St. Jude Rock and Roll Nashville Race Weekend Recap 4/30/2016 Part 1

My friend Michelle and I signed up back in January for the 2016 Tour Pass 3 pack. We decided our first race would be in Nashville at the St. Jude RNR half marathon. 

We delayed in picking a hotel until early March, and by then our "pickens" were slim. Michelle found us a room at the Holiday Inn express for $300 a night and she managed to use her points to get us a free night. But it was still pricy. However, to be staying downtown made the logistics of the weekend much easier. We were about 4 blocks from the Expo at the Music City Center. 

Getting to the expo was easy once we realized it wasn't at the convention center (oops!). It helps if you read the materials before you set out from your hotel. Signage in the City Center was well placed and several volunteers were available to direct us into the bib que. 

Bib pickup was easy, but since I wasn't properly trained, I decided to drop down to the 5k distance. This is a perk I love with the Rock & Roll series. I would much rather drop down to a race distance I know I can complete rather than get picked up in the sag wagon and given a medal for a race I did not complete. (I'm looking at you, Rundisney!). I went to the Solutions desk to see which corral I should be in for the 5k and was told that I could pick any corral I wanted because there were only 5 corrals total. 

Once we received our bibs it was off to get our shirts. As most race shirts, RNR's are cut a little small so I exchanged mine without a problem. Michelle's shirt was a little big, so she exchanged hers as well.  One word about the shirts, I was pleasantly pleased as they were very nice and I am a fan of black. 

We next ventured into the Official merchandise area of the expo and I was very pleased with the selection of options. Given that I am trying to limit new race-related clothing, Michelle and I both decided to just get RNR Nashville hats. I chose the black with blue lettering and she chose the black and white version. 

As a tour pass holder, you get a special line for merchandise sales as well as some other perks, but you need your Tour Pass credential. We tracked down our credentials at the main Rock and Roll exhibit and then proceeded to explore the expo. 

Most expos have similar vendors:  shoes, clothing, compression items, recovery items, and other endurance events. We made sure to go by each vendor and we're pleased with the offerings. I was a little sad that Toyota didn't offer the "record" personalization as at previous RNR expos. 

After doing our part in stimulating the economy, we went to get the wristband for the post race beer. It made more sense to stand in line 15 minutes at the expo as opposed to bringing your ID with you on the run. Once we were sufficiently ID'd, we decided to head out and explore  Broadway. 

Deciding on a pre-race dinner can be tough, especially with 12,000 other runners in town. Unfortunately, we were not prepared and didn't make dinner reservations. All of the places we wanted to go to didn't have anything until 9pm and that is much too late for dinner. We finally decided on Rock Bottom Brewery. I knew there would be several options for carbo-loading and the food was always good in Chicago. 

We each had a Cosmo and some ballpark pretzels to start. Michelle chose the Brown Ale chicken and I went with the jambalaya. Both meals were tasty but not too filling. We decided to each get the salted caramel and toffee mason jar for dessert. That was one of the best choices of the day. I can't say enough about the item and I wish they would make them back in Chicago. 

After dinner we walked the 10+ blocks back to our hotel, enjoying the music emminating from each establishment. We were both very excited about exploring after the race and on Sunday. We went back to the room to lay out our clothing and items for the morning's race. 

After years of races at both our homes and across the country, we've got this down. Nothing new on race day ever!  Also get everything ready the night before so that you don't forget anything. We finally fell asleep around 10pm and were up with the alarm at 5:30am. 

Details on the actual race day to come in part 2.

Chi-Town 10K Race Review AKA The 10k Ice Capades 2016

This past Saturday, April 9, 2016, I participated in All Community Events’ Chi-Town 10K and Half Marathon.  I previously ran this race in 2015 and I like the swag, medal and course so I decided to register for this year’s race.  Little did I know the tricks Mother Nature had up her sleeve.  Packet pickup was a breeze and with a 15% coupon from Sports Authority, I was able to stock up on chews and gels.  

The course was originally at The Peggy Notebart Museum but was moved due to several other races taking place along the lakefront on the same day.  The new start and finish was at Montrose Beach which is a lot closer to my house but a little more difficult to get to, logistically speaking.  The race was scheduled to begin at 8:15am, which means I had to leave my house just before 7am to arrive in time (at least according to Google Maps).  I caught the 6:57am Irving Park (80) bus heading towards the lake.  With no traffic, I made it to Marine and Irving Park in less than 15 minutes; yet I still had to get to Montrose Beach and there were no buses in sight.

 

I crossed over to the lakefront path and started walking the 0.7 miles north to the start line.  Overnight the weather Gods dumped about an inch of snow and ice onto the grass and sidewalks.  This made for a treacherous walk up the path and made me worry about the upcoming race if the ice didn’t melt.   

Within about 15 minutes, I was at the start line and the conditions were not much better.  The temperature was about 29 degrees and the wind was whipping off the lake.  I ran into a woman from California who did not pack for the weather and was freezing while we waited for the race to begin.

Now for the logistics:  Gear check was organized and kept the runners informed.  There were plenty of extra pins in case a runner forgot theirs, or like me, had the bib hole break on one of her Spi-belt loops, requiring me to pin my bib to my jacket.  There were three arches/corrals set up which I assumed would correspond to the three colored bib options (red, blue, and green).  The problem was, the DJ should have been making announcements about where the runners should line up instead of repeating the same lame lines over and over.

The race began promptly at 8:15 with the blue runners taking off first.  Everyone was a little tentative at first but the seasoned runners ran like the sidewalk was clear.  When my corral was finally allowed to start, I was not going to take any chances given that I am going to Nashville for a race at the end of April.  I had decided, given my treacherous walk to the start line, that I would be walking the entire 10k.  Last year this race did not have enough water stations on the 10k course, so I made sure to bring my Nathan handheld water bottle.  We set off north along the lakefront path and I could see people in front of me slipping and sliding.  I even caught myself sliding a couple of times when I thought I could go a little faster.  The first mile seemed to last the longest, or so I thought at the time.  Finally I saw the mile marker flapping in the wind and I decided to have one of my energy chews.  I had eaten breakfast at 6am and I was beyond hungry at this point.  The next mile and a half was uneventful, except for the sliding of other runners on the slick surface.  It did seem like miles 3 and 4 were extra-long as they swept past Montrose and down towards Irving Park.  I had forgotten my earbuds so I had to amuse myself with songs in my head.  The one I had on repeat was Meghan Trainor’s song from the Peanuts Movie:  ”Better When I’m Dancing”.  Usually about mile 5 of a race, Maroon 5’s “Misery” will come on my ipod.  I don’t plan it that way, it just happens, so as I saw the Mile 5 marker, the song automatically popped in my head.  

I was super slow, more than a 19 minute per mile pace, but I did not want to fall and as a walker, I tend to get out of the way of the runners all the way to the side of the path which can be uneven as well.  As we neared the end of the race, we had one last water stop that contained the most enthusiastic volunteers I’ve seen at a race lately.  They motivated me to finish off that last mile faster than the previous ones.   Unfortunately I didn’t have my Garmin on either, so I do not know my mile splits.  We went under another viaduct and were headed for the finish line.  Due to my “turtle-ness”, I was finishing the 10k as most of the half marathoners were coming in as well.  This caused their spectators to move out on the path to try to get a better view of their runners.  I almost ran into a few people, but I dodged them at the last minute.  I jogged the last 100 feet or so and went to get my medal.  There was a mix up and I was given the half medal as the bibs did not distinguish between the two distances and volunteers are not usually savvy enough to determine who ran each race. 

There was beer and pizza for all participants, but at that point I just wanted to go home.  I took the path along the harbor towards Marine Drive and the 146 bus.  Just before the last water stop, Organic Valley Protein Shakes was handing out full size samples of their product.  Little did I know how much I needed the 26g of protein in their shakes.  I am definitely a fan of their product and will get some more to use in my training.

I am not sure if this race should have been held given the conditions, but it was a good experience nonetheless.  It made me realize how much more actual training I need to do to have a better showing in races in the future.  It also made me realize I may not be up to the task of my first marathon later this month in Nashville.  I will play it by ear and not make any rash decisions.  One thing I know for sure, training and nutrition are important, but so it getting out of your head and just enjoying the event.

Next up is my long walk this weekend and long walk/run next weekend.  Training, here I come!!!

T-minus 9 weeks to finishing my first half marathon

 Today the training countdown begins to the St. Jude Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Nashville. I've decided to be good this time about my training and make a real effort to get prepared for this race; as opposed to the other races I just showed up for and massively failed.  I've sketched out my training plan and have a system I can actually stick with this time. 

The training started today by accident. I went to get a pedicure only to find that one of my fav places in Chicago, Strong Nail on Diversey had closed.  As my train home neared Belmont, I decided to go get a chiropractic adjustment to help ease the stress I tend to carry in my neck and shoulders. I asked if I could get a massage but they were all booked so the  girl at the desk mentioned a stretching session instead. After my adjustment and ice and muscle stim, I went to get stretched. 

Tony was amazing and made sure to explain everything he did and showed me stretches that I could do on my own.  I have to say that I feel better than I ever did after a massage. I think that the weekly to eventually monthly stretching sessions are going to make a difference. 

It is 50 degrees here today so I am heading home to walk the dogs and soak up some vitamin D.  Who knew that all I needed was a little stretching to feel like I could get back to being an athlete?  

Now that I have a goal, I promise to be better about logging my training here so that I don't annoy my Facebook friends anymore than I already do. 😎 63 days until Nashville and I know I will do this!

Princess Half Marathon Fail

I attempted the PHM on Sunday while suffering from an upper respiratory infection. As the balloon ladies closed in on me at mile 4, my lungs closed up and I had a severe asthma attack. I was put in the sag wagon and taken to the Medical triage tent where a medical team gave me some powerade, a Mylar blanket and my food bag and medal. The doctor listened to my lungs and didn't like the "expiration wheezing" he heard so I was sent to the big medical tent. I was greeted promptly and hooked up to a pulse ox and BP machine. My BP was really high, so they made me lay down for about 30 minutes. 

I know that I shouldn't have tried to walk/run 13.1 miles while sick. But it was Disney so I had to try.  I'm still resting a week later and suffering from a cough and laryngitis. The Tinkerbell half is in 10 weeks and I HAVE to finish this race, no excuses.  I did have a nice vacation with my girls. 

Back on track...again

I've been slacking a bit in posting my successes and failures to this blog to help keep myself accountable.  The last 7.5 months have flown by so I will just give the highlights:

• Participated in the Inaugural Minne Mouse 10K at Walt Disney World in January 2014.  While I barely finished ahead of the balloon ladies, I finally finished a runDisney race. 
  
• Upon my return from Disney World, I proceeded to get very ill.  So ill in fact, that I ended up in the hospital for two days with a sinus infection, bladder infection, and pneumonia.  My recovery was slow and my running took a back seat to getting healthy.
• My first race back was the Team Ortho Foundation Get Lucky 7k.  My goal was to complete the race, which I did, with a finish time of 1:10:00.  Not bad considering my limited lung capacity.
• My next race was the Soldier Field 10 Miler.  This race has plagued me for years, but I was determined to finish strong.  What I did not anticipate was my new Hoka One One's giving me blisters.  I spent 8.5 miles limping and trying not to cry.  I finished with a time of 2:48, but at least I finished.  
• 
  In June, the Rock and Roll Racing Festival was added to the Chicago running weekend.  If a runner did a 5k on Saturday, and either the 5K or the half marathon on Sunday, they would earn a third remix challenge medal.  Since I am all about the bling, I decided to to tackle this challenge.  Although I finished both 5k's in less than 50 minutes, I once again had blisters on my feet.  I decided I needed to do something to change this problem.  (This will be explained on a later blog post). 
  
• I signed up for the Coast to Coast Challenge for 2015. This involves completing a half marathon at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. It won't be easy but I think I can do this. Baby steps. 

More to come...

A minor setback

Last week I finally joined DePaul University's fitness center which has a great deal for alumni of $33/month the first year after graduation. I signed dozens if papers and was given my new keycard. I decided to spend Sunday afternoon reacquainting my body to actual exercise as I've been limited lately to walking and swimming.
I spent about 90 minutes alternating between strength training machines and the elliptical trainer. I'm happy to report I haven't lost all of my muscle mass but my endurance sucks. After 10 minutes on the elliptical I felt my legs preparing to strike and they began convincing my lungs that I was out of my mind to think I could handle any hardcore exercise.
When my heart rate soared past the weight loss/training level, I decided to try the weight machines for a while. As I reached overhead for the lat pull down, my muscles seemed to rejoice: "hooray! She's using us again!" I found I could do multiple reps at a good starting weight and not feel too achy. I moved through the circuit of machines making sure to get all of the major muscle groups. I was starting to get the endorphin high that I remember so well. I went home that evening to another 3 mile walk and a good night's sleep.
The next day my hopes of continuing my program were derailed by work. My coworker is on vacation and I have to cover my work and his while he is gone. Coupled with the start of our "busy season" and I was working late every night. So late that after a three mile walk with my dogs, I had enough time to eat, start some laundry an get ready for bed. This continued for the next four days.
In addition, I've had sleeping issues in that I sleep well for a couple of hours and then I am wide awake for a hour. This lack of REM sleep has had an effect on my energy level so even if I had the time to workout, my body wouldn't have let me.
On Thursday I lost my iPod Shuffle which I used for my walks/runs. I felt like I'd lost a piece of me and I let my depression take over. This resulted in a change in eating habits and I gained a few pounds due to unhealthy choices.
Today was a little easier at work and I was able to get motivation and encouragement from other runners on Facebook and various blogs. While I will only do a three mile walk with the dogs tonight, I have the drive to get back on track tomorrow. I also believe that visiting the Chicago Marathon Health and Fitness Expo will inspire me as well.
Keep on plugging along!



- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

New shoes = no pain

After the pain caused from the 10k a week ago, I decided to visit Fleet Feet to replace my "beyond their mileage" Asics. By going into a specialty store, I was able to have someone watch my gait and properly measure my feet.

I asked Matt what the most cushioned shoe available is and he pointed to the Hoka One One. While the shoes aren't the most esthetically pleasing, they are a foot pain sufferers dream. They run big so definitely try them on. I now feel like I can continue my training and hopefully lose more weight to alleviate the pressure on my joints. Plus they have a color that will go with my Minnie Mouse running outfit.

I will report back on my progress with my Hoka One One Bondis.






- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

Slow and steady progress

Two posts in one day? Wow, I must be sidelined from my normal activities. :)

I have been slowly changing my eating habits since July and although I have only been walking lately, I am starting to see a slight difference. It was noticeable when I compared a photo from July 2013 to one taken this past weekend. While I haven't dropped sizes, my clothes are looser and there is a definite difference. See the photo below. It looks like I am on my way.



- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

RICE RICE Baby

This past Saturday, I participated in a 10k race. Due to an arthritis flareup in my feet, along with shoes that should have been retired, Monday and Tuesday were extremely painful. When topical ointments (bio freeze) and anti inflammatories (800mg of ibuprofen) only masked the pain, I realized I needed to approach this from a different angle.

While I have increased my Omega 3 Fatty acids in recent months, I have also begun following a more balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. This change has helped, but if I am to actually run a 10k at Disney World in January, I need to give my joints some rest.

The first thing I am doing is wearing my air cast boot for at least two weeks to alleviate pressure on my joints. The next step is to change the shoes I wear for work. I currently wear slip on shoes which according to The Arthritis Foundation are the worst shoes someone with osteoarthritis (OA) can wear. I plan on doing more research to find the best shoes for me.

Finally, I will limit my high impact exercise for the next month and concentrate on swimming and elliptical training. I need to take care of my body and can no longer suffer through the pain. I guess that is one of the joys of getting older.

My lovely footwear for the next two weeks;



- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

Trying to run with osteoarthritis

Two years ago I was suffering from severe foot pain after completing a ten mile race. When the pain did not subside after two weeks, I visited my doctor hoping to uncover the problem. The X-ray uncovered a small stress fracture, a heel spur and the start of osteoarthritis. Due to the extra sixty pounds I carry on my frame, I knew I was susceptible to a host of ailments, but I never thought I would get arthritis in my feet.

Apparently this is quite common in overweight individuals, especially women. I have been researching my options in dealing with the arthritis while running and have discovered that I could treat this by changing my diet. Omega 3's are essential in maintaining joint health and I found some organic chicken nuggets at Costco that are both high in Omega 3's and gluten free. Win win! I also read that broccoli may also help ease joint pain caused by arthritis. I have a huge bag of frozen organic broccoli from Costco in my freezer that just became more important.

I have been eating the nuggets and broccoli for dinner most evenings and have found that my heel spur does not ache as much. Whether or not this diet change will help long term is yet to be seen, but if I can lessen my pain and get out on the road running again, it is worth a try!



- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

Goal found

I had a roll of negatives transferred to a cd this week and one of the images struck a chord with me. I remember how I felt back then and although I wasn't skinny, I was still healthy and confident. In order to reach this goal, I have 50 pounds to lose.

Now that I have this goal I feel like I am on my way. Here we go everyone!



- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

Easter got me

So I've been trying to be good about watching what I eat, but I've found that if you don't log the calories immediately, you tend to fudge over items you have eaten. (I can't even write a sentence without mentioning food; I need help). While out to dinner with friends Saturday night, I was logging my food as we are and I was surprised by the actual calorie counts.

For example, I didn't realize that even with hollandaise sauce, asparagus is only 43 calories for 3 spears. My filet was over 700 calories before i counted the blue cheese crust. My meal at Gibson's put me over 790 calories for the day!

For my Easter meal, I managed to stay within my calories by filling up on steamed green beans and tomatoes. I was still able to have ham and potatoes, I just made sure I had reasonable portion sizes. I need to rethink my eating habits.

My chiropractor has asked that I only work out one day a week for the next two weeks. She is afraid I will get ambitious and overdue it and possibly get injured. Luckily I have a huge paper due, so this will be easy to accomplish.

Reinventing my eating plan will be tough but apps like Lose It make it easier and hold me accountable. Especially when my friends harass me.

- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

First day back in the fitness center

I used to belong to Ballys for a low monthly fee of $15 for the rest of my life. I hadn't been inside a Ballys in year but I kept the membership just in case. When my debit card was stolen, the pre-authorized payments ceased and given the subsequent sale to LA Fitness, I lost my lifetime membership. Where am I going with this? Well, as a student at DePaul, I am allowed to use their fitness center for a daily fee of $6, or a quarterly fee of $82, as long as I am a student.
I've been going to DePaul for over two years yet until today I never set foot inside the fitness center. I had decided to make a change in my life this year and the first step is rebuilding my strength and endurance. The fitness center is amazing with all of the latest equipment and fancy locker rooms and aquatic area.
I put my items in a locker and headed up to the cardio and weight machines. I settled in on a "gazelle-like" machine which I thought would be a easy lead into cardio. After about five minutes, I realized I was more out of shape than I thought. I decided to move to the weight machines to help rebuild my muscles. I spent 45 minutes using all of the machines and discovered I did not lose as much muscle mass as I had previously thought. Once I finished with weights, I went to use the elliptical machine facing the DePaul campus. After a mere 10 minutes at a 10:35 m/m pace, I realized that I probably shouldn't overdue it on my first day back.
I stopped by the grocery store on the way home and found that my usual cravings for brownies or any other sweets had diminished. I came home, took a nap for about 90 minutes and then took my dogs for a 45 minute walk. When I returned I made dinner and found I wasn't as hungry as I normally was. This exercise thing might have a positive effect on me after all. Taking the first step is always the hardest.




- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

Getting Lucky...Again

This past weekend I participated in Team Ortho's Get Lucky 7k for the second consecutive year. As I have been working on a paper for school, I really hadn't trained for the race at all, but I figured it was only 4 miles and I should be able to complete it without too much trouble. What I did not anticipate was a cold front moving into Chicago the morning of the race.
Unfortunately the race was not the only thing I didn't prepare for. I forgot my gloves and did not wear the inserts for my shoes. As I crossed the start line my only goal was to finish with a sub 14 minute/mile. The first two miles went easily and I was on track with my pace. I stuck to my walk/run method and felt strong. At least until the start of mile three...
We turned and headed north along the lakefront and were faces with cold winds whipping off the lake and snow pelting our faces. This change in the weather proved tougher than I thought as my pace slowed to an 18 m/m pace.
While I was not proud of my time, I am proud that I finished. This race was what I needed to get myself back in gear. I have 65 days until the Soldier Field Ten Miler and I plan on actually training for this race. I am on my way to becoming the healthy person I want to be.



- Trying to shed my potato skin and find my inner skinny fry.

Starting over yet again

So here I go again, which is the title of an amazing book I read over the weekend by Jen Lancaster. But I digress...

I am starting my quest for health and wellness and towards my goal of completing a half marathon. I've let myself get distracted and overwhelmed by life lately. I have a paper due for school in two weeks and need to concentrate on that before beginning my training. I haven't really run since last November and will need to reinitiate myself to running slowly in order to prevent burnout and injuries.
I have a few friends that are runners and they are quite motivating. Plus, I graduate in June and would like to look less like Violet from the Willy Wonka movie and more like an older version of the woman I was in my twenties. I have a 7k race in two weeks which will indicate the start of my running season. I am going to be smart about my training and know that my eating habits need to change. The first step was the elimination of diet coke from my daily diet. This change has already manifested in the disappearance of gastrointestinal ailments.
Please join me as I start on my final journey to a healthier life. First up, my second running of Team Ortho's Get Lucky 7k on March 16th. Hoping to capture another bling for my collection.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Starting Over Again...

 After 4 weeks off training due to a stress fracture, heel spur and the beginning of arthritis, I am ready to get back into my training. 

Last Sunday I took a Good Form Running class at Fleet Feet Sports in Lincoln Square. Our class was small and our instructor had run the Rock and Roll Half Marathon that morning, yet he was moving better than I was.  I was the heaviest runner there but I was there to learn how to prevent injury and improve my running.

Our instructor had each of us run in our shoes while he video'd our form.  Next he had us run in bare feet so that he could compare our form.  It was awkward and I didn't run as I would normally run, but more about that later. Most runners believe that you should strike with your heel and roll to your toes.  The problem with this form is that your knee locks and takes all of the strike as your foot hits the ground.   This occurs over 1700 times per mile, which explains why some runners have extensive knee problems.  As each runner's video was played, the instructor critiqued their form.  My form was relaxed in the knee and I didn't strike on my heel.  I did even better barefoot, striking on the midsole of my foot.  However, I had flailing arms and poor upper body form.  The instructor suggested I strengthen my core to help with my form.

This class succeeded in igniting my racing fire again.  While I haven't started running yet, I have increased my walking with the dogs every day, adding an additional half mile per day.  My foot will occasionally hurt from the arthritis, but all in all I have felt good after each walk. 

My next race is Saturday, September 17th: Mad Dash to Madison.  This race is for the Blackhawks and each runner gets a Patrick Sharp bobblehead.  I have also decided to run Chicago's Perfect Ten, which is a 10 mile and 10k run on November 12th.  I am running the 10k and there is a finisher's medal.  I have decided that the races I will run must have bling for me to spend the money.  If there is something when you finish, I feel that I will be more motivated to run and complete the race. 

I am in the process of training for a half marathon as part of my externship for school.  I will need to follow a plan, cross train, and I want to finish the race in less than three hours.  The externship requires that I journal my experience and I will have to be diligent about this blog as my grade depends on it.

My 25th high school reunion is in 14 weeks.  I would like to lose 30 pounds before the reunion and if I do my training correctly, this should happen.  I have been on staycation all week and I have lost weight and curbed my sweet tooth.  I just hope I can continue this next week.  My stomach has shrunk and I don't want to expand it again.  I will hold myself accountable and hope you all will too.

Logging it...

I haven't been posting the last month or so, but that is about to change.  I need to hold myself accountable and this is the best way to make sure I stay honest and stay connected. 

So far this year I have registered for three events:

1. Race to Wrigley 5K
2. Bark in the Park 5K
3. Soldier Field 10 Miler

Today was my first official day of attempting to train for the races.  I finally used my Nike+ system to track my progress.  I went for a 5K walk, but my neighbor and her dogs went too which means I didn't move as fast as I would have wanted.  Also, she wasted about 6 minutes waiting in line at Dunkin Donuts to get an ice tea (on a cold day, go figure).  She then complained the rest of the walk about how cold she was.  There is nothing more annoying than someone that slows you down because of their own stupidity.

But I digress.  The 5.46 kilometer walk took me 1:06 for a pace of 20:20 m/m.  Hoping to improve the pace tomorrow when the dogs and I will go by ourselves.  This was our second walk of the day, the first one being 2.7 miles and taking about 45 minutes (poor Casey was freaked out be the el and caused a diversion)

I feel good and am happy that I am on my way to achieving my goal.  Another goals is logging in every day to track my progress.  Let's hope I continue on my current path.

Race Update

Ok, I signed up for the soldier Field 10 miler before the price increase but missed out on the Shamrock Shuffle. So other races I must consider:
Race to Wrigley 5K - totally forgot about this one. Will register this week.
Chitown half marathon and 5k - I would do the 5k.
There is a Chicago half marathon on 9/11, I would do this if I can't find a travel buddy for the Disney Wine and Dine.
Just found a new St. Paddys Day race on 3/20

I start training tomorrow using my Nike+ tech products while Casey is at the groomers.

On another note, I have my first acupuncture session on Friday to address my heel pain.

My goal is to lose 43 pounds and do 43 miles worth of races this year. First race is in April unless I can find one in March. No more excuses.

Goal for 2011

I have made a goal for 2011 that is attainable and if I put my mind to it, I can easily succeed. First part of the goal is to run 43 miles worth of races in 2011. Second part of the goal is to lose 43 pounds by my birthday, June 16th. The races I will be attempting are:
Shamrock Shuffle
Soldier Field 10 Miler
Rock and Roll Half Marathon - chicago
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon

I will add one more 5k in there to get to my goal. Training starts tomorrow. Must be disciplined. Any encouragement is greatly appreciated and encouraged.

New Year, New Me

As 2011 starts, I am making real changes in my life. Changes in eating, changes in exercise, changes in friendships. I have lost 10 pounds since December and hoping to continue the progress with a goal of 43 additional pounds by my 43rd birthday in June. I will also be more active in documenting my progress, failures and successes.

Follow me in this amazing journey to discovering who I am.