2011 Goals

Sure seems to be taking me long enough to post my goals for 2011.

 

Alot going on these days and I'm finding it hard to get to the computer for a little quality time :).  I'm considering giving up sleeping.  Good idea???  It's been a busy last few days getting back to work & the kids to school.  To top it off, my boss decided we're moving offices ... tomorrow!  At least I'll be getting lots of activity in packing up the whole thing and moving furniture & boxes.

Without further ado ... here are my goals for 2011!

 

Run 2011 Kms / 1250 Miles - This year, I will run 2011 Km (aka 1250 miles), along with my buddy Syl who has already pledged to do the same.  And my friend Fran will be joining us with 1011 Kms.  In 2010 I originally planned to run 750 miles, then decided to changed to 1000 miles.  Unfortunately I fell just a hair short on that (943 miles), but I did learn some lessons along the way.  I will NOT fail on this goal this year!

Set some PR's - I want more PRs this year.  I know I have it in me to improve upon my current PR's.  This year there will be more speed work, more hills, more intervals.  I want to improve on everything from the 5K to the half marathon.  The times I'm aiming for are not significantly faster, but I know that even this little bit will be an achievement.

Time goals:

• 5K - 24:30 ... 7:54/mile  (current 24:53)
• 10K - 49:59 ... 8:04/mile  (current 50:59)
• Half Marathon - 1:55:00 ... 8:46/mile  (current unofficial 1:57:??)
• Grouse Grind - 49:59  (current 50:54)  **mountain hike

Conquer the Half Marathon - I was only able to enter one half marathon in 2010, and it didn't go so great.  I WILL conquer this one this year, and I will do it well too!  This is the one goal that is a MUST for me this year.  If I can pull it off, I'm hoping to do a very special half marathon this year with a fellow blogger.

Cross Training - This year I'm putting more emphasis on cross training - most specifically weights.  Lately when I've done a bit of weight work I feel it ... big time.  This tells me that running alone is not enough.  Also, not that I've had alot of injuries, but the one's I've had, alot can pretty much be pinned on muscle weakness.  Stronger muscles throughtout my entire body will help me run faster.  My butt & abs are usually the first thing to get sore on a challenging run.  That tells me something.   

Along with the weights, I want to venture more.  I've found a fantastic, willing, eager exercise partner who loves to go, go, go ... and I intend to go, go, go.  Once the weather allows, I want to be hiking the mountains more, riding my bike more ... maybe even try kayaking or canoeing for something different.

 

Lose Weight - For the last year I put very little effort into further weight loss and have even gained a little bit.  That is changing this year.  Dec 26/10 my weight was 153.2 and by the end of 2011 I will be at least 10 lbs under that.  This is going to be an even bigger focus than running this year.  Lower weight generally means faster/easier running so by losing excess weight my running should improve. 

In summary, while running is the most important to me, I'm going to put more effort into other areas of my life which will naturally help the running to improve (weight loss, cross training, running drills).  Last year was mostly about distance covered and nothing else.  That is great, but just covering miles isn't enough for what I want to achieve.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

22 .... sigh ......

Sorry for the sporadic posting lately.  Things have been busy, however not terribly exciting or share-worthy. 

 

Been doing some Christmas baking, getting a few more decorations put up (wasn't going to bother, but then the mood struck).  Seeing a few friends for some Christmas cheer - however still not having enough time to see everyone I want to. :(

 

Oh ... wait.  I did do something exciting.  But I'll post about that later because I want to add pictures.

 

On Saturday we did another mileage record for me.  22 miles!  OK, yeah, I guess that might be exciting.

 

The first 13-ish miles were good.  I felt good, the weather was perfect (crisp & cool, but dry).  Running on quiet roads, past lots of farm fields and some quiet subdivisions.  Very nice. 

 

We then stopped at a coffee shop to fill up on our water.  I swear we were only in there for maybe 4-5 minutes.  When we came out ... the world had changed.  It started snowing, mixed with big drops of ice cold rain ... and the wind picked up.  It was disgusting!  My friend told me to make a decision ... press on, or stop now and get picked up.  I'm stubborn so I said press on. 

 

As it was, the rain and most of the wind stopped, however the snow continued to fall.  We were now running along a busy road and it wasn't pleasant at all.  Around 17 miles my body started to shut down.  My muscles were cramping, the arch in my left foot locked up.  It was very umcomfortable.  I had to stop a couple times to stretch.  My mind had checked out too, but like I said .. I'm stubborn, and we continued on.

 

We made it through, but really the last 4-5 miles were a bit of a blur for me.  I just had to get through it.  At least this time we had lots of time to warm up and have a good stretch after.  Unfortunately I sat on my friend's cat though.  I went to sit down and it jumped up underneath me as I was going down.  However my reaction time was seriously impaired and I couldn't get up in time.  Sorry kitty!!

 

I had prepared some steel cut oats for us to have after the run.  We ate them with blackberries.  YUM!  I think that's the best after run meal I've ever had.  Warm, chunky oats with fruit.  Heaven!!!

 

My leg muscles are so unbelievably tight right now.  I need to be very careful.  We had planned one more long run (24 miles) before the new year.  But I think I might reduce that one substantially.  I'm not willing to injure myself long term, especially when this training isn't for anything in particular for me.  I will be (and have been) dedicating alot of time to stretching.  My husband said when I'm at complete rest (ie: laying in bed having just woke up) my leg muscles feel like they are in the middle of a major weight press.

NOTES

Consumed prior to run: Multi-grain Cheerios w/milk & 1 cup of tea
Consumed during run: 3 water bottles filled with Gatorade, about 8-10 Sun Rype Fruit Bites
Immediately after run:  Steel Cut Oats w/blackberries & tea
Approx 2 hours later:  Awesome delicious dinner of roast pork tenderloin, cheesy scalloped potatoes, vegetable medley, salad and all kinds of goodies
Stomach issues: Pretty good
Energy level during run:  First half great, 2nd half extremely challenging
Muscles: Medic?????

Aftermath:  Very stiff, very sore, no headaches though and not completely drained of energy
Things to try on next long run:  Adequate rest!
 

Keep Active!

   

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Nag Me. Bribe Me. Beat Me.

 NOVEMBER 2010

RUNNING RECAP

# of runs: ...........12
Distance: .......... 100.2 Miles / 161.2 Kms 
Monthly Goals:   Never officially set one, but was aiming for around 130 miles
Time Running: ...16 Hours 40 Minutes 35 Seconds

YEAR-TO-DATE

YTD Distance:  843 Miles / 1356 Kms
YTD Time Running: 133 Hours 43 Minutes 23 Seconds

SUMMARY

There are ups and downs to looking back on this past month.

* UP * I ran three of my longest runs to date (14, 16 & 16 miles).  One of those 16 mile runs was in very cold weather and I survived.  I can't say I enjoyed that one, but I did survive.  The other 16-er was nice though.

* DOWN * Other than these long runs I didn't do a whole lot of running.  It is NOT ideal to only do a long run on the weekend.  It is much more beneficial to include shorter mid-week runs.

* UP * I did incorporate swimming once a week for this whole month.  I'm coming to the conclusion that I really do not enjoy it.  I will never be a competitive swimmer.  But, I appreciate the workout and it's a convenient and relatively cheap alternative form of exercise that can be done in any weather.

* DOWN * While I did have a 100 mile month, I was really aiming for about 130 miles.  I'm now quite short to reach my goal of 1000 miles by the end of the year and I'm going to have to kick some serious booty to achieve this goal. 

So here we are, the end of the year.  Time to sink or swim on those goals we set earlier in the year.

Originally I had set a goal to run 750 miles this year (achieved this month - YAY!).  Not long after I decided to revise that (I'm a woman, it's my prerogative) and increased it to 1000 miles.

Things haven't always been smooth sailing.  I needed to average about 85 miles per month and there were some months where I hit 50 or less (May, July & August). 

Now I'm in a crunch.  Time is running out. 

I have ONE goal for December.

Run 156.9 miles or more

Considering my biggest month so far is 104.5 ... I've got my work cut out for me.

I'm asking my friends and blog readers to push me.  I HATE not reaching a goal.  If I have to run in the middle of the night I have to do it.  I CAN'T miss this.  It's very important to me.  Keep me accountable.  Nag me.  Bribe me.  Beat me.  Whatever it takes.  I WILL do this!!!

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Weekly Goal Review - Nov 19th

In light of my longest run to date, I missed posting this edition last week.  Here it is for the past week.

WEEKLY GOAL REVIEW

NOVEMBER GOALS

Swimming

Swam 2000M in the pool this week.  1 set x 500M, 1 set x 1000M, and 1 more set x 500M.  This takes about 60 minutes including rests between sets.  The 1000M was definitely a challenge and it zapped my energy.  However, that morning I was feeling a little more run down that usual.  I am seeing some improvement.

Basic Exercises

Minimum 10 push-ups and 50 sit-ups per day  - I am terribly, terribly behind on this.  I don't think I could catch up at this point.  But I am going to make a real effort to do these from today on.

Hill/Interval Training

Wed was supposed to be hill or interval training and honestly I did not feel like it.  Plus, my running partner's ankle was bothering her so I thought we'd be better off with just a simple run.  I did do one run this week that was quite hilly.  Not quite the same as hill training, but I'll have to take it this week.  Sometimes I love the interval training, but lately I can talk myself out of it very easily.

Tempo Run

I did get one tempo run in this week.  It wasn't quite as fast as I would have liked, but I got the cardio up there and it was challening.

Mileage Build-up

This week would have included a LSD, but we backed it up a few days and did it early.  I'm still on target though.  I've just had a slightly longer week which is good for recovery too.

I feel like I'm not quite reaching for my goals like I normally would.  I'm not far off of them, but I'm not quite there yet.  I'd like to light that fire inside me and accomplish them.  But then again, maybe I'm just at a place where I should just be enjoying myself and not too worried about the "schedule".

Thank you everyone for the snow vibes.  We did get a little snow last night.  First of the season - YAY!!  About a 1/2" at my place.  Nothing at my work though as it is at a lower elevation.

The prediction calls for about 2"+ tonight.  Keep sending those vibes.  I know some were coming from many, many miles away and may take a bit to get here.  I'm still happily accepting them. :)

Have a Great Weekend

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Weekly Goal Review - Nov 5th

It may only be 5 days into the month, but I want to review my goals for the month on a weekly basis to be sure I'm on target.

WEEKLY GOAL REVIEW

Swimming

Swam 3 sets x 10 laps (there and back) yesterday in the pool.  1500 Meters???   I'm estimating about 35-40 minutes actually swimming time with breaks for water and to catch my breath in between.  The swimming is coming easier now and I'm eager to build on my endurance.  A few weeks ago swimming 3 full laps in a row left me completely winded.  I'm learning to pace myself better and the strokes are getting smoother.  I'm also not swallowing half the pool like I did the first time.

Basic Exercises

Technically I'm behind 2 days.  However, I didn't set-up this goal until the 3rd, so I'm just missing the days prior to setting this goal.  I will do 2 double sets this week to make up for it.  I will have 30 sets of this by month end.

Hill/Interval Training

Tried out a new trail Wednesday night.  I've ran small parts of it before, but not this particular route.  It was good, and nice to try something different ... but muddy!  I only have one good pair of running shoes and now they are looking pretty dirty.  Boo!  It was very hilly though, so I'm counting it as my hill training for the week - even though it was really proper hill repeats.  My arse definitely felt the hills though, so I'd say it was effective.

Took along the shepherd and she was very, very good.  I will be bringing her along more often now.  Often my excuse for not taking her is because I normally drive a car, and the dog kennel is too big to fit in it and I really don't want a big, dirty dog all over my seats.  I've been driving the truck this week so was able to put her kennel in the box.  But I think I might find a sheet to cover the seats in my car and see how she does.  I will make sure to have someone in the car with me the first time in case she gets too hyper.  She loves coming along so much and doesn't get out and about enough.  I know she loves it, so I'm going to find a way to make this work.

Tempo Run

Today I want to do a 5-6 mile tempo run.  Had planned to do it last night, but business called and then laziness set in.  I have time for it today, although it will be a damp one. Boo!

Mileage Build-up

This weekend it's the big 1-4!  Longest distance to date!!  Would it be too much to ask for another few hour break from the rain that seems to have found us again?  For all the rain we anticipated, I have been super lucky lately not to get stuck in it.

So ... all is on target so far.

Have a Great Weekend

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

November GOALS

So .... let's talk GOALS!

* Mileage Increase - My new running partner is signed up for the Goofy Challenge @ Disney in January which entails running a 10K, Half Marathon and a Full Marathon over a 3 day weekend.  Personally I think she's nuts to take this on in her current condition ... but I'm also jealous and would probably do it if I had the opportunity.  As such, she is training to increase her mileage by the end of the year, albeit at a slow pace.  I have agreed to train with her!

So far we have run up to 13 miles.  By the weekend before her race we will build up to 20 miles.  Me .... 20 miles???  I'm ready to take on this challenge.  I feel confident that I am in strong enough condition to keep on increasing my mileage at that rate, especially at a slower pace.  In November we plan to run one 12 miler, two 14 milers, and one 16 miler!

I will use these runs to test my mental endurance, to test different fuel methods, to learn more about recovery.  It should be a great learning experience.

This could get interesting as they are calling for the snowiest winter in over 50 years.  I may have to invest in some Yak Trax. 

Anyone try these things or similar product?

Some other things I plan to incorporate in November:

* Swimming - I plan to swim once a week for 45-60 minutes.  Right now I do 3-4 laps, stop, catch my breathe, adjust goggles, then continue.  I want to increase the number of laps in between.  I have NO plans to compete in swimming, but I do think it's great for cross training

* Basic Exercises - Minimum 10 push-ups and 50 sit-ups per day ... every day.  While I feel this is very minimal and it makes me sad that it is my goal, it's WAY more than I have been doing so this alone would be huge progress.

* Hill/Interval training - At least once per week. 

* Tempo runs - It's fun to be social and I enjoy that, but if I'm slowing down my LSD runs substantially then I want to keep up my pace on a few shorter runs.  At least once a week I want to run 5-6 miles at about an 8:30 pace (9:00 if on trails).

If time/opportunity presents itself I'd also love to do another hike up Grouse Grind, some cycling, and a few more night time runs - those were fun!

So, that's my November plans.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

October Recap

I haven't done a monthly running recap in a while.

OCTOBER 2010

RUNNING RECAP

# of runs: 18 (tied for most with June)

Distance: .......... 104.5 Miles / 168.1 Kms  RECORD!
Monthly Goals:   Never set one, but was aiming for around 100 miles

Time Running: ...17 Hours 5 Minutes 35 Seconds

YEAR-TO-DATE

YTD Distance:  743 Miles / 1195 Kms

YTD Time Running: 114 Hours 28 Minutes 13 Seconds

SUMMARY

I am SO proud of this month.  A few times this year I have set a goal to run 100 miles in the month.  While just meeting this goal is reason enough to make me proud, the thing that makes me the proudest is that I did it sanely.  I did NOT have to cram runs in at the end of the month to meet my goal.  I did not skip a bunch of days and then have to run like a mad-woman.  I didn't run in excess and end up injured and/our burned out.  I just ran, regularly and alot. 

My pace was down quite a bit this month.  On one hand I'm not very happy about that, but I know the reasons why, and really, in the end it's probably another reason why I am not injured at the moment.  I have a new running partner and she is building up her speed & endurance.  From time to time I choose to run at her pace and I'm enjoying it.  We've also done a few "fun runs", the night runs, and pace is not a factor.  That said, I don't want to abandon speed all together, so will work on that.

There were also two races this month and both were run at a decent pace.  Not my best pace, but decent.  I don't have any races on the agenda for quite some time so I'm not so worried about pace right now.  I have a few other goals in mind ... which I will post about tomorrow.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Whoops

Firt ... here are pics of my curly-do daughter.  I remember (not too fondly) a time when she would barely let me brush her hair .... and certainly would NOT let me fuss with it.  Now she asks me to.  It only took me 35 minutes today.  And, we managed to all get out the door on time!!! WOOOHOOO, this is a big accomplishment in our house.  She felt silly having her picture taken like this and wouldn't smile.

Certainly helped getting out the door on time that I spent time last night getting lunches ready for me & my husband (neither of my kids will eat while at school).  On the weekend I prepared a bunch of stuff to make this easier.  I made my steel cut oats for the week and portioned them out into individual bowls for quick reheating.  I cut up a bunch of sandwich fixings and put them in a container.  SO much easier and quicker that chopping up everything every morning (or night).  Also I have a bowl of boiled eggs and some cleaned and ready to go fruit.  This morning we just had to grab our completed lunch kits and go.

So last night I ACCIDENTALLY ran.  My son had soccer practice so I decided to do a 4 mile run then meet my friend for tea.  Halfway through the run I thought .... "wait, didn't I run yesterday, AND the day before too".  Whoops!  With the plan I'm following I'm not supposed to run more than 2 days in a row right now as I build back up.  This long weekend thing messed me up, and the run just fit my schedule for the day.  I can feel it in my hips today so will definitely take a rest from running today and possibly tomorrow too.

Also got another round of the Shred done last night.  I think I may be ready to add in a few more days of these workouts.  They're still tough, but I don't feel quite like I'm dying after them now.  My plan is still to aim for a minimum of 4 per week, but I think this week I'll try for more than that.

Week One of Syl's Challenge

Shred Style Workouts - 4 ... met goal

Running - 5/7 days, 23.8 miles

Stepped on the scale - ZERO!  This isn't really part of the challenge, but right now I don't want to go on there.  I'm waiting until Day 10 and mostly want to see some changes in the measurements.

So my kiddies are back at school.  Their back to sports - first soccer game this weekend - YAHOO.  Our schedules will all get established over the next week or two.  This time of year always feels like a fresh start.  A chance to get all organized and improve on areas of your life.  For me this year, it is about getting to school on time (it's usually my fault if they are late), preparing lunches the night before and having some sort of a plan in place for dinner for at least the busiest of nights (aka sports nights).  Being organized feels so much better than the chaotic mess I too often find myself in.

Keep Active!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

May 2010 Recap

I'm back! 

Hopefully I've made it through the crazy times and things will settle a bit again.  They should.  And I finally have gotten some of those pics I wanted to share from our last long weekend.

 MAY 2010

RUNNING RECAP

# of runs: 9

Distance: .......... 50.6 Miles / 81.4 Kms
Monthly Goals:  80.0 Miles / 128.7 Kms

Time Running:  7 Hours 45 Minues 56 Seconds

Summary: Definitely came up short on my running goal this month.  I had given myself a little leeway this month, reducing my mileage from 100 miles to 80, and I still came up awfully short. 

The whole month was just very sporadic.  The little bug I had that zapped all my energy certainly didn't help, but even putting that aside I got pretty lazy.  I briefly considered racking out the miles in the last week, just to reach my goal, but decided in the end to just suck it up and not injure myself.  I did have a few days of cycling in there as well, which I don't count in my running mileage.

This is the first month I have not only come short on achieving my goal, but came up VERY short.  It doesn't feel nice and I'm going to remember this feeling.
YEAR-TO-DATE

YTD Distance:  375 Miles / 604 Kms
YTD Goal: .......415 Miles / 668 Kms

YTD Time Running:  57 Hours 30 Minutes 18 Seconds

As for my other goals ....

♥ 10 strength sessions - I fell woefully short on this one as well.  Not sure where I've been at this month, but it certainly hasn't been very active.  I guess it's a good thing that I've been quite good with my eating.  Now to combine the two - haha.
♥ Plan! Prepare! Organize! - I'm still continuing to do well with this one.  Though I need to hit up the grocery store in the next couple days or I'm going to be in a bad position. 
♥ Races: 

May 9 - 10K Sun Run - did it, nailed it and am still on a high

May 30 - Run for Water Half Marathon - couldn't swing it financially

Now ... for the fun stuff.  Here's a few pictures from our long weekend away.

This is the firepit they built.  All the rocks (seats) are taken from the property.  All around is planted trees, shrubs and ground cover.  We're hoping we didn't plant anything that the deer particularly enjoy!

The campsite up top (obviously not finished)

And the view from the campsite .... sigh!  Wish I was there now.

We did ALOT of riding the quads.  The trails behind the property are endless.

Tomorrow I will post up my June goals.

Happy Memorial Day to any American readers. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

And huge congrats to Syl for completing her first Half Marathon!!!!!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Sun Run Race Report

What a weekend!  I am E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D!!!!

Friday morning I went into Vancouver with a few of my running friends.  We had to pick up our race packages and figured while we were down there we would do a little, easy run on the Stanley Park Seawall.  It was an absoluely gorgeous day and I REALLY enjoyed myself.  Afterwards we went to a nice little Sushi place .. YUM!

I had been having some pretty big fears about getting an upset stomach again during a race.  So all day Saturday I was pretty obsessed about what I ate.  I ate pretty clean and included a banana and basically plain pasta (which I like) for dinner - which was eaten early.

When I woke up at 6AM on Sunday my tummy felt off, but an hour later everything was fine.  I didn't eat breakfast, as planned.  I wasn't hungry at all and I didn't want to risk anything.  We left home around 7:20.  We had planned to take the Sky Train downtown (as is suggested) but my husband missed the turn-off and traffic was flowing so nicely that we just kept going.  It turned out to be a good choice.  We got there way faster than we would have on transit and even managed to find free parking - a small miracle in itself downtown Vancouver. 

Though the parking we did find was about 2Km or so away from the start.  We jogged very slowly over to the start, with a short bathroom stop at a Starbucks (WAY better than the huge line-ups for the porta-potties at the start area).

We still had plenty of time and walked through the crowds to find our starting corral.  When we got there we found a couple of people from the walkers division had pushed their way in.  This really bothers me.  I heard them talking and they were planning to walk the whole thing anyway.  So why would you jump the line and get in other peoples way???  I found out today that at least one of these people didn't even finish the race.

This was from us to the starting line.  There was probably 10 times this many people behind us.

Towards the start

Now ... you know it's going to be a good race when your bib numbers include two of your favourite numbers (17 and 7).

Waiting to get into the corrals

The elites took off then it was our turn to move towards the start line. We managed to get ourselves up pretty close to the start line. That was wonderful! Immediately we got off to a good pace. About 10 seconds into the race my husband gave me a kiss and said he'd see me at the finish line.

The start was incredible!  We moved up a division from last year and it was an awesome decision.  Yes, there was still alot of weaving, but in general most of us were pretty even paced and most runners in this section seemed experienced and were respectful of each others space.  So nice!

I felt fantastic.  I've been having off/on pain in my leg and have been taking things pretty easy to let it heal.  I had NO pain during the run ... and still don't.

I heard my Garmin go off at mile 1.  It seemed early and I debated looking at it, but caved ... so curious.  I nearly fell over! 7:25 for my first mile.  WHAT?  I have NEVER done a 7:25 mile, even on a single mile.  I think a grin came on my face then that never really went away for the rest of the day.  My aim was to have an average pace of 8:30/mile.    I was ecstatic to have so much wiggle room.

Mile 2 my average pace was still well below my goal.  Then mile 3 ... I was still well below ... 7:42 average.  My time at the 5K mark was 23:53 - blowing nearly a minute off my previous 5K PR ... and this was for a 10K.  I was in shock. 

Though in all fairness I will say that this course leads itself to giving you a wicked time on the first 5K.  Alot of gradual downhill and easy flats.  Not there is much in the way of hills on this course, but they are definitely in the second half of the course.

It was getting pretty hot and I could feel fatigue setting in.  I started dreaming of finish times that I had not even considered.  I already knew I was up for a killer time and decided to just enjoy the rest of the race.  I could kill myself, but decided to leave a little on the table and just be super happy with what was going on.

I had to take a moment to pull out my camera when these guys went passed.  They were hilarious and it was quite fun running in their vicinity for the last few Kms because the crowd really got going for them.

Around 8K I was T-I-R-E-D.  My body felt fine and my breathing was fine ... I was just a bit drained.  The heat was probably the biggest factor as we haven't had very warm weather lately.  We came up over the last bridge and I picked it up a notch.  Finished my last 1/2 Km at 7:19 pace.

Final time .....

50:59 (chip time)

60 / 1203 Age Group (35-39)

3885 / 39855 Overall

I was in the top 10%.  WHOA!  I still can't believe it.

My goal for this year was to run a 10K under 52 minutes.  WOOOHOOO!

And yes ... I did follow through on my promise.  Here is me with my shirt off on the streets of Vancouver. 

Though I don't believe I made the news as there was a stabbing incident going on at this time.  We didn't witness it, but did see an ambulance about 10 minutes after this picture was taken.  There apparently was also a death later that day, which police have classified a suicide. Something about a man taking off his clothes (including a race day shirt) and going into the water. 

I knocked 8 MINUTES off of last years time.  Never, in my wildest dreams......

Funny thing, there are four ladies I went to school with that do this race together every year.  They have been WAY faster than me.  Last year 3 of them finished under 49 minutes.  This year ... I beat them all!  Two of them by less than a second .. but still. 

My husband rocked his time too.  Last year he was about 52:40 ... he took 7 minutes off and finished in 45:43.  WOW!  I bow to him.  Doubt I'll ever be that fast.

What an amazing day and an amazing race.

I had a smile on my face ALL day!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Sun Run 10K Goals

3 days until my next (and possibly last for a while) race.  I'm feeling pretty excited.  I don't know why THIS race means so much to me.  Something about it makes me feel like THIS is the race to be measured ... don't know why.  I hate crowds and really there should be nothing about this race that I like, but I do.  Around here so many runners do this race and it's so popular that everyone knows about it - even if they aren't a runner.  When you talk to someone about running they ask if you are doing it and what your time was last year. 

The weather can change here on a whim, but at the moment we're expecting highs of around 16C/60F and mainly sunny.  I can't think of anything better for the "Sun" Run.  It's actually named after the newspaper that hosts the run, The Vancouver Sun.  This would be perfect running weather and it's a beautiful route.

Tomorrow I'm going downtown with a few girlfriends to pick up our race packages.  Then we're going to do a little run along the seawall.  I've always wanted to do that!  I'm really looking forward to it.

Actually this is a bit of a crazy weekend:

Friday - pick-up race packages during the day and tool around Vancouver.  In the evening we are having a surprise party for my son's 16th.  I've ordered the COOLEST cake!  Though he's just come down with his annual birthday flu.  Hopefully I don't have to cancel it.

Saturday - My husband & son are going to their favourite bi-annual diesel truck event (snore).  Then in the evening there is a UFC event and my daughters last jazz dance competition.

Sunday - The SUN RUN!  Could I be more excited????

Monday - My son's 16th b-day.  He'll be going to test for his L (Learner's Driver License). My daughter also has her last dance competition (this one in Hip Hop).

So ... my goals for this year's Sun Run .....

Last year my goal was to finish under 1 hour and I came in at 58:56.  This year I'm setting a few goals:

1) under 57:00 - I'm pretty confident that I'll surpass this one.
2) under 55:00 - I think I can probably beat this one too.
3) under 53:00 - If I beat this one you will see me on the news as the crazy lady running around downtown Vancouver, ripping her shirt off and screaming at the top of her lungs. 

Secretly, I really hope to be that woman on the news!  I have actually run 10K on my own under 53 minutes a few times.  But I also know that this is a super crowded course and that anything can happen in a race. 

Realistically I expect to be in the 54-55 minute range.  I will be happy with that.  This is the race that I will give it my all, so I will have no regrets.  There will be no holding back!

As for my fears .... well, I'll have to let them be.  I can't control everything and I will try not to get worked up about it.  I have a bit of a game plan, just in case.  Should I get hit by the bathroom bug, I will stop my watch for any necessary stops, and the time on my Garmin will determine my finish time (not the chip time).  This is MY race, MY time.  I'm not out to win any awards.  I'm out to see what I can accomplish.

Not sure if I'll get to posting tomorrow, or over the weekend.  Everyone who is racing this weekend ... I wish you the best of luck.  I know off the top of my head that Syl has a very meaningful 5K on Sunday and Lynsey has a 5K that shes going to rock on Saturday.  On Saturday I will run a 5K to support Lynsey (though I will do a nice, easy pace as I have my big run the next day).  I will definitely be taking you guys along with me during my race.  I will be wearing Syl's necklace and will definitely use it as motivation to give it my all.  Let's do this ladies!!!!!

**GIVEAWAY**

Julie is having a great giveaway to celebrate having 100 followers

Heidi

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May Goals

Have you seen this guy?  MARATHON QUEST 250

He was on the local news Saturday morning.  He's from Cochrane, Alberta but was in town for the Vancouver Marathon tomorrow.  250 Marathons in a YEAR!  WOW!!!  And I can barely imagine doing one.  He typically runs 5 days in a row then 2 rest days (with some exceptions of course). 

Reading through his blog and seeing some of the weather and things he goes through on his daily marathons is amazing.  Makes me re-think the times that I've skipped a workout because I'm tired, or it's cold/hot outside.

Here's another summer dress I picked up recently.  I have a thing for bright colors ... or black & white.  This IS going to be the summer I wear more dresses.  Now if the weather could just cooperate!

MAY 2010 GOALS

♥ Run 80+ Miles - reducing this one a bit this month.  In the back of my head I want to do 100 again.  If I can stay uninjured I will go for the 100, but I want to leave a little wiggle room.  80 I should be able to comfortably do.

♥ 10 Strength Sessions - not a huge number, but more than I have been doing.  This is once every 3 days and is likely to fit my schedule.

♥ Plan! Prepare! Organize! - this worked so well last month that I'm going to keep this up.  One thing that really helps is to prepare food on the weekends, especially for lunches (veggies, fruit, boiled eggs, leftovers).  Also, making large batches of meals that can be reheated quickly after work. 

♥ Races:

May 9 - Vancouver Sun Run 10K (goals for this TBA)

May 30 - Run for Water Half Marathon (tentative)

I may or may not do the May 30th Half.  That was the one I was originally planning to do next, but some of my friends are doing one at the end of June and I may do that one instead with them.  In a perfect world I'd do both, but financially I'll probably just do one.  Race fees for myself wouldn't be so bad, but it's me AND my husband and they add up. 

May is going to be a busy month and hopefully full of lots of exciting things!  I'm really looking forward to it.  I'm feeling ALOT more energy and focus than I have for quite a long time.

Heidi

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Playing Catch-up

I've got a lot of catch-up to do.  My April goals included an increase in mileage to 100 miles (from 80 last month) and also to run a minimum of 20 times.

I am SERIOUSLY behind on these goals.  It's almost unachievable.

Notice I said "almost"? 

It will be difficult, but I'm not a quitter and I will not give up.  This is WHY I set goals.  So that when issues arise I can push myself harder to achieve them.

For numerous reasons I haven't run much the last couple of weeks.  I have some valid reasons, I have been busier than usual, I was away a couple times, but mostly I've been lazy and unmotivated.  Excuses!

So far this month I have only run 17.8 miles and 4 runs.  Being that it's almost mid-month I have a lot of work ahead of me.

In order to reach my mileage goal I have to run on average 4.84 miles per day.  And to reach my # of runs goal, that one is probably tougher.  I have to run 16 out of the next 17 days - YIKES!

But I'm going to give it a go.  I'm thinking the only way I can safely reach the # of runs goal is to add in a few days where I just run a short 1-2 mile run where I would normally take a rest day.  Otherwise I think I'd be risking injury and burn-out.

 We can do anything we set our mind & hearts to!

Heidi

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February Recap

The beginning of a new month/season/year is always good for looking back at what you've achieved and looking forward to what you are aiming for.

FEBRUARY 2010

RUNNING RECAP

# of runs: 14

Distance: ..........76.8 Miles / 123.5 Kms
Monthly Goals: 65 Miles / 104.6 Kms

Time Running:  11 Hours 39 Minutes 31 Seconds

Longest Distance: 12.1 Miles / 19.5 Kms (1:53:46)
Fastest Pace: ........7:45 min/Mile / 4:49 min/Km / 7.75 mph - on a 2 Mile treadmill run
Average Pace: ......8:57 min/Mile / 5:33 min/Km / 6.7 mph

Summary: Exceeded my monthly distance goal again this month - wahoo!  Overall my pace was a teensy bit slower than last month.  However, the majority of the runs I did were longer distance at a slower pace.  Only 3 of those runs were under 3 miles.  And my race pace has improved a bit since the beginning of the year, which of course is the result I want.

Here's my January recap for comparison.

YEAR-TO-DATE

Distance:  143.2 Miles / 230.5 Kms
Goal: .......120.0 Miles / 193.0 Kms

Time Running:  21 Hours 34 Minutes 19 Seconds

MARCH 2010 GOALS

♥ Increase the # of runs I do this month.  Ideally I'd like to be running more frequently than I am.  Last month I ran about every 3 days, but longer distances.  I think it would be beneficial to add in some shorter 2-3, or even 1 mile runs on the days in between.

♥ I had previously set a distance goal for March at 65 miles.  But I'm going to increase that to 80 miles in light of what I've done so far this year.

♥ Continue journalling EVERY day.  It's bringing me great success and there is no justifiable reason to stop.

♥ Continue getting adequate sleep.  I need a good 8 hours a night to function decently. 

♥ Work those buns!!!  My biggest downfall in races is hills.  They KILL me!  I don't feel it in my lungs - I feel it in my legs and buns.  More lunges, more squats and I'm not forgetting about core and upper body work either.

♥ Complete my first half marathon on March 13th!  My goal is to complete under 2 hours, which will require a good effort from me, but I think I can do it.  I'll be happy with finishing though.  I look at this like a starting point.

I have a race recap to post from this weekend, but I'll leave that to tomorrows post.

Hope everyone is having a great day!!!!!

Heidi

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Goals Set!

Welcome new followers.  How exciting!  I'll be off checking out your blogs very soon.

As I've mentioned a few times, I've been floundering with my weight the last few months.  I just haven't been 100% focused on it.  This realization began with my Belly Blast post last week.

But even after posting that, I didn't have all the tools quite in place to start the necessary changes.  For months I see the scale moving down and then a couple days later it pops right back up again. 

A few days ago I had a long bath and let myself just think.  What have I done before that got me past these humps?  What have I done that really kept me on track and focused on the big picture?

Sure I've had this goal for quite a while now to get down under 140 lbs .... but I realized that it was just one of those "one day" things.  You know ... I'd like to (blank) ... one day!  I realized that I need to set a concrete goal.

Then I remembered last year, before summer.  We made vacation plans and I told my husband that I would NOT go on holidays unless I was under 150 lbs.  I had been flirting between 151 and 155 for about 6 months and it was enough already. 

I made myself a chart and set reasonable weekly goals.  Then I also charted my weight, WW points and activity points DAILY as well.  I met my goal the day before we left!  Nothing like leaving it to the last minute, eh??  But I did get under and stay under there.  Now I'm at this next place where I'm stuck flirting within a few pound range and I need to push it to get over this hump.

The difference was I had something real to set my sights on.  When I look back on my posts from that time there were times when I could have strayed from plan, but because I had a real goal in mind, I remembered what I really wanted and I passed up those things.  Lately I haven't had anything to reach for and therefore had been letting myself have those little extras.  I haven't been tracking my food very well at all. 

The other night I created my a sheet with my weekly goals and am doing all the tracking like I did before.

So far it's working well.  We were watching TV last night and my MIL pulled out the potato chips.  Normally I would have had just a couple, not much, but we all know they add up over time.  But I remembered that I had goals to reach and those couple chips wouldn't help me get there.  I stayed OUT of that bag!

I'd like to set something contingent upon me reaching my goal weight, but I haven't figured that part out yet.  I'd love for it to be another trip, but the next trip we have planned (and can reasonably do) isn't until June.  Honestly I want to reach this goal long before then, but I'm putting it out there that I WILL be under 140 lbs by May 2010 at the latest, let's say May 31st for an absolutely deadline.

I leave you with a little sign of spring on the West Coast .... these really shouldn't be up until late April

(my apologies to all of those still blanketed in snow)

I'm off to get a bit of housekeeping done, a run in the beautiful sunshine ... then my MIL just booked me a pedicure for this afternoon.  Ahhhh, it's a wonderful day!

Have a great weekend everyone and good luck to those running races!

Heidi

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Blogland Giveaways

One More Mile shirt @ I Run Beacause ... I Can - this is some seriously funny clothing!!  I've seen this site a few times and really need to order something from there.  Hmmmm ... present idea if anyone out there loves me enough (hahahaha)

Chamion Shorts @ The Happy Runner

My buddy Syl is giving away an adorable shirt @ Live Smile Run - but don't bother to enter because I'm getting the shirt anyway - hahhaha

10K (??+) Trail Race Report

Yesterday the hubby & I did another trail race.  The stars aligned once again and we had good weather (we are notorious for rain at this time of year so no rain is a minor miracle).

When my alarm went off in the morning I was still tired and did not want to get up.  But I was feeling fairly hungry and knew I had to eat something before we left.  I just had a piece of toast with peanut butter.  I didn't want to have too much and upset my tummy.

I was hoping to leave the house about 8:15 leaving us lots of time to get our numbers and do a long warm up.  At 8:20 I couldn't find my husband.  Eventually I found him outside CHANGING THE OIL ON MY CAR!  The race started at 9AM - ack!!!  I mean, yeah thanks, my car needed the oil change - but come on!

Anyhow, he came in, had a quick shower and when we arrived, there was still a huge line-up of late registrants.  Luckily we were pre-registered so we got our numbers quickly and still got in a good warm-up.  I took an Ibuprofen as a precaution, but everything felt great and I expected a pretty good race.

We started off on a somewhat narrow path (I don't know why they do this!).  Unfortunately we were a bit further back than maybe we should have been.  So the 200+ runners start off at the pace of a snail going backwards upside down - ridiculous.  Then as the faster runners were trying to pick through - past the people who for some reason figure they should start out running side by side with their friends, yakking & taking up the whole path.  This makes me angry!  If you wanna yak, fine, but stay off to the side until the crowd seperates and then enjoy your merry time.  GRRR!  I try to make a point of staying to the right and only moving over to pass, then go back over.  It's like driving to me ... mind you, many people don't obey that rule on the road either. :(

So this poor lady gets sandwiched between a few people and I don't know if someone ran her over or if she tripped or what but she goes down - HARD!  I was a few people over but I saw her land face first, in the gravel, with her hands behind her back.  When she lifted her head, her nose was completely scratched and bleeding.  There was a good half dozen people helping her already so we carried on, but I sure hope she's OK.  They really should start with a few waves.

We ran this same course last year, though I only did 5K and hubby did 10.  This year we both did 10.  It's a good trail, and it didn't seem nearly as hilly as it did last year.  It's funny how as you get fitter those hills seem smaller or non-existant.  There was one killer hill just before the end of the loop - three switchbacks to get up it!  I don't care who you are .... that one is tough!

At the end of loop one (you bypass a short turn-off to the finish if you're doing two loops) my time was around 28-29 minutes.  This really surprised me.  I know I can easily run 5K faster than that.  On the first loop I was running with this man and we got chatting a bit (nice guy, I ran with his son last race - ironic??).  So I figured maybe that cost me a bit of time.  I went ahead of him for loop 2 and pushed a bit harder figuring I could pick up a little time.

I knew at this time that I would not meet my goal of finishing in 54-55 minutes, but I was thinking I could get it done in 57 or less.  There were no distance markers along the way so it made it kind of hard to judge your pace (I'm not blessed with a Garmin or anything like that).  But, I followed close to my old guy - hahaa, so I figured I was on target.  There is this older man, and every race he passes me about 3/4 of the way through and then I can't catch him.  So this time when he passed me I focused on him and stayed as close as I could - which I did fairly well.

I was feeling really good.  I felt like I was pushing hard, but I also felt strong and had no aches.  I did feel a teeny bit hungry and thirsty though.  When I came around the corner to the big hill I knew I was almost there and just focused on keeping a good steady pace, even breathing and getting up that hill.

Shortly after I crested the hill I saw my husband standing at the final bend waiting for me.  He had a "look" on his face and told me I was at 57:30 and if I pushed it I could maybe break 58.  My heart sunk!  I immediately got this feeling of failure.  I was so far off my goal time and I couldn't understand it. 

I actually gave up.  I refused to sprint at the end.  Not because I was too tired, not because I was sore - but because I was disappointed.  It's a bad personality fault, what can I say...

I finished in 58:30 - ugh!  I'm still having a hard time processing this.  I'm still wondering if the distance was longer than 10K.  That's not a bad time for a 10K, but I know I can run it faster than that - even with hills and terrain and all.  Last year my husband ran it in 57:30 and I really wanted to beat that time.  I had set a goal that I was sure was achievable and being so far off it left me just shaking my head.

So now I wait until the next 10K (Feb 22nd) where typically people seem to run it 5-10% faster than this race.  This would put me finishing it around 54-56 minutes, which is where I'd expect to be.

Now ... so I'm not all doom and gloom ... here's the positives.  Last year I did the 5K option and finished in 32:46, which I was disappointed in too as I was running 5K in under 29 minutes at that point (this also leads me to believe this course is longer than described).  If I take that time and double it, my 10K time would have been at least 65:30.  So that means I improved by 7 minutes, or 12% - and that I'm impressed with.

My husband finished in 52:15 yesterday, this also means he improved by 10% (5+ minutes) from last year.  I think we've both done well.

I'm going to take a few days off of running as I am a bit sore today.  But I'm going to ramp up the weights this week.  However, it's only 2 weeks until our next race so I can't let it completely slide.
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2010 Goals

Last year I posted a list of goals I wanted to achieve for 2009.  And I did pretty good.  There was really only one I didn't accomplish and if I were honest, I didn't actually think I would when I posted it.  Here's how I did:

• 20 consecutive big girl push-ups - Could do this, so goal accomplished, but currently need to work back up to it again.  Use it or lose it!
• run 10km under 1 hour - Did it!  My best "recorded" time was 58:56 in April.  By year end I believe my 10Km time was proably somewhere around 55-56 minutes (maybe less), but I didn't officially time it ever.  My best 5K time was 24:53.
• run the entire Ft to Ft non stop (about 14 km) - Did this and blew it out of the water with the longest run I did being about 22 Km (aka 13.6 miles)
• climb the Grouse Grind in 50 minutes or less - Technically I didn't actually beat this goal.  I gave this one 2 attempts (it's not something I can do frequently) and after my first try I decided that my goal was extremely lofty.  My first attempt I did it in 58:42, but my second attempt was 50 minutes and 40 seconds so close darn enough to call it goal met!  I'm ecstatic with this achievement!
• eat fish at least once a week - Yeah OK, this is the one that I didn't even come close too.  I can't even say that I increase my consumption much at all, maybe a teensy bit.  I guess it's a baby step.
• REACH MY GOAL WEIGHT! - Technically I did get under 145 lbs, though fleeting.  So yes, goal met, but now I need to get under there and STAY under there!

I'm very, VERY happy with what I achieved in 2009.  Even taking my Christmas season gain into account I lost about 7 lbs over the year.  The previous year I lost 9 lbs and before that about 13 lbs.  It all adds up.  NEVER GIVE UP!

So .... without further adieu, I bring you my ........

2010 GOALS

• Run my next 10Km race (January 24th) in under 54-55 minutes.  Last year I did the 5K version of this race (1 lap instead of 2) and it took me 32:46, so I'm expecting a big improvement.
• Run a 10Km race under 52 minutes, adjust to less if necessary
• Run at least one Half Marathon (I'd love to do this around 2 hrs)
• Buy a new bikini (my sister & Mom will laugh over this one) and not worry about belly spillage
• Do strength training at least 100 days this year.  That equals about 2 days per week. I look, and feel, so much better when my body is strong!
• Increase fish & salad consumption.  Not setting any numbers here, but I'm starting from very low so and increase will be a positive one.
• Catch up and keep up on my bookkeeping so I don't get overstressed about it!

That's about it for now.  I'm not setting a weight goal.  I already know where I want to be and I know that by keeping focused on the goals I've set out for myself, the weight & measurements will follow.

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Today I picked up the January issue of Oxygen Magazine.  The last few years I stopped buying magazines to save money.  It had become a $50/month habit.  But I figured if I pick just one a month and actually use it then it's a good investment.

Susan at All Things in Moderation often mentions using the workouts from this magazine and I thought that sounded like a good idea.

Tonight I did the Upper Body session of their Best Body Ever plan.  When I first looked at it, it didn't seem like much of a workout.  But it's thorough!  I'm sure I'm going to feel it in the morning.

Tomorrow I will tell you what I did on New Years Day!!!!

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7.7 Km Cross Country Race Recap

Yesterday my husband and I participated in a 7.7Km Cross Country Race.  It was one of an 8 part series put on through local running clubs. 

This was us at home after the race.  Soaking wet, clod to the bone, muddy - but very proud of ourselves!

To say it was gross is an understatement.  Apparently this is what cross country running is all about.

It had been raining non-stop for the previous 36 hours (and alot in the 2 weeks prior).  We've been experiencing a Pineapple Express here and the amount of rain has been unbelievable.

All morning it POURED, and it was cold.  I had NO desire to go out in it, but I couldn't yak on here about doing this run and then just not do it. 

We got there and there were more people than I'd expected would show up.  Apparently these people are die-hards.  I knew beforehand that most people who run this race are associated with clubs and are accumulating points towards the whole series. 

Knowing this, when we lined up to start, I just positioned myself near the back to let the faster people go ahead without me in their way. 

This was a 4 loops course of 1.9Km per loop. 

We started off across this field and within seconds were drenched!  The water in the field was up over our ankles and I'll I could do is shake my head and question my sanity in even entering this race.

Through the water logged field (about 400M), then around a bend that was muddy and boggy in many spots.  The "the hill" ... it was fairly long and quite steep at the top.  On it's own it wasn't so bad, but as we were doing 4 loops, I knew I'd face this thing time and time again.

Once at the top we followed a gravel trail that was pretty good, except the one area where there was a deep puddle over the whole trail and we all resorted to running through the muddy grass (which just got worse loop after loop).  On my 3rd loop I went into a mud hole over the top of my shoe - it was gross!

After that was the gradual descent which consisted of a number of up and down hills - you never really did feel like you were going downhill because every time you went down you'd just recovered from going up.  Along this route was numerous puddles to jump (or run through) and a downed tree to jump over.

My goal going into this race was an un-optimistic 44 minutes.  I had hopes of finishing in that time, but in my heart I really didn't actually think I would.  And once I got a taste of the course I pretty much erased that thought from my head. 

At the 1Km mark my time was 5:32.  I knew to finish in 44 minutes I had to do each loop in 11 minutes or less.  Considering that was my first Km and it was nearly halfway through the loop I figured there was no way I'd reach my goal.  So I was shocked to see my time at the end of the first loop was 10:29.

But, even knowing that I still thought ... no way I'll keep it up for the whole thing. 

End of the 2nd loop my time was 21:20 ... hmmm I'm still on target.  On the 3rd loop this woman came running up beside me and the two of us ran neck and neck for most of the lap, until just near the end she passed me.  Funny how that gives the passer a boost and the passee a feeling of defeat - which I tried to swallow.  At the end of that loop my time was about 33:30, so I was still on target - but quickly running out of gas.

Going up that big hill for the last loop took alot of grit.  But that woman who passed me seemed to be slowing down so I gave it all I could.  I knew I had just over 1 Km to go and I could push hard through that.  With about 1/2 a Km to go I was right on her tail but I couldn't quite manage to catch her. 

At the finish my husband came back and met up with me.  He said he was surprised at how fast I was running and when I took off for my final sprint he couldn't believe how fast I was going.  At the finish line I almost caught that woman again.  She ended up finishing 3 seconds in front of me.

The final result .... I finished in 43:10!  Almost a minute faster than I didn't think I could finish it in.  WAHOO!  My husband finished in 37:10.  In February we both ran an 8Km trail race (though not nearly as grueling) and my time was 49:04 (or :54 - I'm not sure which) and my husband's time was 42:40.  So we both made huge improvements in the last 9 months.

I was suprised how even each of my loops were.  I guess I've learned how to pace well.  My loops were 10:29, 10:51, 11:00, and 10:50.  I'm pretty happy with that.

After talking to some seasoned cross country runners they said this was comparable to (at minimum) 8.5Km, or maybe even 9Km road race, given the conditions.  I can't wait to test that theory on my next 10Km race!

Here's an idea of what we endured through all that mud & water....

And my lovely brand new socks .....

these ended up going straight into the woodstove!

And ..... as a pure bonus .......

I won my age category and got a $25 gift certificate to a local running store!!!!! 

I was surprised to say the least.  I even asked the presenter if I was the only one in the category - hhahaha.  Though, as it turns out there were only 4 women age 20-39, so it's not exactly a huge field. 

Honestly I'm more proud of my personal achievement and the gift certificate was just an unexpected bonus.  If I'd been over 40 I would have been almost last in my group - hahhaa.  Guess I shouldn't admit to that ;)

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