HB Surf and Sand 5k

This was an evening race in Huntington Beach on the sand right on the shore. It was a small race in comparison to others I have run. I got there early and parking was easy, got my number and hung out till the start.

I knew right when I began running that this was not going to be fun. For some reason the sand, even though it was mostly packed, was really tough on my calves. They were hurting bad and did not seem to warm up like they usually do.

But I kept plugging along until the 2nd mile when my left foot went completely numb. Great! So I stopped and tried to retie my shoe to make it looser but that did not seem to help any. So I just kept going, trying to ignore it.

There was one lady that was with me the whole time, she was doing walk run intervals and everytime I caught up to her, she took off. Well me running the whole way began to get quite perturbed lol. So at the end of the race I kicked it and blasted past her so I could beat her in this race LOL. It is truly funny that no matter where your standing is in a race, there is always someone to compete with!

My time was a PR but not as well as I would have liked. I think if I was not in such pain and did not have a numb foot, I could have done better.

One of the women in our group placed 3rd in her age group (55-59) and she was thrilled so that was cute to see.

We got a tshirt and a shell necklace and some of us girls went out for well deserved Mexican food complete with Margaritas

Next up is either the Crime Prevention 5k in Los Alamitos or the Turkey Trot 10k in Dana Point or both

Thanks for reading!
Robin

Rancho Santa Margarita

Hi all!

Well I did it

Here are the details. Woke up to a messed up stomach and unsure whether it was nervousness or the fajitas I had last night Anyway I will spare you the details but I was in the restroom alot!! On one of my lovely restroom stops at a gas station I made a wrong turn and went about 5 miles out of the way and had to find my way back lol.

I finally met up with the girls I was running with and we made our way to the start. There was just a little red line to identify the start.

Mile 1 was an uphill grade for about the whole mile, what a way to warm up! My legs felt terrible but my stomach was ok thank God. I did not hear the guy call the time on the first mile.

Mile 2 - We turned a corner and there was a blessed downhill grade and shade!!! I put on Eminem and rocked out. This was the mile that felt the best. The guy called out 30.25 at 2 miles. I was a bit disappointed cause I really wanted to to get under 45 min.

Mile 3 I was just plugging along, trying to keep positive, getting tired but hanging in there.
At the finish I entered the wrong chute and had to jump over 2 ropes to get in the right place. Then I was behind a guy with a stroller and 3 girls that kept dropping their water bottles! I am not sure what time they got but I had 48 min for 3.29 miles according to my garmin.

Not the under 45 I wanted but this race was a success for 2 reasons:

1) I was not freaked out about racing this morning at all. Normally I have bad dreams and can barely breathe for the nervousness of it all.

2) I did not let one negative thought enter my head. I stayed focused and for the first time I ran the whole thing w/o stopping.

So I consider it a definite success. I feel like my mind is finally in the place to let my body improve and that is a very good thing.

As I was running into the finish some of the girls were screaming my name, cheering me in. That was awesome!

pity party

Hey all, welcome to my pity party. I have been running with a training group for 7 weeks now and I am always the last person in the group. The leader basically has to fall back with me and then run forward to be sure the others can still hear her call out intervals. I feel so awful. I am trying so hard and am still the slowest. My thoughts were terrible tonight, things like "why do I always choose things that I am terrible at?" and "I need to just give up all these goals I have because I will never achieve them".

I have lost all joy in running because every run consists of the group all in front of me and me pressured to figure out how to keep up. I know I need to be challenged but I think I need to add a run that is just meditative to remind me why I am doing this. I actually had tears in my eyes in front of the coach and another girl that said to me, "I think it is so great that you are hanging in there with us, I don't think I could have your resilience." Now I know she meant it as a compliment but I just felt stupid for crying and terrible that I have to be the one who stands out as the slow one that won't give up.

I feel like if I just stop it will be better for the group and yet something in me will not allow me to give up on this.

I am sorry for the pity party. I don't know if it is just the running, Jake being deployed for so long, pms or what but I just feel awful.

Ok party over, go back to your regularly scheduled programming

the road...

I am so happy! I finally found the scene in "What Women Want" that started the wheels turning in my head to begin running. Something about this scene struck a chord in me and I wanted to be the woman featured, her breath, her strength, her shoes pounding the pavement, no judgement, no pretences, just her and the road. I am not quite her yet and dont know if I ever will be or even should be, but I am becoming the runner I am supposed to be.... and the road loves me too.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Ct2Rp3HG8

For some reason html is unavailable so just copy and paste into browser, trust me the extra work will be worth it!

Destroyed

This is a picture of my friend and hero. Wow this is really hard. My friend, actually one of my best friends was killed Sunday in Iraq. I try to live life with some semblence of normalcy but can't help but feel so sad and cry all the time. His wake is tomorrow and his funeral is on Sunday. He was such a fun, goofy guy and did not deserve this at all. There are so many things that are so wrong about this that go above and beyond the fact that we lost him. He has to have a closed casket because his body is too destroyed, God that kills me. He was to be promoted to Sgt. upon returning from his mission and he will never know it. He was just married before he left and his wife is completely destroyed. She has a 16 year old son who finally got the Dad he deserved when they married. This woman has already lost a fiance a while back, her dad and brother also died young. It is so damn unfair.

I am terrified that Jake is in Afganistan right now. I want to do something to keep him safe and yet we tried all of it with Eric, and lost him anyway. I know I am rambling, I just am so sad, scared, crushed and the tears do not seem to run out. I loved Eric and now I will never see his goofy smirk again.





Oh and I ran 6.14 miles today for him, a LSD PR for me.

my Grandmother

I went to see my grandmother today. 93 years old and I tell you she looked great! She fell and broke her ankle and so has to be in assisted living for a bit until she can walk on her own again. She showed me her leg and I noticed how smooth her skin still is; her hair is still soft gray and her face, although showing the signs of age, still has a glow. I feel so blessed to come from a long line of women who are strong physically and mentally.

Each of my children hugged her goodbye and she spoke softly to them in their ear. I did not ask them what she said; I will let them keep that for themselves.

I brought her an ice cream sundae and she ate every drop. LOL none of the women in my family have ever been able to turn down ice cream.

I went on a 4 mile run tonight and I ran the whole thing w/o stopping. I ran it for my sister who can't for she is no longer with us; I ran it in honor of my grandmother whom I admire immensely for being who she is so late in life. It was a great run and I feel very much alive tonight

A social run...

Tonight I ran 4 miles with a friend from the beginners Runner's World forums. I was a bit worried about this run because yesterday I worked my legs pretty hard at the gym. The start was tough but then we both seemed to get in a groove and comfortable pace and we cruised the 4 miles, chatting, laughing. We even sprinted to the finish :) It was awesome!

My legs are a bit sore but I truly feel like improvement is right around the corner for me! It feels good to be making runner friends.

Life is good and I am thankful.