people I know.

So now comes the hard part of where. I was thinking the side of my left foot. But no one would see that. This is one that I actually want people to see. Then I was thinking my outside left ankle but I was wanting to save that for something family orintated (if I ever get it) and I already have something on my outside right ankle.

I was at Daytona Beach, at the beginning of the month and in a Harley Davidson store of all places, I saw a guy wearing shorts that had a winged foot tattoo with, I think, a date underneath. I knew right away that he was a runner. I wanted to ask him about it. His was on either the side of his right calf. That was an interesting place. No matter what he was doing, as long as he was wearing shorts, people would see that and know.

I was reading Runner's World the other day and saw the story of the University of Texas guy and saw where his tattoo Long Horn logo was at. Directly under his running shorts on his right thigh so that they would just show when he was wearing them. Ryan Shay had the same thing on his thigh of his alma mater, Notre Dame. It would be kinda weird to get a winged foot on a thigh though I do like the idea of it showing when I have my running shorts on (just which ones since they all meet my thigh at different points).

So the calf might be the best place. But at the same time, I don't want it on my calf for the same reason why I don't want any on my arms. I love my arms & the way they look too much! Same with my calves. But it would be a great place! Even if I was out doing errands wearing shorts, people would see that tattoo and know that I'm a runner. I do not have any plans on getting anything underneath it like 26.2 or a date. Just the winged foot.

Decisions, decisions. That's why I'm going to sit on it for a while. Probably after this October marathon. Hell, maybe if I do horribly bad in this marathon, I'll call off running all together and then I won't even get it! :-)

Categories: Go St. Louis Marathon, medals, memorabilia, tattoos

5k done!

Got my 5k done. I ran with Brent for the first 1.8 miles. Thought between 9:45 and 10 min/mi pace would be good. Then we started to slow down and my legs were itching! I was actually SINGING! You know you're going to slow when you can sing. So I paused at the 2 mile mark to wait for him and then I said that I'll just see him at the finish line. He said that's fine. The guys behind him were yelling, Chase her! Don't let her get away, go after the skirt! I wore my running skirt and a bright lime green shirt. Too funny!


I turned the corner at the finish line and looked down at my watch and saw that I had 10 seconds before the 30 minute mark. I booked it! Unfortunately, I crossed the finish line at 30:06. First time I ran a 5k in over 30 minutes (before that was 29:05 on a trail race with a sore back muscle). Oh well. The timing was wrapped around our bibs but there was no mat at the start, so they go by gun time. It was 31 something when I crossed. No big deal though. I still got my medal!

I got lots of pictures of odd things though. A 3 person group; a guy had a shirt that say "Happy Birthday Mom." The middle girl shirt said "Hey 60, Screw you!" and the final shirt said "Happy Bday Me!"

Then we saw a camera crew filming an old guy. As I was walking up to the Visitors Centre to stay warm, I saw the crew and this old guy leaving. Then he was I guess near the front of the pack and we passed him walking and the crew in front of him filming him.

Oh my gosh, speaking of passing people. WHY DON'T WALKERS REALISE THAT THE THEY NEED TO GO TO THE BACK SO THEY DON'T CLOG UP THE ONES THAT WANT TO RUN!!! OK, rant over.

I also saw a shirt that said Families Run for Ovarian Cancer ROC Star 5k. I ran up beside her and asked her where she ran the race at and if it's going to be held this year. She said Chesterfield and in September. I asked if it raises money for Ovarian Cancer Research and she said yes. So there we go. If they don't have one up there (I've seen walks, no running though) then I want to do this race!! :-D Ran past my mom's hospital as well.


I feel bad though. I noticed at very last minute that I was passing a husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend team and he was reaching for her hand so they could cross the finish line together with their hands held high. And what did I do? I ran between them and the photographer (only one at finish line). I tried to really gun it so they could get a picture but I couldn't slow down any and I couldn't get on the right side of them since there was a pile over there. I feel horrible and afraid that Karma's gonna get me!

After the race, we left on the road that I will leave the park tomorrow during the marathon. So Brent got to see the road I'm going to run on. It's going to be interesting. I forgot about the rolling hills once you reach Clayton. They had their street contruction flashing light signs things out on the road already saying Marathon race tomorrow, proceed with caution. Also had no parking signs on every tree on Forsyth Rd.

Weather update: Weather.com finally has the hour-by-hour up. 57 at the start. 59 at 11 am. With 70% chance of rain the entire time. Poops. Jesse (who is running the half & also from Chicago) says that he's going to wear shorts and maybe a long sleeve thermal shirt. So I'll go with shorts and my arm warmers. I should be good!

One down, 1 to go!

On agenda for today: Sweet Tomatoes for lunch. EcoExpo at the Science Center. Marathon Expo at 3pm. Check in at hotel after expo. Pasta dinner somewhere. Then sleep and early wake-up tomorrow! Probably the same as today: 5:45 am.

Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 482 ft Location: University City, MO Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 04/18/09 Up/Downhill: [+160/-160] Time: 07:31 AM Difficulty: 1.6 / 5.0 Weather: Overcast 60 F temp; 66% humidity 60 F heat index; winds Calm Performance Distance: 3.17 miles Time: 0:30:06 Speed: 6.3 mph Pace: 9' 30 /mi Heart Rate: 173 bpm (Avg) Calories: 336 195 bpm (Peak) Map Elevation (ft) Pace (min/mile) Heart Rate (bpm) Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Heart Rate Elev Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 54 +0' 24 6.1 -0.3 158 -13 ft 2 10' 01 +0' 31 6.0 -0.3 178 +46 ft 3 8' 58 -0' 32 6.7 +0.4 186 -46 ft end 7' 33 -1' 57 7.9 +1.6 191 +13 ft Versus average of 9' 30 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

Categories: Go St. Louis 5k, medals, races

Go! St. Louis Marathon medal & 5k

Just a quick run today. 2 miles in 17:44. Yea, real quick. I forced myself to go. And I even walked over to the YMCA after getting dressed at home. I really didn't want to though. So I'm proud of myself with that!

But I just wanted to mention that I'm going to sign up for the 5k at the Go! St. Louis Family Fitness Weekend. It's the day before my marathon and you get a medal with that race too. So why not make it a challenge and do the 5k and then the marathon!

Speaking of medals... here's St. Louis'. I received a pic in an email today.

Categories: Go St. Louis Marathon, medals

Medals & Marathons

Is it wrong to base your marathon choice based on finishers medals?

The Walt Disney World Marathon or Half or Goofy Challenge or whatever is now going on my list. Simply because I saw this:

Categories: marathon, medals