On top of Old Smoky

This morning, I ran 4 miles at an elevation of (a minimum) 2,134 ft. With 5 hills up and down. And I'm talking mountain hills; NOT Illinois hills.

In comparison, DeKalb, IL is at an elevation of 880 ft.

I'm rather impressed. Though my legs are killing me now. After running, we walked around Asheville which has hills as well. So I'm sore. Needless to say, I'm driving someplace next time I want to run. I just hope to find a semi-flat range in this mountainous region. I can't wait for some real "mountain biking!"

Categories: elevation, North Carolina, vacation

ByronFest 5k

Categories: ByronFest 5k, races

Tomorrow makes 8! Or would that be 7.5?

Went running this morning. Around 9:35 we started out; I talked a LOT at the beginning, I think that's why I had to walk twice. But the guy I ran with was good motiviation. He kept telling me to keep going when I wanted to walk while running up a long gradual hill. Really good motivation! Towards the end he started talking more cause I couldn't do it any longer. I had to wipe my face on his shirt once though cause the sweat was getting in my eyes and burning; man was it EVER burning!

The guy this morning called me his friend. That was sweet. Wasn't expecting that. But he said that while he's finally on his way up in the friend number (me being one) I'm on my way down with Rob leaving (now one left in town). Eh, I'll get over it. My own fault for grasping onto one person again! haha

Ok, now I'm off to eat some frozen fruit popups. I'm hot.

Categories: running with friends

Farkers rock!

I totally kicked arse on swimming tonight. Rob gave me his googles and sure enough, they helped so much! I managed to do 4 laps in a row and then a quick breather and then started up again. Towards the end I even managed to change the way I was putting my head back in the water and it helped even more, so at the end of my 40 minutes, I was still doing laps in a row even though I was tired and totally out of breath. I also did 4 laps of arm exercises or whatever and 6 laps of just kicking.

I bought a new bike on Tuesday. It's a Trek 4300, a mountain bike. Weird thing is that it's a men's bike. Once I found that out I was like um, but I'm a girl? Tobie said that I would be too big for a Women's 18" and my knees would be hitting the handlebars. It feels weird to think of the fact that I'm riding a man's. I mean, I'm already guy-ish enough, do I really have to ride a guys bike too? I took it for a spin that night and went 9.5 miles. How do I know that? I bought an odometer that same night. Pain in the ass to install it though. But also very exciting! Since I plan on doing RAGBRAI next year, I bought better tires for road biking that will fit that frame. Now just need a good pair of padded shorts. My ass hurt after a Sunday ride and then a Tuesday ride!

I might be getting runner's knee again in my right knee. During my ride on Sunday, I felt it getting painful. Then on Monday, even while walking it hurt. Of course I ran that night but then iced my knee down. Then today I noticed that my right hip was hurting too (the same one in which was causing my problems last year) and I was limping. Once I took advil everything was fine but that's just a quick fix, not a permanent solution. Only solution is 6 weeks off with NO EXERCISE, not even swimming! Then once that 6 weeks is done, then I can start with swimming, go to biking and later treadmill. We'll see what I do with only 3 days of running though which is what my half marathon regimem

I have a new running partner. Well, kinda. Some guy I work with said that he wants to go rollerblading with me while I run. I told him that my long runs are on Saturday morning around 9a. He said call me this Saturday. Should be interesting! Then another friend said that he can bike with me while I run. It's so good to hear that people are at least interested in doing this with me, even if they don't follow through, at least they're asking about it! I warned them that I'm not incredibly fast; I don't want to be. I just want to get things done.

I was going to take my new mountain bike for a spin in Rock Cut yesterday but that got cancelled. Did do my speed work that morning at the Sycamore High School track but ended up doing it at 11am. Not the smartest idea with the 76% humidity we had that day. First speedwork ever was a complete bust. Completed 1 mile warmup and then 1 mile of my 2 mile workout at 8:17/mi with 1/2 mile jogs between. I hate speed workouts. Tempo runs I can do just not speed. I'm not fast.

So today while I was getting dressed after my swim, I wondered if I should go a triathalon. Jack thinks I should. Not a full one but a version called sprint. Swim 1/2 mile; bike 13 miles; run 3.1 miles. I'm reading a blog on our sister paper, Quad Cities Times, by a woman that is training for her Sprint Tri. She's 33 and has 2 kids. Apparently most women complete their first tri in their 30's. So here's my new set of goals. Halfmarathon this year; Marathon by the time I'm 30; Sprint Tri by the time I'm 33. They have a Sprint Tri in Naperville but I'm sure that's HUGE. I want to do one that's a bit smaller; like the one out in Iowa (the one that this lady is doing). But I'm waiting until then to figure out how the heck do I train for something like that... swimming and then biking? The transistions?!

Speaking of hurt, I think I figured out why I'm pushing myself to all these challenges but that will be saved for another blog when I get sentimental and detrimental to my pysche.

Categories: aches and pains, biking, friends, goals, speed work, sprint tri, swimming, triathlon

It's been too long since I talked about running

Tomorrow evening I finish my Old Chicago World Beer Tour #2. Only took me 2 years to finish 110 beers with driving 40 miles one way for it. HAHA. It'll be good.

I've been swimming this week for cross-training purposes. I got in the pool on Tuesday, did some laps and spent a total of 30 minutes in the pool. I was expecting to be more sore on Wednesday but nada. Was in the pool again tonight. Only spent 20 minutes this time but that was because Zach in the next lane swam 22 laps in a row and totally showed me up. I can only swim 3 laps in a row. I blame the fact that I have no goggles. So I'm buying goggles this weekend or next week.

Next week cross-training will be biking. My legs will be more sore after that. I like the recumbent bike better. I can read or watch tv better and it's easier on my ass. I go for like 7 or 8 miles on that in 30 minutes. It's a pretty good sweat workout.

I'm hoping to lose 10 pounds. It'll help with the running, if I'm more svelt. I don't want to lose it for the body image but to help me run. So maybe it's not the weight I want to lose but instead the bulk around my hips, thighs and stomach. We'll see if it happens. I highly doubt it. Three years ago I was 15 pounds less than what I am now but I was also younger too. I don't know what I did to lose it but I did. I think it was the working nights and driving an hour to work.

I'm also doing a few sets of weights after running on the treadmill. Nothing too big and fancy. Just working the tricep (a problem area), the hamstring lift (I need to make that stronger for running) and free weights curls for the biceps (my skinny arms need to get stronger).

I saw an orthopedic last week. He told me that I'm incredibly flexible which is why I'm having problems with my wrists. But he said what will help me with that is strengthening up the forearm. So I have to look into getting a squeezy thingy for those muscles. I can work those at home. This guy I know just does it while he's watching tv and his forearms are HUGE. So I'm hoping that will keep my wrists good as I have a cyst back in my bad one and my one good wrist is painful as of late.

I'm also training for the St. Jude Children's Hospital Half Marathon for later on this year. It'll be in December. Someone from work motivated me enough to get excited about the stupid thing. It's in Memphis. Here's a map of the route. I have a regimen to follow for 16 weeks. I started it this past Monday and I only run 3 times a week. That seems way less that what I should run to me but I up my long run mileage by a mile each week. It has tempo runs (which is slightly faster than your estimated HM pace) and speed work (in which you run like a mile fast - mines is at 8:06) and easy/long runs done at a pace slower than your HM pace (mine is 10 minutes). I've never really done those before. I always just ran a straight steady pace which might be why I only run at that pace.

I got this schedule from Runner's World. I subscribed to it 2 months ago and it's been really helpful. I totally look forward to it every month. It has good articles about running, shoes, strides, food, etc.

For the past two Friday's, I've been running at lunch because I usually end up staying until 7pm to get our weekend classified sections out. I can't explain why but it sucks. Luckily, because tomorrow is my WBT finish, I'm leaving at 5pm, I don't care and I'm not running. It's a rest day for me! With a 6 mile run on Saturday. :-)

I've been planning my camping weekends for this summer. I'm totally looking forward to Alton/Grafton and then sometime to Wisconsin. I also plan an overnight trip to Springfield. It's been way too long since I've been to our state capital. I like Abraham Lincoln a lot. My dad is also going to come up here for a week of camping in August. I'm excited about that. He's actually staying in Sycamore too so he'll be close to me! Unfortunately, since all my vacation time is all ready locked in, I can't take any of those days off but I'll find stuff to do with him during the week. May lose out on a few training days. We'll see.

I swear, if I see one more story or hear of another newscast or commercial about the iPhone (which is all I'm seeing on NBC tonight), I'm going to scream. I can't even go to some of my favourite geek sites because all they have are links and articles about this iPhone. How not to be jealous of the iPhone, how to make your phone look like the iPhone, how the iPhone stands up to other phones, finding Wi-Fi spots with your iPhone, how the lines are building for the iPhone launch, the fact that the iPhones are arriving and being unpacked. I want to stage a sit-in in protest over this hype that they are having over this new device. I'm sick of it. SICK. OF. IT. People were complaining about the overexposure of Paris Hilton. Well, how about this iPhone?!?! I'll end on that note.

Categories: camping, iPhone, orthopedic, Runner's World, speed work, St. Jude Half Marathon, swimming, travel, weight, work

Brett's Run 5k

Categories: Brett's Run 5k, races

awesome

My co-workers are just awesome.

I come in to work on Thursday morning and first thing right away, Frank the IT guy, gives me a high five for my finish in my race on Monday. Then several other people come up in the morning and congratulate me. I'm a little confused. I ask finally, how on Earth did you know how I did. I only told Frank. (He called me on Tuesday morning about a problem they were having and asked me how I did. I was half-asleep when he called since it was 7am and just told him.) That's when I realised that he went around and told everyone. Not that it's bad or anything, he just wanted to tell people and I was fine with that.

Later on in the afternoon, I went over by Proofing and saw on their whiteboard, they wrote "Congrats, Lindsay!!" WTF is what I immediately said. I didn't know what to make of it. I told George of what happened to me Thursday night and how my mother said that she wasn't going to come to my race. (I cried on Thursday night so my eyes were all puffy and red on Friday morning so I was wearing my glasses. My co-workers know that when I wear my coloured glasses, something's wrong.) Anyway, so I guess George wanted to be supportive and he wrote that down. He said that people were walking by on Tuesday wanting to know what I did. At first he was telling everyone that I was pregnant but by Wednesday he changed the story when he found out that I wasn't going to be there to disprove that claim until the next day.

I got to show him the pictures of my trip and everything. Then Proofing is going to take me out to lunch on Monday or Tuesday.

Anyway, so I've got some awesome co-workers that actually support me. I like the company I work for and the people I work with. We seem to be friends at times. I like that. And some of us like to hang out with each other OUTSIDE of work times. That I like too. I'm very content.

Categories: Herrinfesta 10k, races, work

bow chica bow wow

It's been a few days since I posted. So this is what's new with me...

Friday night I saw Shrek the Third. HI-LAR-IOUS. There was one point in which I sat forward in my chair and clapped my hands a few times I found it that funny! I snorted a lot. I also bought a hat for the race I was in today. I drove it that night up in Kirkland and realised that I would be heading east for nearly a mile at the beginning and then a north, back east and then south so the sun would be bothering me. I don't like wearing sunglasses while running so I bought a hat instead. I wanted a visor but Wal-Mart didn't have any.

I know I said I wasn't gonna talk about my running anymore but today was a race. 8k which is equals to 4.97 miles. I came 3rd in my age group. What a surprise! While training on the treadmill I was running at 9 minute miles which is 45 minutes for 5 miles. Today, I surprised myself and came in at 43:19. Nearly 2 minutes off my time! My first mile was 8:33 and I nearly kept that pace. I was quite surprised with myself! I did dress too warm for it though. It was chilly this morning so I put on my long nylon pants with my nylon long-sleeved shirt and by the 2 mile mark, I was wanting to take it all off. Boy, I got a surprise when I saw Rep. Bob Pritchard maning the time station at mile marker 3! I went up to him afterwards and thanked him for taking the time to do so. He then congratulated me on my placement! The hat worked, btw.

Of course Rockford afterwards. Figured since I was up in Kirkland, I might as well just keep going north. I did quite a bit of shopping at Dicks Sporting Goods. Their hats/visors were anywhere between $18 and $25. F that! I mean, they're made for running (being lightweight and mesh) and a women's head but I'll gladly stick with my $2.88 Wal-Mart special. I also bought another long-sleeved shirt, a short-sleeve shirt and a winter shirt for running, all on clearance! Go me! All Under Armour. I am really addicted to their clothes. It really does get the sweat away from your body! I also bought a really soft bathrobe. Not that that has anything to do with running.

Gander Mtn next. So I'm dressed a little nice today. I have earrings in, a fitting shirt and this awesome cap. But when I walked into Gander Mtn (for those not in the know it's a Hunting, Fishing and Camping store), everyone was staring at me. I kid you not. Then as I was walking back to the camping section, someone came up to me and asked if I was in the right place. I stopped in my tracks, stared and was like "What?" Then it was corrected and the question was posed do I need help finding anything. That's more like it. But I was looking for a water belt. I know that Mc Sports and Dick's don't have anything like that. I found one on a camping/hiking place online so I figured Gander would have it. Nope. I did see that they had Under Armour stuff there as well. And I found a lightweight hat I liked but for $15, I'll stick with my plain white hat. I did find a hiking shoe that I like really well. Hiking is gonna be my next big purchase. I want a good hiking shoe, none of this tennis shoe crap.

Best Buy next. I was looking at laptops. Called up David had him go to Cnet and looking up the specs and reviews for me. Was about to buy it when I decided to call Dad. He talked me out of it. Mainly because I was a little hesitant to buy it for what if I have to move? Then I have to put the deposit, first and last on a credit card and I might as well put as little as possible on there. If I don't have to move then I can buy a laptop he said. I tried arguing about how slow it is. I mean, I have a 20 GB hard drive and it's only 8% free and all I have on here are programs!! It's insane! So then I asked him if I should buy a Nano. Why? I told him about the Nike+. He said "Just take mine, I don't use it anyway." I replied with "I knew you wouldn't use it that's why I got all mad when you got one in the first place!!!" Five months he's had it. So he's gonna give me his on Saturday. Then I have to put music, install the Nike + and charge it on Sunday for my race on Monday (my first 10k [6.2 miles] of the season!. Now I won't have to remember my mile splits!

Then Old Chicago. Ah, yes. Saw that coming huh? Had to celebrate my 2 minutes! I got there around 1pm and it was practically empty! It was awesome! I sat at the bar, watching the Preakness pre-race coverage. I got to know Josh (the bartender) quite well today (his nametag is JG but I can't call him that as that's what I used to my ex Josh). He over heard me telling my dad about the time today and so we got to talking about running. Then golf, then horse racing. It was awesome. Don't worry, he has a girlfriend.

It feels like Sunday to me because the last 2 races of mine have been on Sunday. I keep forgetting that I have a whole day tomorrow to just relax and chill and clean up my place!

And that's about all the new news I have. :-)

Categories: Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary 8k, races, shopping

Races

I'm done.
I'm done running.
I'm done running in races.

I'm so disappointed that no one has bothered to come out and see me run. Except for one time, and that was my EX-BOYFRIEND'S MOTHER! How does that make me feel when compared to my friends? I will never forget that feeling of seeing her there. I understand some races because they're out of town and at 8am. But when I had two races IN TOWN and today's race started at 1pm, still no one was there. That's enough time to get over a hangover, to wake up and shower or get out of church. No one was there to tell me that my time wasn't that bad after all. To let me know that it was the wind that held me back. No one to try to pick me up.

I'm just so disappointed and depressed. Luckily, I'll have my family's support for my two races in Southern Illinois and the one in Memphis. I still plan on doing those but everything else is off the plate. And sure I blame myself for this; I shouldn't have expected anything. Expect nothing and you'll never be disappointed. But I still had this glimmer of hope, tucked way down. While I didn't exactly come out and ask for an audience I didn't think I needed to. I put it in my blogs, mentioning the dates several times, in my MySpace calendar, etc.

Well, my spirit is defeated so I'm done running in races. What's the point when no one wants to support me? I'll keep training for the races in southern Illinos (and because I really like the feel of running [plus my calves are awesome!]) I'll have people to cheer for me down there. But I'll try not to mention it anymore, not even when I hit a milestone. I will still send out an email about the St. Jude charity raising however.

I'm also disappointed in myself. Because this means I do need the support, friendship and kinship after all. I am not a loner; while I can do things like this by myself, it's not as much fun as if I had someone to talk to. So yes, I am disappointed in myself that I want the company.

Oh and I also got a list of all those that sponsored me after all. Thank you so much to those that did! $90 was donated, my donation of $10 plus my race fee of $20 I raised a grand total of $120. At least I can be proud of that.

Categories: fundraising, Race 4 Research, races

for all my worth

Tonight after my running of just over 4.5 miles, I did weights. It's my goal to make my thighs muscles showy. Not like weightlifter big but enough so that when I walk, you can see them flex! I'm doing the heavy weights but less repetitions so that I can build muscle. None of this long and lean look. I'm a freak lately. Will spend at least an hour to an hour and a half in the gym every night. The gym(Jim) will be my boyfriend. :-D