our first 10K!

Libby and I ran our first 10K race on Fiesta Island in San Diego! I've been distance running Saturdays with Libby, and although she has done triathalons, this was my first race ever!

 It was freezing when we got there, but we still had over an hour to wait, since the runners over 40 started at 7:15, and we were in the under 40 group starting at 8:15. The race was sponsered by the San Diego Track Club and was called 'Mainly Masters'. I came to the conclusion that the seriousness of a male runner is in direct proportion to the shortness of his shorts.

So here's the play-by-play!
6:15 - pick up Libby
6:35 - arrive at island
6:40 - pick up race number and safety pin it to shirt- I'm official!
6:45 - try to stay warm
7:20 - watch the first race start
7:25-8:00 - try to stay warm and not get nervous
8:00 - start warm-up run and stretching
8:10 - go to the bathroom one last time
8:13 - final call two minutes early! Line up at the starting line (duct tape and orange cones) and GO!

(now switching to race timing)
- Libby and I stayed together for the first quarter mile, but I had told her I didn't want to hold her back, so we said "See you at the finish line!" and I turned on my ipod, looking forward to the new playlist I made.
- Tragedy strikes! The shoelace holding my car key comes untied! In the 15 seconds it takes to double-knot, I fall into last place! Aaargh!

00:10:24 - First mile marker. 10 minute mile pace. And I'm winded. This is not looking good. Still in last. But I tell myself that's okay.
- Into mile two... PAIN. My shins were still sore from a quick-paced run on Thursday, and they are screaming at me. I consider giving up when I reach the end of the first loop. But that would be so lame and I'd really be disappointed in myself. I keep running, but I don't see how I will be able to run for four and a half more miles. Still in last. Time for prayer.

00:21:some-odd seconds - Second mile marker! My breathing has regulated, the pain in my shins has dissipated, and I'm hitting my third mile groove. Still in last, but the soundtrack to Whip It has me keeping pace with the girls just ahead of me. Can I pass them?! I grab a cup of sports drink at the aid station which tastes like flouride. Great. But I know it will really help my muscles rehydrate.

00:34:some-odd seconds - Third mile marker! I'm halfway done! I want to walk, but I know that it will hurt when I start running again. And I really want to pass those girls, but they keep getting farther ahead. However, another girl has started walking intermittently- she's my new target. I know my pace has slowed, so I lengthen my stride. That feels good. Listening to a new favorite band, Vampire Weekend.

00:46:some-odd seconds - Fourth mile marker! Only two miles left! The tops of my quads at my hip flexors are hurting. So are my feet. I think about how if I weighed 50 pounds less my feet wouldn't be hurting. I vow to keep losing weight (I lost 10 pounds last month!) It's still never fast enough, though. I start getting discouraged until... I pass the girl ahead of me! I'M NO LONGER IN LAST!!! I didn't realize how much that really meant to me (no matter what I tell myself about keeping low/realistic expectations) until I did it. Interesting. How often do I lie to myself to avoid disappointment? Whatever. I'm not last! I motion to the girl to run with me, but she tells me her knee is hurting. That explains the walking, but I don't care- I'm going to keep running!

00:57:some-odd seconds - Fifth mile marker! The man at this one is very encouraging, telling me to finish strong. Only 1.2 miles left! I can't believe I've made it this far! Without walking! And I'm not last! I lengthen my stride again and pick up the pace a little.
- This sixth and last mile is around a long curve, so I keep thinking, " The finish line has got to be around this corner. Okay... around this corner. Crap! Where the heck is that finish line?!" But constantly expecting the finish line to appear forces me to keep my pace up, because I know I can finish strong. Finally! I round the last bend and there it is... waaaay up there. I can do this. (Lots of internal dialogue going on). This whole race has been mental for me to just keep running and not stop. As I get closer Libby joins me and I excitedly tell her I haven't walked at all, and then whisper, "And I'm not last, either!" She replied, "No, you're not!" I try to figure out where I should start sprinting so I don't run out of steam before I get there (like that cross country runner who fell and had to crawl over the finish line), but then I reach that point and start sprinting, even though it feels like slow-motion... and everyone cheers as I cross that freaking finish line! Yay!!!!

01:11:some-odd seconds!!! I did it in an hour and eleven minutes!!! I cool down, eat a muffin and banana, cheer the last girl when she finishes, then go and chat with her about the race- it turns out it was her first race too. It was a bonding moment :) Libby did it in 57 minutes, which was when I was at the five mile marker, so by the end I was a mile behind her. We both felt really good about our times and how we ran the race.

The 'after' picture. Wiped. Out. I napped all weekend and walked around like an old woman. But man, it feels great! Next we're doing a 5K and I'm starting interval training to get my cardio in shape for it. It's really been helpful to have a race to look forward to so I'm less likely to slack off... and if I do slack off, I jump back into my exercise routine faster instead of getting discouraged and starting an eating cycle.

Speaking of eating... all you girls stay strong during the holidays and remember portion control with all those goodies! Merry Christmas!

Orange Crush Club

Our very own Diane of Girls In Shape ran the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon over the weekend with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation's Team Challenge. Her husband, Rowdy, has "been battling Crohn's disease since he was 12. Most of the time, he is able to live an active lifestyle, but when he has a flare, he can't be the "rowdy" Rowdy that we all love. The treatment of Crohn's consists of medical management, but when these treatments fail, surgery to remove diseased bowel is the only option. Rowdy has had six major abdominal surgeries in his lifetime (including two in the last month), and is gearing up for a seventh in a few weeks."
Check out Diane's blog post about her race! What Happens in Vegas is Divulged Here for All to See

it's good to feel good again!

This morning I went on a FABULOUS run with my sister Cheryl and ended up at the park so the kids could play. I'm very encouraged that after a month with only a few runs it wasn't painful (except the uphill sprints) and was able to keep up a conversation without losing my breath! Yay!

I've also lost five pounds after being sick in March with strep and a ruptured eardrum (OUCH!). I think my stomach shrunk from having no appetite... which has helped me keep my portion sizes smaller and reduce snacking big time! It's amazing to not feel hungry or the need to constantly eat something. So much easier than fighting the cravings. Cravings are evil.

After a five day road trip to Arizona and the Grand Canyon, I'm finally back in the exercise groove! I'm excited to increase my endurace with running and develop more muscle with Jon's P90X DVD's. I want to try the yoga one next. Tomorrow.

How are *you* doing with

your fitness goals??

Let's get some more posts and comments going!

rules of running

Hi girls! It sure has been a while since my last post... I have no excuses, just good intentions that got me nowhere.

So I've picked up running again lately, and came across a blog (I love the name- Eat. Blog. Run.) with this post, and of course just had to share it with the girls! Hilarious, brutally truthful, and inspiring... enjoy!

The 53 Runner’s Commandments

by Joe Kelly

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.

2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.

3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.

4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.

5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.

6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing.

7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.

8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.

9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.

10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.

11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.

12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.

13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.

14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.

15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.

16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.

17. Talk like a runner. *Singlets*are worn on warm days. *Tank tops* are worn to the beach.

18. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.

19. Don’t always run alone.

20. Don’t always run with people.

21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.

22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.

23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.

24. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.

25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.

26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.

27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.

28. If you say, *Let;s run this race together* then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.

29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.

30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.

31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.

32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.

33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.

34. Don’t try to outrun dogs.

35. Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of shape, or not feeling well.

36. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.

37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.

38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.

39. Without goals, training has no purpose.

40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.

41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.

42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.

43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.

44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.

45. *Winning* means different things to different people.

46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.

47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.

48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn’t look good in tights.

49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.

50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.

51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.

52. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.

53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.

Run Run Run.....

So I have NEVER been a self professed runner. Then with the inspiration of my Sister In Law, I gave it a shot. After her first and second child she was probably a size 12 and all through high school, about a size 8. Since her second child she's taken up running and healthy eating, or CLEAN eating as she calls it. She's probably a size 2 or 4 and now with 4 children and 35 years old weighs approx 120.
We ran our first half marathon because of her and I'm training for my 3rd half right now for this summer. I just have to say thank you to her. There's a few girls in my ward I've been running with and I'm so grateful for them. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday we run at night. This way we don't have to push kids or deal with the sun. We just do +/- 3 miles and on Saturday mornings we do a long run between 4-6 for now. It's been great to run with friends and they are a great motivator. I know getting into the habit is miserable but I just need to say how rewarding the sweat of it is. Good luck to everyone on here continuing with whatever plan you've put into place for yourselves!! We Can Do It and be healthy, hot mommas too!! Way to go everyone, Keep On Truckin'!!!

huff puff

After taking a week off due to sickness, I started running again this morning (thanks mom for coming over to watch Emily so I could get motivated!) and it felt *great*. I really missed the energy boost, and was still feeling great by the time evening rolled around- I had enough pep in me to make spaghetti for dinner! There's nothing like getting the flu to make you appreciate good health. And now I'm off to go take some vitamins. I hope all you girls are surviving the winter "let's-all-get-sick-and-pass-around-germs" season!

HCIATBTP.

That stands for "Holy Crap I Am Tired But Totally Pumped"

I just ran 2.0 miles. Without stopping. Without walking. (My warm-up and cool-down are an additional .1 miles each).

I had a small window of opportunity to exercise today, and I took it! The old Heidi would not have even thought about it. What? Workout at night? Um... I've got more important and relaxing things going on... (Such was the excuse I gave myself when I didn't workout Tuesday and Thursday- aargh!)

But this knees-aching, lungs-burning, heart-pumping, fat-jiggling, shoulder-twitching, sweaty-hair activity has made me feel better about myself, and feel healthy, and strong. I have a renewed sense of determination. Trust me, it was only determination that kept me jogging after sprinting up a steep hill!

Something else I have noticed is that I like to be very eloquent as I relate my exercise experience to Jason as soon as I get home, which I suspect he does not fully appreciate. He is very supportive, however, and gives me high-fives. I can't ask for much else :)