tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27946961523376943092024-03-14T04:37:08.297-04:00Maybe it's obsession...but this is my confession.My 9 month journey to becoming a triathlete. It's funny.
<a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com"> NEW BLOG ADDRESS: RUN AROUND SARA</a>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-59408148531791209612011-07-11T23:24:00.000-04:002011-07-11T23:24:18.674-04:00Git R Done!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In talking with a friend today, she mentioned that she hadn't been getting my blog updates lately. That's because I have changed my blog address and she wasn't following me on my new blog! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Many of you haven't either!! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please go to my new blog </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and follow me there! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I won't be blogging here anymore and I don't want you to miss out on any of my wicked cool adventures!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DksYsMhJLSw/Thu97bQaeBI/AAAAAAAAAKI/gHsT1FsKyW4/s1600/runaroundsaraFBl.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-54539533129042356802011-06-30T23:58:00.000-04:002011-06-30T23:58:36.105-04:00Please follow me at my new blog location!<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Just a friendly reminder that I've moved over to:</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</span></b></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Please come follow me there!!</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KarUOqva9t0/TgFI4dgat-I/AAAAAAAAAIc/PBocrHi8sOc/s1600/runaroundsaraFBl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KarUOqva9t0/TgFI4dgat-I/AAAAAAAAAIc/PBocrHi8sOc/s1600/runaroundsaraFBl.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Also on facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Run-Around-Sara/219656754721870">Run Around Sara</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">And twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/runaroundsara">@runaroundsara</a></div><br />
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</div></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-32911040771723996272011-06-21T21:40:00.004-04:002011-06-21T21:44:18.010-04:00New location! New name! Same great stuff!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Just a friendly reminder that I've moved over to:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</span></b></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Please come follow me there!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KarUOqva9t0/TgFI4dgat-I/AAAAAAAAAIc/PBocrHi8sOc/s1600/runaroundsaraFBl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KarUOqva9t0/TgFI4dgat-I/AAAAAAAAAIc/PBocrHi8sOc/s1600/runaroundsaraFBl.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-17447395682434463352011-06-19T22:35:00.001-04:002011-06-19T22:35:45.911-04:00I've moved!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you remember correctly, last week I had a contest to re-name my blog. </span><a href="http://todtraining.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jennifer </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and </span><a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Richelle</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> both suggested some great names and will both be winning a pair of snazzy socks. Congrats and thank you for your ideas!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have decided on the name Run Around Sara. In fact, I've already migrated everything over to my new blog. Please go visit me there, and of course follow me there as well!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">Run Around Sara</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go now! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Please.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh and I also created a twitter account: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/runaroundsara">@runaroundsara</a>. You know, if you want to follow me there too. Or something.</span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-51659391504044451622011-06-15T23:41:00.003-04:002011-06-30T23:37:53.647-04:00Running is the devil. It hurts people.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I sit here with ice on my shins, I’m reflecting back to the past few months. I’ve been so emotionally drained because I’m pushing myself physically and yet, still, I cannot run for 3 minutes straight. I’ve been doing this since January. Swimming, biking and trying to run. I’ve surpassed my swimming and biking goals easily. Yet I’m stuck on running. I’ve tried the Couch to 5K program in the past and haven’t been able to move past week 3 because I can’t get up to running for 3 minutes straight. So in beginning this triathlon journey I decided to follow a triathlon plan and work on the running that way. It didn’t work. So I switched to other running plans. I tried running drills, I tried short intervals for longer periods of time, I tried everything I could think of, but I just couldn’t get this running thing done. Finally I decided to give Couch to 5K another chance. I worked my way up through week 2 and I felt strong and confident that maybe I could do this. I had been building up endurance and strength in other areas since January, and now I needed to work on the running. Finally, I hit week 3 and even though I knew I hadn’t been able to do it in the past, I felt confident. Until I tried it again. I’ve tried Week 3, day 1 three times now. I told myself I wasn’t going to go past a day that I couldn’t complete and go about it at my own pace, but that I’d keep to the schedule so that I didn’t do too much too fast and get hurt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well guess what. I’m hurt. Last night I went for a walk with my mom and dogs, but decided to do a few running intervals up and down the side streets of our complex. I started having shin pain and had to walk most of the time. Tonight, I tried Week 3 day 1 again and couldn’t run for more than 45 seconds before I had to walk due to the pain in my shins. First, I had a hissy-fit and flailed my arms, stomped my foot (which made my shin hurt more) then cried "Why the hell can't I just DO this?". Finn looked at me curiously, probably wondering if I was talking to him or myself. Then I re-grouped, because now I was crying in public and I tried doing a speed-walker shuffle/pee-pee dance run-walk thing. That alleviated the pain and I was going faster than my normal walking, but it’s still not running. And I’m sure I looked wicked cool. Seriously, just try and picture it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started thinking about why I’m having shin pain now, after 6 months of trying this running stuff and I think I’ve found the culprit. Pavement. I’ve done almost all of my training up until now on the treadmill. Besides my 5K races, I haven’t been outside at all before Week 2 day 3 of Couch to 5K. Even though I’m completely discouraged, and pissed off that I can’t do this, I’m not a quitter and I will complete this. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have two options right now. I can continue my training on the treadmill and finish the couch to 5K program on the treadmill and then transition to pavement after I know I can run for 30+ minutes straight. Or, I can start over. Week 1, Day 1 on the pavement and build up that way. I'm seriously torn between the two. Both have pros and cons. Your thoughts?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Either way right now I need to take a few days off of running so my shins can stop hurting. I also need to be stretching more. Maybe take a few yoga classes like I keep talking about to get myself more limber. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But no matter what I decide, I will never quit. Quitting is a weakness and I’m way too proud for that bullshit.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the way, don’t forget to check out my “<a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/06/whats-in-name.html">What’s in a Name</a>” contest. It ends on Friday night. Hurry up and enter, because as it stands, <a href="http://todtraining.blogspot.com/">Jenn</a> and <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/">Richelle</a> are winning by default as they have the only entries! And really with so few entries your odds of winning are huge! </span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-46806631078905850542011-06-12T22:41:00.003-04:002011-06-30T23:38:55.135-04:00What's in a name?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been thinking about the name of my blog and I want to change it. I think. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More specifically, the address. Right now it's http://sariah8.blogspot.com. Since this is a blog about my mission to a triathlon and what I'm doing to train, I'd like it to be something about that and not "sariah8" which is really a username more than anything. And because I'm also planning on a half marathon after the triathlon, I guess I'm in this for the long haul and don't know if I just want it to be all about the tri. But, I'm indecisive. And I also can't think of a name. So I need your help.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any ideas? I was thinking of making this a contest/giveaway, but I'm new at this and don't really have anything to give away. Um, a pair of socks? YES. A special fun, funky pair of socks. Who doesn't like socks? And I'll choose the socks based on the winner's personality. So they'll definitely be fun, funky & cool! Really, this is a win-win situation for all of us!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the deal, you can list as many blog names as you like. But put each idea/name in a different comment. And follow me too. Yes, bonus points if you're a follower. Who knows, maybe 2 pairs of socks will be given away! (Probably) Actually, yes. I will choose a winner based on the blog name choice and another winner will be chosen at random for a bonus prize.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Okay, let's get organized. First winner will be chosen based on my biased opinion and what I like for a blog name. The second winner will be chosen at random. The prize: besides the sheer satisfaction of being the winner, SOCKS.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enter as follows (each entry needs a new comment):</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Suggest a name for my blog (or two, or three, or seven)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Follow my blog (and then you'll have to re-follow my new blog once the new name is chosen, haha!!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Promote this contest/giveaway on your blog, twitter, facebook, run through the streets screaming, make posters, etc.</span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I'd like:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Something clever of course, because you know me. I'm clever.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using my name is good (it's Sara in case you're new around here)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anything dealing with swimming, biking, running, triathlon, racing, etc</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Catchy is good</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Play on words</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What you think when you think of me (maybe I don't want that)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brutal honesty</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll end the contest on Friday of this week (6/17/11) and announce the winner on Saturday, 6/18/11. A whole week of fun!</span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't wait too see all your ideas!! And GO.</span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-44901601606640237322011-06-06T22:32:00.001-04:002011-06-30T23:37:24.524-04:00Mental fatigue vs. Physical fatigue. Which is worse?<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</span></a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Que a serious post here:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Something’s going on with me lately. I’ve been having what I’ve been calling psychotic breaks. Or mental breakdowns. Whichever sounds scarier. I’ve diagnosed myself on WebMD, and it’s true. I’m crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">When training for a 5K or 10K or triathlon, or half marathon, or anything really, is the mental fatigue worse than the physical fatigue? I get it that I’m working my body harder than I have before and I’m pushing the limits. I’m getting stronger and I’m able to do much more than I could 6 months ago. But I feel like I’m losing my mind. Like I’m so mentally tired that I can’t control my emotions in a normal way. I’ll fly off the handle and get really angry and scream in a Hulk-like manner, then dissolve into tears for an undetermined time period. And then 10 minutes later, I’m fine. Back to “normal”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">A few things have happened lately that I am not proud of and I debated talking about it here to give the full picture, but decided against it because, honestly, I'm ashamed of my actions. I've done a few things in the past two months that I haven't been able to control and immediately regretted, which causes the tears and hysterical crying. Maybe it's my way of "getting it all out", but it's not cool. I need another outlet. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">This anger is NOT like me. I don’t know what to do. Yoga? Meditation? Massages? Will that really help? Is it worth my money?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">Is the fact that I'm pushing myself physically affecting me emotionally and mentally?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I’ve been slightly more moody than usual too. But I’ve attributed that to stress. And the only stressful thing going on lately is this triathlon training. When I push myself too hard, I get stressed out and tell myself that I need to calm down and take more rest days to balance everything out. But then if I take more rest days, I panic and think that I won't be ready in time. It's a vicious cycle.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I also don't have anyone to talk to about it really. Not in person anyway. I ramble about 5Ks and training runs and bike rides and what I did last night for my workout, but no one that I come in contact with on a regular basis really cares. It's not stuff that anyone is really into, so to them it's boring. It would be like someone passionate about politics talking to me about the debate they watched on TV last night. I'd gloss over and tune them out within 30 seconds because I don't care. So I don't expect anyone to really want to hear my ramblings, especially since this has been going on for the past 6 months. I know if the situation were reversed, I'd be sick of hearing about it. I have a group of people that I'm doing this triathlon with, but we don't train together on a regular basis. We just schedule things every now and then depending on all of our schedules. So it's not like I have someone who's obsessed with this like I am who can understand where I'm coming from. Even though I'm surrounded by people doing this with me, I feel completely alone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">What do you do when you have moments like these and don't know which end is up?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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</span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-87616915083402648582011-06-01T23:11:00.004-04:002011-06-30T23:38:33.442-04:00April vs. May: The ultimate showdown on National Running Day<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">April totals</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Swim: 1.45 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bike: 42.16 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Run: 18.5 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Rest days: 12<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yoga: 20 mins<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">May totals<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Swim: 2.62 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bike: 25.27 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Run: 18.03 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Rest days: 15<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Compared to April, May sucked. I mean, it wasn’t horrible, but my running was less, my biking was almost half, and I had more rest days. I need to work on that hardcore. Swimming looked pretty good though! I really felt like I did more in May. And seeing the numbers puts me in my place. So I need to cut it out and stop with so many rest days. I mean, I know I need to rest my body, and I think I really only took rest days when I was in pain, sick or utterly exhausted (or unless I hadn’t taken a rest day that week and it was scheduled). Except for last weekend. Two of those rest days were complete laziness. But 2 out of 15 isn’t too bad. Should I really be putting myself down for this? Or is it normal? I feel like I should have done better. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I’m stepping up my game in June. I swear. Maybe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I started that enthusiasm with a run this afternoon. I had a vet appointment for my mom’s cat at 6pm. I get out of work at 5pm, So, I planned to run after I got home from the vet at around 6:30 or 7pm. Instead, I got out of work early around 3:15 and called my vet to get an earlier appointment. They didn’t have one for the cat doctor, but I needed to take my dog, Snickers, in for her yearly exam anyway and scheduled a 4pm with the dog doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Meanwhile, a huge storm front was moving through. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zxb0duzEKKA/Teb74sC6Z-I/AAAAAAAAAHU/V2Kw3YHZ3dI/s1600/tornadowarning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zxb0duzEKKA/Teb74sC6Z-I/AAAAAAAAAHU/V2Kw3YHZ3dI/s320/tornadowarning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The white X is where I live. On the outskirts of the storm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">By huge, I mean severe thunderstorms and tornado watches. Since it was only sprinkling when I left the vet’s office for the first time, I decided to get my run in before my second vet appointment. I took my other dog, Finn, with me. He’s 7 months old and not a good leash dog, but I figured, practice makes perfect, right? So we set out. It was barely sprinkling as we started and figured I wasn’t going to melt so why not? Well, after about 3/4 mile, it started downpouring. That’s why not. One of my neighbors saw me go by and opened her door and yelled out to me “We’re under a tornado watch! You should get inside!” I replied “Yes, I know, thank you!” and continued on my way. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ5x7MuXDg0/Teb75NlKxsI/AAAAAAAAAHY/9XdF6D_qceM/s1600/tornadowarning2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ5x7MuXDg0/Teb75NlKxsI/AAAAAAAAAHY/9XdF6D_qceM/s320/tornadowarning2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See those 3 blue spirals? Yup, tornado touchdowns.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xpr6P07x7Ww/Teb4fm0z-fI/AAAAAAAAAHM/lFLFtt0aDwc/s1600/FinnRunningWET.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xpr6P07x7Ww/Teb4fm0z-fI/AAAAAAAAAHM/lFLFtt0aDwc/s320/FinnRunningWET.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finn actually did quite well on the leash. <br />
New running partner!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XgScF_UGkzg/Teb4goK5XEI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/GdTLi8GyzlU/s1600/sarasoaked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XgScF_UGkzg/Teb4goK5XEI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/GdTLi8GyzlU/s320/sarasoaked.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completely soaked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">What was I thinking? I have to admit, I was more concerned with getting hit by lightening that I was with a tornado. I was counting the seconds between lightening and thunder to make sure I was safe. All of a sudden, I saw lightening and counted to ONE, before the thunder snapped all around me. Finn was jogging slightly behind me at this point and he hightailed it up to me and tried to go between my legs, almost toppling me in the process. I was already soaked, I didn’t need to fall into a puddle, thankyouverymuch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I took that as a sign to turn around and go home. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">After vet appointment number two, the sun came out. My timing is amazing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">But about the actually running. I re-did Couch to 5K week 2 day 3, since I hadn’t run in a week, but I felt like it was easy. I mean, not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">easy</i>, but I probably could have done week 3 day 1 which goes from a 1:30 running intervals to 3 minute intervals. And, this was outside and not on my treadmill where I’ve been doing the C25K program. I thought it was going to be harder. I was pleasantly surprised. However, my biggest critic (myself) had been analyzing everything. Either my biking last weekend really helped strengthen my legs and made my running stronger, or, I was running a lot slower than I do on the treadmill. My pace on my Garmin says that I was running slower. WAY slower. Yet my average times are right on point, even faster, than what I was doing on the treadmill. Whatever, who knows. Blame it on the rain. And really, isn’t the point to keep running for longer periods of time, and work on the speed later? Right, I thought so.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I guess it was only fitting that today is National Running Day<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I found that out tonight after my run. No, that’s a lie, I heard about it earlier today on twitter, but I forgot about it until I saw people talking about it, and showing off their badges, when I was reading blogs tonight. So of course, I got my very own badge. I mean, really, If I’m gonna do it, I want a <s>medal</s> badge for it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; width: 155px;"><iframe src="http://basno.com/ufgf5sv2/embed" style="border: 0px none; height: 180px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding: 0px; width: 155px;"></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Uh, not really. I run because I have to. Because it's part of the triathlon. It doesn't feel great. Whoever tells you that is lying. It hurts.</span></div><o:p></o:p>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-72311531776636038662011-05-29T23:02:00.001-04:002011-06-30T23:39:54.674-04:00Biking 101: The photo companion<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><br />
<br />
The helpful photo guide for the previous blog post: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/biking-101-dont-bike-by-yourself-in.html">Biking 101: Don't bike by yourself in a secluded area. Imagination is a killer.</a></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/biking-101-dont-bike-by-yourself-in.html"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And, go.</span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U6njClVJcKs/TeLXGhkQwEI/AAAAAAAAAGM/lqWimDiirtw/s1600/IMAG1556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U6njClVJcKs/TeLXGhkQwEI/AAAAAAAAAGM/lqWimDiirtw/s320/IMAG1556.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of the Cotton Valley Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WT9kqPpBwKs/TeLaMkt9SnI/AAAAAAAAAG8/XtjSbBd0Viw/s1600/IMAG1592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WT9kqPpBwKs/TeLaMkt9SnI/AAAAAAAAAG8/XtjSbBd0Viw/s320/IMAG1592.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So it looks like I go across the tracks...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iKtaQvdd-Nk/TeLXwsO9rEI/AAAAAAAAAGU/XnRsgLPoLp0/s1600/IMAG1561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iKtaQvdd-Nk/TeLXwsO9rEI/AAAAAAAAAGU/XnRsgLPoLp0/s320/IMAG1561.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and onto this path. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qe9k0f8eM00/TeLZpXUTdLI/AAAAAAAAAG0/ypX-5njx4-4/s1600/IMAG1587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qe9k0f8eM00/TeLZpXUTdLI/AAAAAAAAAG0/ypX-5njx4-4/s320/IMAG1587.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nope. I had to get onto the tracks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dgoeMbb8vLs/TeLYBSTqaTI/AAAAAAAAAGY/yBrNfP_omcg/s1600/IMAG1564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dgoeMbb8vLs/TeLYBSTqaTI/AAAAAAAAAGY/yBrNfP_omcg/s320/IMAG1564.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But then it turned into this and stayed mostly like this. Very nice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYA02_mZFgc/TeLYR8EvXCI/AAAAAAAAAGc/_i4-E0F69qI/s1600/IMAG1565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYA02_mZFgc/TeLYR8EvXCI/AAAAAAAAAGc/_i4-E0F69qI/s320/IMAG1565.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was where I had no clue where to go. <br />
Off to the left are rocks. <br />
To the right are the tracks, but no path. WTF?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YUKhCqCkgy8/TeLZK6Xf8EI/AAAAAAAAAGs/YzuXFvwg_Pw/s1600/IMAG1585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YUKhCqCkgy8/TeLZK6Xf8EI/AAAAAAAAAGs/YzuXFvwg_Pw/s320/IMAG1585.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My leprechaun led me down this path.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg5p538WpxA/TeLZZWKQzRI/AAAAAAAAAGw/17u6gEXjw3E/s1600/IMAG1586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg5p538WpxA/TeLZZWKQzRI/AAAAAAAAAGw/17u6gEXjw3E/s320/IMAG1586.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then through this fence, where I was sure I was going to<br />
hit my handle bars and go ass over tea kettle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzZdY7KV54o/TeLYs2IfzJI/AAAAAAAAAGk/LUysni4f4a8/s1600/IMAG1573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzZdY7KV54o/TeLYs2IfzJI/AAAAAAAAAGk/LUysni4f4a8/s320/IMAG1573.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then there was this beauty.<br />
Water on each side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lg5p538WpxA/TeLZZWKQzRI/AAAAAAAAAGw/17u6gEXjw3E/s1600/IMAG1586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUlop9bc10c/TeLYe1pKg4I/AAAAAAAAAGg/vTevVP_SRnQ/s1600/IMAG1568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUlop9bc10c/TeLYe1pKg4I/AAAAAAAAAGg/vTevVP_SRnQ/s320/IMAG1568.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice view, eh?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-dPn1FSaKI/TeLY59NqKmI/AAAAAAAAAGo/UFA9Gg87qIs/s1600/IMAG1577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v-dPn1FSaKI/TeLY59NqKmI/AAAAAAAAAGo/UFA9Gg87qIs/s320/IMAG1577.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of the trail in downtown Wolfeboro</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUlop9bc10c/TeLYe1pKg4I/AAAAAAAAAGg/vTevVP_SRnQ/s1600/IMAG1568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then I biked back. For that visual, just scroll up and look at the pictures in the reverse order.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBND1bGLpWA/TeLaaCFx4KI/AAAAAAAAAHA/CiBQq9lzfrI/s1600/IMAG1599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBND1bGLpWA/TeLaaCFx4KI/AAAAAAAAAHA/CiBQq9lzfrI/s320/IMAG1599.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Fernald station. Guarding the entrance to Creepyville</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igZFLunk3DY/TeLasENYIdI/AAAAAAAAAHE/dvWfcZ3iTUE/s1600/IMAG1602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-igZFLunk3DY/TeLasENYIdI/AAAAAAAAAHE/dvWfcZ3iTUE/s320/IMAG1602.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signs informing where to go and how long it takes to get there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jSsk5_TsEIU/TeLa8KTpxwI/AAAAAAAAAHI/R4yU1ew0pxo/s1600/IMAG1603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jSsk5_TsEIU/TeLa8KTpxwI/AAAAAAAAAHI/R4yU1ew0pxo/s320/IMAG1603.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And....an outhouse. I don't know if it's in working order. I didn't check.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I'll leave you with this one bit of helpful information. If a sign tells you to get off your bike and walk across the platform, you should probably listen. Especially if the railroad tracks aren't even with the path.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-ZDAa_UmF0/TeLZ6l5-ORI/AAAAAAAAAG4/PmRbZo-wW2k/s1600/IMAG1591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-ZDAa_UmF0/TeLZ6l5-ORI/AAAAAAAAAG4/PmRbZo-wW2k/s320/IMAG1591.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Because something might happen...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U_XrFHiUehE/TeLXa0WmllI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/VojXUK105VI/s1600/IMAG1560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U_XrFHiUehE/TeLXa0WmllI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/VojXUK105VI/s320/IMAG1560.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone didn't read the sign.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-17057517422197150532011-05-28T16:56:00.005-04:002011-06-30T23:40:10.188-04:00Biking 101: Don't bike by yourself in a secluded area. Imagination is a killer.<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I’ve been excited to bike the <a href="http://www.lakesregionbicycling.com/rail-trails-resources-73/50-wolfeboro--sanbornville-recreational-trail-cotton-valley-trail">Cotton Valley Rail Trail</a> in Wolfeboro, NH ever since I heard of it about 2 weeks ago. That’s a lie, I knew it existed before 2 weeks ago, but I have never been on it and I didn’t know anything about it. It was described to me as flat, paved & easy. I figured it would be a nice leisurely bike ride and that I could convince people to bike with me on it. I also have an upcoming 5K and duathlon that will be running along the same trail, so I wanted to check it out and see for myself how it looked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I checked it out on Google maps and figured out where it started and ended so I had an idea of how long it was and how many miles I’d get out of it. It showed me that it was about 3 miles long, one way. So I knew that if I wanted to get any good mileage on it, I’d have to do an out and back at least twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yesterday, I headed down to one end of the trail and became dinner for 472,389 mosquitos as I unloaded my bike. I kept telling myself that all I had to do was get moving and they wouldn’t be able to keep up with me and buzz in my ears (HATE that).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I started off and was a little surprised that it wasn’t paved. It was dirt and gravel. I figured that it would start off a dirt path, then turn into paved for the majority. Nope. Not one inch of the trail was paved. Luckily I have a hybrid bike and not a road bike. I don’t think I’d have been able to bike it if it was a road bike. About a 3rd of a mile down the path, it went across the railroad tracks. There was a sign that said, “Walk across the wooden bridge” for bikers, but then the path ended. Kinda. I could either bike down the middle of the tracks or cross over it and go into a wooded path. There was a sign pointing me towards the wooded path, so I figured that I should follow it and maybe it would even out and become paved at some point. I followed that for about 20 seconds before it became impossible to ride. There were roots everywhere and there was no way I could stay on the bike and make it out alive. I got off my bike and started walking. After about 2 minutes of walking and constant thoughts of, “This cannot be right”, I decided to go back to the car and head to the other end of the path in downtown Wolfeboro and start from there. When I got back to the railroad tracks, I looked up the tracks and saw the path continue further down the tracks. I thought maybe I was supposed to ride down the middle of the tracks and meet up with the path on the other side. That was exactly what I was supposed to do. So I continued on the trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was strange to be riding on dirt and not pavement. I was worried that maybe I’d pop a tire on a stray rock of something, but everything held up okay. I was riding behind houses and along the water. It was a nice ride and there were some beautiful parts of the trail. But only as it headed towards downtown Wolfeboro. The other way? No. More on that later.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I got to one point on the trail where I was a little confused as to which way to go. Right at that moment, I heard a bell and someone informing me that they were “passing on the left”. It was a little old man with a big basket attached to the front of his bike. As he passed I said, “I’m not sure where the trail goes from here, do you know?” No answer. He peddled off towards a trail that I wouldn’t have noticed if it weren’t for him. So I said “Oh, this way? Ok yeah, sure I’ll follow you”. It was a bit of an Alice in Wonderland moment and I was following the crazy white rabbit. Or a leprechaun. Either way, it was odd. I had no idea where I was and it looked like it might have been the right path. Maybe. This part of the trail wound back and forth, whereas the rest of the path was straight. With each bend of the path, my little leprechaun man disappeared and I had to hurry to catch up with him. Then as soon as the path straightened out again and started looking like it had earlier, he pulled over to take a rest on a bench and I kept going. I definitely had a “did that just happen?” moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I got to the end of the trail in downtown Wolfeboro and stopped for a moment to check out the map. It was there that I realized that the trail wasn’t just 3 miles. It was 3 miles from where I started to where I was at the moment, but if I had gone the other way, it was another 3 miles. I guess Google maps didn’t get that memo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">On the way back, it was still light out, but the sun had gone down considerably and there was a lot of cover from the trees, so I didn’t need my sunglasses. But I noticed that there were swarms of mosquitos (or black flies, either way, not a good time) in the middle of the path, just hovering, waiting for someone to come by. Since I was moving, they couldn’t swarm me, but they sure as hell could swarm together and wait for me to run into them. I put my sunglasses back on as protection. A little later, I passed a woman on her bike and we smiled at each other. A bug flew into my mouth and I almost died. Not really, I just spit it out but, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gross</i>. From then on, anyone I passed got a closed mouth smile, which probably looked like a creepy grimace. But, no bugs!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">By the time I made it back to my car, I was curious about the other side of the trail, so I decided to check it out. The easiest way for me to say this is: It. Was. Scary. It was secluded and mostly woods with a few houses and warehouses spread out along the trail. I had an uneasy feeling the entire time. It might have started when I saw a man sitting in his car in the parking lot to the trail. My imagination <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">might</i> have started to play games with me. Let’s just say I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t being followed. About a mile in I came across a jogger, and then another biker, both women, so I felt a little better, but I still was a little nervous about my surroundings. I saw a warehouse that looked sketchy with a brand new SUV sitting out front and I immediately thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Why is there such a nice car parked at an old warehouse? That’s probably where they take people to torture them, then kill them”</i>. I pedaled a little bit faster. Then I saw a rundown house and thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“They probably keep a lookout for people on this path and come out here and kill them as they pass by”</i>. For some reason, I kept going. My imagination had already taken a trip somewhere bad and there was apparently no talking myself out of it. As I continued on, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of jeans slung over a fence of some sort. I turned to look and realized it was a barbed wire fence. There was nothing around this area. No house, no road, no nothing. Just woods. So of course I thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Holy sh!t. There is a guy living in that house up there that took a woman off this trail and killed her and hung her jeans up over that barbed wire fence as a warning to all other people. And he might get me! But I’m not wearing jeans. Maybe he won’t want me”.</i> Remember, I said there was no house anywhere? In my imagination, there was. Then I started singing to myself. You know like those little kids in movies when they are scared in the dark and they sing to themselves to make everything less scary? Yes, that was me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">As if all that wasn’t enough, I started seeing weird marks on the trail, like the dirt was darker in some places than it was for the majority of the trail. I’m sure it was from the recent rain in the area and the puddles hadn’t fully gone away, making the dirt darker, or you know, mud. But this crazy, insane, scary place that I was in at that moment had me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">convinced</i> that they were bloodstains from people who were killed out on the trail in the past few months. That was the final straw. I turned around and hightailed it out of there. I tried not to look at the jeans on the barbed wire, the sketchy house or the warehouse with the new SUV in front of it, but I couldn’t help it. I needed to be sure no one was coming for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">On my way back, I saw another jogger coming toward me. I muttered to her, “Good luck out there”. She smiled and said “Thanks”. She had no idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I made it back to my car and saw at the station that the sign said 3.1 miles to Wolfeboro and 7.8 miles to Route 16. Both via the trail. I had only ridden about 2 miles toward Route 16 before I freaked myself out enough to turn around. I can’t imagine almost 6 more miles of mental torture! I’ll ride the 3.1 miles over and over. That part of the trail was nice. No way in hell am I riding 7.8 miles along that death trap the other way!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Of course for this adventure, I forgot my camera, and my phone. So, no pictures. However, I will try this trail again. Hopefully tomorrow and I’ll bring a camera to capture the picturesque views and oddities of the Cotton Valley Trail. I know you can hardly wait so I’ll try to be quick about it. For now, here’s a picture of the trail headquarters right near where I parked, AKA, entrance to CreepyVille.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rSxh7Yhvoic/TeFdaYD6aAI/AAAAAAAAAGI/YaLBb4Hs3GI/s1600/cottonvalleytrailhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rSxh7Yhvoic/TeFdaYD6aAI/AAAAAAAAAGI/YaLBb4Hs3GI/s320/cottonvalleytrailhead.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right behind that red building is the entrance to CreepyVille</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">Update: Check out the <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/biking-101-photo-companion.html">photo companion</a> for this adventure!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-40405725184560930172011-05-24T23:03:00.002-04:002011-06-30T23:40:33.655-04:00Stow Run for the Woods 2011 Race Report<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I had planned this race because my chiropractor told me about it and that they would be at the race doing massages for the runners. I figured, why not? It’s local, not too hilly, they were giving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">medals to all finishers</i>, and who doesn’t want a free massage after a 5K? If you answered, "I don't", we aren’t going to get along.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The day before, I was in bed all day with a stomach bug. I was so mad because I really wanted to do this race! And I had already paid for it. But as the day went on, I started rationalizing what would really happen if I couldn’t do it. I at least could get myself out of bed in the morning to pick up my free (kinda paid for) t-shirt. Then I figured if I could get out of bed for a t-shirt, I could at least stay and hang out for a bit and cheer on people that I know (and I suppose people I didn’t know). I debated setting my alarm for the morning and was really contemplating just skipping it when I suddenly remembered. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Medals to all finishers</i>. Problem solved. I set my alarm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I woke up feeling much better. No stomach pains, no nausea. I was glad I didn’t have to try and endure a 5K while feeling yucky. I knew I had to eat something since all I had was soup the day before, so I went with a bland bagel with nothing on it and vanilla yogurt. I couldn’t finish the bagel and halfway to the race, I started getting stomach pains again. Excellent. I got my race number and t-shirt and went back to my car to sit and try to relax before the race.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2elpdDrJBAQ/TdxwFQjK_VI/AAAAAAAAAF8/u8hCx_4AdHg/s1600/IMAG1523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2elpdDrJBAQ/TdxwFQjK_VI/AAAAAAAAAF8/u8hCx_4AdHg/s320/IMAG1523.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that. The date. Ten cool points.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Eventually I heard someone talking over a megaphone and I figured I should pay attention. I wasn’t even thinking about not doing the race at this point, because I still hadn’t forgotten about the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">medals to all finishers</i>. Although, I was replaying the race route in my mind thinking, where I could possibly cut off part of the race and only do, like, a mile. Just kidding. Actually, no, I actually thought about it. But I knew I wouldn’t actually do it, so technically, still kidding. Maybe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">By race time I was feeling better, no stomach pains or nausea, so that was good. And of course there was a guy playing his bagpipes there, so that makes most things better. Or worse, depending on how you look at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rDxEUsqIZko/TdxwKiZDyjI/AAAAAAAAAGA/LXzuZ4k7UWY/s1600/IMAG1525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rDxEUsqIZko/TdxwKiZDyjI/AAAAAAAAAGA/LXzuZ4k7UWY/s320/IMAG1525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes I sure did get right next to him as he was playing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I did a fairly good walking warm up before the race so I didn’t have to start out walking. I was doing pretty good with my walking/running intervals and was faster per mile than I had ever been during a race, so I was feeling pretty confident that I’d be able to beat my previous time. Pretty awesome feeling, especially since they were giving <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">medals to all finishers</i>. It would be sweet to get a medal on a day I got a PR.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">At one of the loops (the only loop) there was a volunteer cheering everyone on. She had a positive comment for every single person who passed by her and she was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">funny</i>. I asked her what her name was because I knew that the second I got back to the finish line, I had to tell someone to give Maureen a raise, because she’s an amazing person. So nice, so encouraging, funny, and just amazing. But then I remembered that the race was sponsored by the <a href="http://www.stowconservationtrust.org/">Stow Conservation Trust</a>, which is a committee, and most likely unpaid. AND, she was a volunteer. Duh. This is what running does to me. I get dumber. But she was awesome!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, besides by blond moment, everything was great. Until I hit 1.4 miles. Sharp pains in stomach. Waves of nausea. Turning of the head, bending over the bushes. Almost puked. Almost. False alarm. Sucked down some more water to keep it all down. And kept moving.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And then I was fine. Until 2.5 miles. Same sharp pains in stomach. Same waves of nausea. Different bushes. Almost puked again. Almost. Same false alarm. OUT OF WATER. Kept moving anyway. Then it was downhill for a while. Literally. On the downhill, there was a water station and some great volunteers hooking me up with that sweet, sweet (and much needed) H2O.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">After that, I was okay until the end of the race and after, when I tried to eat an orange. Best diet ever, right? Put food in, get sick, and don’t want to eat. Besides the pain, I like it!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I finally heard the bagpipes again, so I knew I was getting close to the end of the race. I saw my friends near the finish line and then I saw the clock showing a time of 48:xx. I actually got excited, because I haven’t don’t a 5K under 50...ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The race results have me down for a time of 49:28, but with no chip timing and me crossing the start line after the actual start, my Garmin says I finished with a time of 49:03. As I was crossing the finish line, I was yelling to my friends “Look! Under 50! Under 50!” and I almost stopped. They had to remind me to keep going and actually cross the finish line instead of looking at my time. I’m smart. Right as I finished, there were volunteers handing out the medals. Yes, even with a time of 49:03, I got a medal! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aX6srIhM9Jc/TdxwMVsuHXI/AAAAAAAAAGE/Fptk_63JXlw/s1600/IMAG1526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aX6srIhM9Jc/TdxwMVsuHXI/AAAAAAAAAGE/Fptk_63JXlw/s320/IMAG1526.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obviously I'm so proud of myself here.<br />
And wicked excited about the medal!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And I was NOT LAST. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">I was second to last.</span> But NOT LAST!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I beat my previous 5K time by 2:25. That’s pretty damn good right? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">After all that drama throughout the race, I looked around for my free massage. <o:p>Yeah, they weren't there. Liars.</o:p></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-68861295991365755902011-05-20T21:52:00.001-04:002011-06-30T23:40:48.063-04:00It's my party and I'll freak out if I want to!<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I just had a moment of freaking out. It was slight. Don’t worry I’m fine. But I just realized that my triathlon is less than 4 months away. Swimming, check (even though I discovered something tricky about the course). Biking, check. Running, stop, do not pass go, do not collect $200.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I’m on track for the swimming. Here’s the tricky part. The course is listed as being 1/4 mile. I wanted to see what the exact distance was because maybe it was 0.22 miles, maybe it was 0.26 miles, but the closest measurement was 1/4 mile. I also wanted to swim this summer in the lake near my house in NH, and I wanted a route to practice. So I had to measure. I used <a href="http://www.mapmyfitness.com/">Map My Fitness</a> to check the swim route.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mELZAooO_mA/TdcZB5SjXbI/AAAAAAAAAFw/w7k4aE8W3FA/s1600/hopkingtonswimmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mELZAooO_mA/TdcZB5SjXbI/AAAAAAAAAFw/w7k4aE8W3FA/s320/hopkingtonswimmap.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">0.30 miles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">NOT 1/4 MILE. It measures as 0.30 miles. That’s closer to 1/3 mile than 1/4. Why not round up? They rounded up for the bike route. That’s listed as 10 miles, but the route is really only 9.9 miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Glad I know. I’ll now train for 1/3 mile instead of 1/4. It may not seem like much, but lap-wise at the pool, it’s 9 laps for 1/4 mile and 12 laps for 1/3 mile. If I’m only prepared to swim “9 laps” on race day, those 3 extra “laps” aren’t gonna be fun. I want to be completely prepared. Luckily, at the lake I’d like to train in, in NH, beach to beach is 0.31 miles. Almost exactly the distance for race day. Score.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TeGlMkU9PPE/TdcZD6qirBI/AAAAAAAAAF0/UCMool5ZyJE/s1600/wolfeboroswimmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TeGlMkU9PPE/TdcZD6qirBI/AAAAAAAAAF0/UCMool5ZyJE/s200/wolfeboroswimmap.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">0.31 miles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Swimming, check.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The biking isn’t impressive, but it’s comfortable. I’d like to get out on the race course to get a feel for it and see how I can handle the hills it had to offer. I keep thinking, “Oh, I have time, it’s not until September”, but IT’s 4 MONTHS AWAY! I will plan a ride out there. I will. If only it would Just. Stop. Raining. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Or maybe I’ll hop on my brand new spin bike that I picked up on the way home tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ6R9Bk7R6s/TdcZn2Jt2mI/AAAAAAAAAF4/LU9G7ZvdH3Y/s1600/spinbike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ6R9Bk7R6s/TdcZn2Jt2mI/AAAAAAAAAF4/LU9G7ZvdH3Y/s320/spinbike.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sexy, isn't it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And by picked up, I mean it was on the side of the road with a “FREE” sign on it. I don’t know if it works. We’ll find out, won’t we? Yes, you’ll hear about it, I’m sure. I’ve already injured myself with it and I haven’t even gotten on it yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The running business is still in slow mo. But I’m doing it. I decided to start Couch 2 5K again. This is my 3rd time trying it. I’m on track so far, but these 5Ks keep getting in the way. I know it’s good to have 5Ks to do to keep myself on track for the triathlon in September, but I’m starting to wonder if the 5Ks are messing up my rhythm with the C25K plan. I’ve seen running training plans where people to long runs one day a week. Could a 5K be my “long run” for now? Or is that too ambitious for right now? Thoughts? (I’m looking at you, you runner people)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Something is happening though. I’m not too sure if I like it. Today is my rest day. And I am adamant about my rest days. Trust. But I was actually slightly upset that I ran yesterday because, get ready for it, I wanted to run today. Who am I becoming?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I’ve read many places that you shouldn’t run back to back days, especially as a beginner, but I’ve seen running schedules in other people’s blogs where they run 6 days a week with one rest day. How are they not crippled, or dead, or both?<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-71849219716616554442011-05-15T21:06:00.005-04:002011-06-30T23:41:11.747-04:00Beach to Beach 5K Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><br />
<br />
Today I got an e-mail from <a href="http://Active.com/">Active.com</a> asking me what I thought of the <a href="http://www.junioraidsociety.org/upcoming_events/beach_to_beach_5k_walkrun.html">Beach to Beach 5K</a> event. It was pretty much a form letter, but I’ve registered for all of my 5Ks with Active and have never received this after a race before today. My first thought was, “Great, I’ve been flagged as a <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/if-youre-complaining-about-me-youre.html">hostile racer</a> and now they’re keeping an eye on me”. Ha! Well, if they want to know what I thought, I might as well not keep them waiting!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3NJGpR5GeRE/TdBwDQnK6FI/AAAAAAAAAFA/9R_C_ZKeS0A/s1600/sararacebib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3NJGpR5GeRE/TdBwDQnK6FI/AAAAAAAAAFA/9R_C_ZKeS0A/s200/sararacebib.jpg" width="110" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yesterday was my third 5K of the 2011 season. Or ever. However you want to look at it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Beach to Beach 5K was in Marblehead, MA. I didn’t realize it until today, but it was further away from me than the 5K races in NH I’ve done. I figured being in MA it would be closer, but nope. Oh well, live and learn.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We got there around 8:30am. Race time was 10am. So we picked up our packets at the registration table. It was very organized. They had envelopes with everything we needed inside of it: Race bibs, safety pins, labels with the t-shirt size we ordered, plus coupons for Road ID bracelets, info packets on other races, and tips for running. Very cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We then decided to hit the bathrooms, but there weren’t any port-o-potties anywhere. Excellent. So we asked the registration people if there were bathrooms around, and there were. Right in the middle of the parking lot, there was a brick building. One ladies room. One men’s room. We took advantage of our early arrival and headed over. Out of two toilets, only one was working. Again, grateful for the early arrival. As people started to arrive, it got crazy! Maybe a few port-o-potties would help this situation!! This is the only race I've seen that didn't have adequate bathroom control. Of course because I've been to so many, I'm an expert, so you should listen to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hKf-jEV2OTo/TdBwTZRPxuI/AAAAAAAAAFE/OhdvB5XZYRg/s1600/IMAG1465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hKf-jEV2OTo/TdBwTZRPxuI/AAAAAAAAAFE/OhdvB5XZYRg/s320/IMAG1465.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women's room line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_xgh2oBp3-0/TdBwXMGthTI/AAAAAAAAAFI/wAar_T4hNPI/s1600/IMAG1466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_xgh2oBp3-0/TdBwXMGthTI/AAAAAAAAAFI/wAar_T4hNPI/s200/IMAG1466.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Men's room line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-naS3UhOAPrg/TdBwyK-z92I/AAAAAAAAAFM/-gw-hoUDkOg/s1600/IMAG1470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-naS3UhOAPrg/TdBwyK-z92I/AAAAAAAAAFM/-gw-hoUDkOg/s320/IMAG1470.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juice Plus table.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">There were only a few tables set up for things other than the registration, but being sponsored by the Junior Aid society, I figured their goal was to raise money, and therefore, I didn’t expect much. However, they definitely went for quality over quantity! They had a booth set up by <a href="http://www.lleesonjuiceplus.com/">Juice Plus</a> who made smoothies before and after the race for people to try.</div><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfLQTFPU-Ws/TdBw2dDrNaI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/af9LycQ3PyI/s1600/IMAG1484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfLQTFPU-Ws/TdBw2dDrNaI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/af9LycQ3PyI/s200/IMAG1484.jpg" width="119" /></a></div><br />
They used a powder made from fruits and vegetables that had been juiced and then converted to powder for the smoothies. They were actually pretty good. The goal of their company was to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables and be more healthy overall. I had a nice talk with the ladies who were manning the booth. We talked about the horrific lunches I see some of the kids in my class eat everyday. And they’re right; kids really do need to be healthier.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Junior Aid society also had a raffle going on with some sweet baskets. I bought 6 raffle tickets.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-leLVCwED_3c/TdBzlyOmKGI/AAAAAAAAAFU/qbVyQcPRvmM/s1600/IMAG1469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-leLVCwED_3c/TdBzlyOmKGI/AAAAAAAAAFU/qbVyQcPRvmM/s320/IMAG1469.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't win, but they had some pretty cool stuff in those baskets!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">There was a DJ there playing music to hype up all the racers and all it did was result in some FANTASTIC dancing on my part. Be sad you missed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The race didn’t actually start where everything was set up. It started up the street a little bit. The DJ kept announcing how much longer to the race and even with him announcing the race start every 5 minutes, I was shocked to see that it was already 9:50 and we were still hanging out in the parking lot. Still dancing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I decided to grab a few pictures of the set up before the race, so I quickly went over to the tables to snap a few shots. This took me about 2 minutes. When I got back to the spot where we were all standing, everyone was gone. And by everyone, I mean the group I was with. The bastards just left me! So I headed to the start line to find them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a2UIf4Swl9Q/TdBz2ofZyKI/AAAAAAAAAFY/uL9Hm-5s-AI/s1600/IMAG1474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a2UIf4Swl9Q/TdBz2ofZyKI/AAAAAAAAAFY/uL9Hm-5s-AI/s200/IMAG1474.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Along my way, I saw two women with walking poles. I stopped to talk to them about them and one of them told me that the poles have helped her get back into walking and they take 40% of your weight as you walk.</div><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span>Pretty cool to see them tackling a 5K!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I met up with my people, but none of us saw a starting line. Rewind. Earlier, we discovered that our race bibs did not have timing chips on them. So we were a bit confused as to how this was going to be “professionally timed” as it advertised during registration. Back to present. We didn’t see a starting line, because there wasn’t one. Hm. Confusing. At one point the started pushing the crowd back because people had gone past the starting point. There must have been a marking somewhere, because the race people knew where it started, but I never saw it. I just started my Garmin about 20 seconds after I started walking. I figured it was close enough.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ol3ucO2BpSQ/TdB0T8Fjy2I/AAAAAAAAAFc/pj3mrc045Ws/s1600/IMAG1476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ol3ucO2BpSQ/TdB0T8Fjy2I/AAAAAAAAAFc/pj3mrc045Ws/s200/IMAG1476.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "start" line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We were all standing around talking, mainly figuring out how we were supposed to all start, when everyone around us started taking off. I said, “I think that means GO”. And we started. I decided to approach this race differently that others. Since I clearly don’t warm up before races (because really how can you when you’re clustered together, not moving before a race?), I decided to start out walking and do my warm up as part of the race. I figured I could start my running intervals after I was warmed up, instead of trying to start out running and end up getting too tired too fast, or getting hurt. It worked out well for me. So until I’m up to actually running a full 5K (don’t get your hopes up...not any time soon), I’ll start out walking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">About 15 minutes into the race, I passed the finish line. They were setting up their timing system and it looked WAY complicated. I didn’t stop to look, because, I was in a race! But now that I knew it WAS being timed, I decided to maybe pick up the pace a bit. I had been toying with just walking the race, since I wasn’t feeling 100%, but then in typical Sara fashion, I gave myself a good talking to and decided to do some running intervals. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UZKnmfpPE-w/TdB0wl8IZyI/AAAAAAAAAFg/6o36lVhtTlE/s1600/IMAG1481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UZKnmfpPE-w/TdB0wl8IZyI/AAAAAAAAAFg/6o36lVhtTlE/s200/IMAG1481.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div>Really what kept me going was my insane competitive nature. There was a girl about my age nearby and we kept passing each other. It was obvious she didn’t want me to beat her. And by hell, I was not going to let her beat me either. So chica, whoever you are, wherever you are, Thank you. You got me moving faster.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGmeVVFqfXI/TdB0zXNsD9I/AAAAAAAAAFk/yaWgYqp-MoU/s1600/IMAG1482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGmeVVFqfXI/TdB0zXNsD9I/AAAAAAAAAFk/yaWgYqp-MoU/s200/IMAG1482.jpg" width="119" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div>On the way back, I passed the lady with the walking poles again. I spoke with her after the race and she said that she didn’t finish, but she got closer than she did the last time and she’s doing another 5K in August and plans to finish it. I’m going to look up that race and possibly go so I can cheer her on! I hope she gets to finish a race soon. She was so inspirational!<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I finished the race with a time of 51:52 according to the race timing system (which, by the way, was very efficient given the lack of visible technology. I was impressed!) But according my to Garmin it was 51:28. I’m going with my Garmin since I’m sure they started the clock before I crossed over the invisible start line. Guess what. I WAS NOT LAST! And my time was a full 34 seconds faster than my previous personal best. Yes, I know, exciting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZkZry_FF4E/TdB1Osm7N5I/AAAAAAAAAFo/DNqRWiY21xg/s1600/groupend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZkZry_FF4E/TdB1Osm7N5I/AAAAAAAAAFo/DNqRWiY21xg/s320/groupend.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DONE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And the best part of this race? The T-shirts had the year on them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a0VCh8f8tF0/TdB1XEdyJhI/AAAAAAAAAFs/L5oSx7oF5Z4/s1600/IMAG1473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a0VCh8f8tF0/TdB1XEdyJhI/AAAAAAAAAFs/L5oSx7oF5Z4/s320/IMAG1473.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach to Beach 5K 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-841212880392751942011-05-13T23:06:00.001-04:002011-06-30T23:41:38.247-04:00If you're complaining about me, you're still talking about me!<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today I got my first blog complaint. Kinda. I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little excited. It means people are reading my blog!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I got an e-mail from a Linda St. Laurent, a representative at Loco Sports, the company who put on the Margaritas 5K race on May 1st. She said she wanted to address some concerns I had about the race. I don’t remember being concerned about anything, but I read on. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">First, do me a favor and (if you haven’t already) check out my <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/margaritas-5k-race-report.html">race report on the Margaritas 5K</a> to see my thoughts about it. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Done? K thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here is the e-mail I received today:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><blockquote><blockquote>Hi Sara,</blockquote><blockquote>Someone passed along to me some comments from your blog regarding the Margaritas 5K race. I would like to address some of your concerns.</blockquote><blockquote>The Stonyfield 5K was held in conjunction with an Earth Day Fair. Hence all the vendors that were present. The race was conducted by LOCO, the fair was hosted by Stonyfield Farms.</blockquote><blockquote>There was a start line at the Margaritas race. The cones were set on either side and there was a blue line connecting the 2.</blockquote><blockquote>A PA system was used by the race announcer at the start. The commands he gave, "on your mark, get set, go" are the standard commands for a road race.</blockquote><blockquote>We do not reuse race shirts the next year. There were only 11 left and most were given to some volunteers.</blockquote><blockquote>We take pride in having wonderful volunteers at all of our LOCO races and I am glad you had a good experience with them.</blockquote><blockquote>There was plenty of food and water for all runners after the race finished. Margaritas provided a wonderful feast for everyone with music blasting throughout to create a festive atmosphere. From your pictures it looks like you had a great time after the race. Sorry you felt "there really wasn't much to it".</blockquote><blockquote>Best of luck to you in your training for the triathlon.</blockquote><blockquote>Linda St. Laurent LOCO Sports</blockquote></blockquote><div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Is it is just me or is that a really passive aggressive e-mail? And slightly defensive? I understand that as a representative of Loco Sports, you want your racers to be happy with everything and you want them to keep coming back. It generates revenue for the company. I get that. But I think this e-mail was a little unnecessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I was aware that these were two totally different races, under different hosts and I didn’t expect them to be the same. I mentioned in my race report that having the multiple vendors at the Stonyfield race definitely spoiled me. It was my first 5K, I didn’t know what to expect and they blew me away. Despite the cold and rain, it had an amazing time. In my opinion, it was better than the Margaritas 5K. Loco, please don’t attack me, or feel bad about yourselves, for my opinion. You know the saying: Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I do, however, apologize to Loco for stating there was no start line. There was definitely a start line. What I meant was there was no mat across the start line to record chip start time like there was for the finish chip time. I thought that was self explanatory in how I described it in my original post. Again, I apologize for the confusion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I may be blond, but I do realize that “On your mark, get set, go” is the standard phrase for the beginning of a race. Being a pre-school teacher, it’s the standard phrase for the start of almost everything, so I’m pretty familiar with it. I was just rather surprised with the way it was presented by the announcer. Not much warning before go time. Again, my opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I’m glad to hear that you do not re-use race shirts and that the volunteers get to have the leftovers. It’s a fun gift for volunteers, who by the way, I will say again, were amazing. They really were. I even met the race director and she was very nice. If not for the volunteers, these races wouldn’t happen and I’m very grateful for all they do to help out the racers. I thanked many of them for their services along the route. I even got a free hat from one of the volunteers. How cool is that?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I’m glad my pictures were entertaining. I did have a good time. In my opinion, good times are made by who you surround yourself with, not where you are. I was with great people. I had a great time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uV6NRVOoITs/Tc3xOnkoj_I/AAAAAAAAAE8/6hzillbju4s/s1600/margaritas5Kproof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uV6NRVOoITs/Tc3xOnkoj_I/AAAAAAAAAE8/6hzillbju4s/s320/margaritas5Kproof.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? Great time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Not to beat a dead horse with a stick or anything, but because this was my second 5K race event, the only thing I had to compare it to was my first 5K race event. So in comparison, the Stonyfield 5K was better than the Margaritas 5K. In my opinion. As far as extras go, Stonyfield was stacked, so there “really wasn’t much to” Margaritas except for a T-shirt and a Mexican meal. Thank you for the meal by the way. But technically, I paid for it. A registration fee of $25 bought it for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I’m doing another 5K tomorrow, sponsored by the Junior Aid Society in Marblehead, MA. I’ll let you know <s>how they do</s> how it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
</div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-15619051542496490472011-05-10T20:54:00.002-04:002011-06-30T23:41:57.632-04:00Girl trouble. Or rather: Trouble with the "girls"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Here’s a story for the ladies. I’m serious. Ladies only please. Guys, stop reading. <b>Now</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Today while changing into a sports bra for my “run”, I noticed that I have 3 broken blood vessels on my left breast and one on my right breast. I’m assuming this is due to lack of support from my bras while running.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I’m well endowed in the breast department. Okay, let’s be honest, I’m well endowed in every department, but this here story is about the girls. My sports bras are from Target and I only have two really good ones. The others aren’t that great, but I’ve been wearing them lately while running. Stupid, I know. I won’t get graphic here, I’ll let you make your own visuals for this gem, but I will say that there’s a lot more bounce in my step while running. If you know what I mean.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I know the best sports bras are ones that allow the least amount of movement of the twins, but I also don’t want something that will cut off my air supply. I’d like something that will give me different results from what happened to me tonight, yet still be supportive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I noticed the popped blood vessels as I was putting on one of my less effective sports bras. I then scoured my bra drawer for a better one. I found one from about 4 years ago that I had used when I was doing a boot camp class where they made us do jump rope drills. I wasn’t willing to get black eyes because of a stupid jump rope, so I went out and bought an “amazing sports bra for larger women”. It actually worked quite well, although I only used it a few times. As soon as I saw it in my drawer today, I thought “A-ha, I’ve got you now, suckers! You aren’t going anywhere now”. Well then.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I started my intervals, and instantly had trouble breathing. I could not get a full breath at all. I tried my trick of lifting my bra to get the girls up a little but since they were already squashed against me, that didn’t work too well. This “amazing sports bra for larger women” was equipped with a clasp, unlike other sports bras I have, so I unclasped it. It’s a crossover, so it was still on me pretty snug, and I ran with it half off me. With my slight wardrobe malfunction, I still had enough support to continue running, but it made this bra more like my other sports bras.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">So here’s the impending question. What is the best sports bra you own? And why do you like it so much? Or rather, why should I get that specific one?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">And all you men who didn’t follow my advice and stop reading at the beginning of this adventure - <i>You can never unread this</i>.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-70152683369862870332011-05-08T19:31:00.001-04:002011-06-30T23:42:26.020-04:00Would you risk your life for a sip of water?<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I have a question about hydration packs for you biking people out there. Or maybe hikers. I guess both could use it. Do you like it better than water bottles while biking? Can you grab your water bottle cleanly, drink from it, return it to the holder and feel comfortable about it while maintaining your pace? The reason I ask is I’ve been told that for a triathlon, the best time to hydrate yourself is on the bike portion of the race. My first bike ride, I attempted to grab a bottle while riding and it went a little something like this: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I mentally prepped myself for letting go of the bike with one hand by looking around to make sure no one was around. You know, in case something happened, other than what was supposed to happen. I waited for a straight stretch of the bike path and took one hand off of the handle. I immediately put it back on. Baby steps. I took it off again, for a few seconds longer than the first time, and then put it back on. I was building up. Finally I reached down and touched the water bottle, then panicked and lunged for the handlebar. I slowed down. I reached down, and grabbed at air. That didn’t work. I slowed down some more. I reached down, grasped the water bottle and yanked it out. Ha, gotcha! I managed to pull the top up with my teeth, drink some water, and then push the cap back on with my teeth. Now what? To get it back into the holder it would take more maneuvering than taking it out. I was afraid that I’d just place it around the area of the holder and assume I had it in, then hear a thunk as it landed on the ground behind me. It took me a while, and more than a few tries, but I finally got it back into the holder. Meanwhile I had swerved off course and almost ran into a family with 2 kids walking in the same direction along the path. It’s okay, I didn’t hit them and most importantly, they didn’t see me. I didn’t drink from the water bottle again until I was stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">In my subsequent bike rides, I didn’t even attempt to get my water bottle from the holder while riding. Mainly because my first attempt was on a bike path and my other rides were out on the road. I had visions of swerving into the road and getting hit by a passing car. No, thank you. While on a ride today, I was feeling parched and wanted, no, needed a drink. But I waited until I got to a safe place to stop before I got a drink. Is the “Grab, Gulp, and Return” (or GGR as I’ve lovingly named it) something that can be learned or should I just throw in the towel and get a hydration pack? I checked my backpack today and it seems that I’d be able to get a hydration pack in there and have it thread through the strap. In fact it might even be a hydration pack backpack, but it didn’t come with one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Thoughts? Ideas? Emotions? Monetary donations?<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-63527034395062902512011-05-07T23:05:00.002-04:002011-06-30T23:43:10.454-04:00There's magic in the air. Or maybe it's the yogurt.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6GrUqaK_OdQ/TcYH1X0l9yI/AAAAAAAAAE0/OvPZfuQ3ij8/s1600/oikosvanilla.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6GrUqaK_OdQ/TcYH1X0l9yI/AAAAAAAAAE0/OvPZfuQ3ij8/s200/oikosvanilla.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eat me with peanut butter. Do it.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">This morning I was running out the door (not to be confused with actual running) to meet up with some people. I didn’t have much time for a breakfast, but I wanted to make sure it would sustain me for a while and still be with me for an afternoon bike ride. I grabbed a <a href="http://www.stonyfield.com/products/oikos/single-serve/53oz-smooth-and-creamy/vanilla">vanilla Oikos Greek yogurt</a> (which I discovered at the <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/04/stonyfield-earth-day-5k-2011-race.html">Stonyfield 5K</a>) and then planned to have a half a bagel with some peanut butter on it. After I had the bagel already in the toaster, I remembered that I find plain bagels boring and buy only onion bagels. I didn’t think peanut butter on an onion bagel sounded too appetizing, so I put the peanut butter in my yogurt instead. Since I have weird OCD tendencies, I wanted to make sure it would mix well and not be lumpy, so I used a fork to get the peanut butter out of the jar instead of using a spoon and dirtying two utensils, even though in the near future I’d be using a spoon to actually eat the yogurt (there is a reason I’m mentioning this). (Also, I over-think things just a little bit.) I didn’t get a lot of peanut butter; it was maybe a ½ tablespoon. Okay, it was probably a whole tablespoon. Or, really, in this case, a tablefork. Heh, I just made myself laugh. Anyway. I put the peanut butter into my yogurt and stirred it around a bit. Then I tasted it. It was magic in my mouth. I ate the rest of it with my fork because I didn’t want to waste any time pausing to open the drawer, get a spoon, put the fork in the dishwasher and THEN get back to my yogurt. No, I wanted it all in my mouth. And I wanted it fast. (Get your mind out of the gutter. You know who you are.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Seriously. Try it some time. It was magic. And I’m doing it again tomorrow. But this time I’ll be prepared with a spoon. Or maybe I won’t. I like to keep you people on your toes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">In other news, I started Couch to 5K again last week. I did one day of it, then had the <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/margaritas-5k-race-report.html">Margaritas 5K</a>. I timed it well, I think. Scoff. I did days 2 and 3 of week 1 this week and I was surprised. Day two was a good workout. I didn’t even want to do it, because, well, it’s running. We know how I feel about that. I did it anyway and I felt strong throughout. Surprisingly, the intervals seemed shorter than they actually were. I actually thought, "It's done already?" after one of the running intervals. I was definitely happy with the progress. I guess I had me one of them “good runs”. Who am I?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Today, it was raining in the afternoon, so I switched my planned bike ride to another C25K run, even though I didn’t want to get on the treadmill, again. Shockingly, it was another good running workout. Two in a row. Again, I ask you, who am I? (Don’t worry, I still didn’t like it.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Now that I think about it, it might have been the yogurt. It really was magical.</span></div></span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-39755586803033314022011-05-02T23:30:00.008-04:002011-06-30T23:43:44.820-04:00Margaritas 5K Race Report<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F2-ibf0S1JI/Tb9ziltQ0kI/AAAAAAAAAEo/S2wgLdLBvWI/s1600/margaritas5Ksara1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F2-ibf0S1JI/Tb9ziltQ0kI/AAAAAAAAAEo/S2wgLdLBvWI/s320/margaritas5Ksara1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 2nd 5K of 2011</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">So we all know by now that I’m not in this 5K business for the running. I'm in it for the T-shirts and the free stuff. Aren't most people? No? Okay, maybe it’s just me. It's no secret that I'm not a fan of running. I think I've mentioned it <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-dont-think-ive-mentioned-it-before.html">a few times before</a>. However, I'm determined to complete my triathlon in September and running a 5K is part of it. My goal by September is to be able to run the entire 5K. I don't care how slow I go (that's a lie, I don't want to be last!), I just want to finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, about the <a href="http://www.locorunning.com/Margaritas5K.php">Margaritas 5K</a> race. Great concept. Not impressed. The <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/04/stonyfield-earth-day-5k-2011-race.html">Stonyfield Earth Day 5K</a> was so well organized and filled with sponsors and volunteers who were on their game and it spoiled me. The Margaritas 5K had great volunteers, but it lacked everywhere else. Besides the free Mexican food and free margaritas after the race (no thanks, I'd rather not drink alcohol after sweating out my toxins) there wasn't really much to it. The T-shirts were bright orange with Margaritas 5K sprawled across the front. No date or other information to determine the time and place. I'm betting they'll use the same ones next year. I would rather it show something to distinguish it from year to year. But, obviously not my decision. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-59keIfWNNcc/Tb9vH4bet-I/AAAAAAAAAEY/17k5q5DYWy4/s1600/margaritas5Ktshirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-59keIfWNNcc/Tb9vH4bet-I/AAAAAAAAAEY/17k5q5DYWy4/s320/margaritas5Ktshirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I’m not gonna lie. I check out race details every time I sign up for one and if it says, "T-shirt to the first 500 registrants", I'll act as if I'm registering and if it doesn't give me a space to select my T-shirt size, I know they've surpassed 500 and I don't bother. Maybe that makes me a race snob, but it's one of my things. I want mementos to remember my races.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Back to the race. I didn't do so well. Well, I didn't do badly either. I did my thing, but I didn't feel so good doing it. I had played softball the day before and I was the pitcher. Every pitch is like a lunge, so my left ass cheek was a little sore in the muscle department (along with my right arm/pec/boob area, but that's a different story!). Before the race, I actually warmed up this time. Kinda. And was ready to go when they said go. Yes, they actually said "On your mark, get set, GO, go, go, go, go". Really? Okay. So we went. But there was no start line. They gave us bibs to record our chip time, but no start line. So when they said go, they set the clock off and when you cross the finish line, they get your time with a chip sensor. They set up two traffic barricades to act as the start line, but NO START LINE. I know I'm not exactly a race connoisseur, but uh, there's supposed to be a start line, right? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, I had my Garmin on so I recorded my time myself. I started off running (HA…jogging…slowly) and didn't go very far, but probably farther (and longer) than I have before, only because there were crazy people running behind me and I didn't want to stop short in front of them. I'm considerate like that. I didn't glance at my Garmin to check the time, although I should have. I immediately felt pain and tightness in my shins. Excellent. As I was walking I felt like I was barely moving and the person I was with kept holding up her stride for me. I felt bad so I told her to go on with out me. But before she did, another one of our group members was off to the side waiting for us. I told her to leave me as well. I felt bad that I was holding up someone else's race time because I'm a slow walker, but she was having pains in her hip so she decided to walk with me and attempt some run intervals here and there. I was grateful to have her there and she definitely helped me keep a faster pace than I normally would have. (Thank you again, a million times, <a href="http://todtraining.blogspot.com/">Jenn</a>!!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">As we trudged on, my left knee started hurting as well. I was literally falling apart. My left side was not agreeing with the race, apparently. Every time we saw a mile marker sign - yes, all 3 of them - we ran (again, laughter, jogged slowly) to it then walked again. Towards the end of the second mile, I saw that someone had lost their jacket. I grabbed it to bring back to the volunteer stand and hopefully find its owner. About 30 seconds later, I found a set of headphones and grabbed those as well. Same pretenses. Each time I bent over to get them off the street, I fell apart some more. My hip started hurting, then my lower back – both on the left side. My hypochondriac self thought briefly, “Ohmigod, I'm having a stroke”. But I kept moving. I'm probably okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I saw a volunteer along the side of the road waving us on with a flag. I told him, "Hey, I like your flag!" because I like to make conversation with random people when I'm in pain and still have to run more in the near future. He responded "Oh come on, the jacket is much better", while gesturing to his police like glow-in-the-dark vest. I replied, "Actually the hat is the best! Wish I had one". He then took it off his head and GAVE IT TO ME. I said, "Seriously?" and he said, "Yeah, sure, why not?". So at this point, I had a jacket, headphones and a hat in my possession, while still doing this race. And here, I thought the point was to not carry anything while racing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I crossed the finish line at 52:27. Twenty seconds slower than my PR (personal record) at <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/04/stonyfield-earth-day-5k-2011-race.html">Stonyfield</a>. At first I was bummed, since the whole point of this 5K business is to improve, but then I realized that I walked a LOT more than I had at Stonyfield and I was limping for part of this race. Therefore, if I had run as much as I had at Stonyfield, I'd have beat my time. That made me feel a little bit better. I also know I'm not always going to do better than the last time, even though I want to see constant improvement. This will not happen overnight, though I wish it would so I could stop training! I also need to stop being so negative. Eventually I will embrace running, but first I have to overcome my mental hurdles about it. I'm working on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mr2CW2EN_J0/Tb9zTpikQjI/AAAAAAAAAEc/G6_JlLtLp_I/s1600/margaritas5Kfinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mr2CW2EN_J0/Tb9zTpikQjI/AAAAAAAAAEc/G6_JlLtLp_I/s320/margaritas5Kfinish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">After the race, they had chicken burritos and margaritas for everyone who had participated. The margarita line was 5 times as long as the burrito line. I get that people like their drinks (as do I from time to time) but after a 5K? I just couldn't. I also don't like tequila, so there's that. Instead I had myself a Kiwi-Strawberry Propel, which was amazing. I must buy myself some of those. It was yum. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We all hung around and chatted about the race, upcoming races, and discussed why we weren’t already friends on Facebook. And of course we took tons of pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QG1jilF2zNU/Tb9zfD3uT0I/AAAAAAAAAEg/YiTVG1sDY64/s1600/margarita5Kgroup1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QG1jilF2zNU/Tb9zfD3uT0I/AAAAAAAAAEg/YiTVG1sDY64/s320/margarita5Kgroup1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the race. See how happy we look?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MWUfp8MCTxQ/Tb9zgjPjjrI/AAAAAAAAAEk/Shls4fdnnIk/s1600/margaritas5Kgroup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MWUfp8MCTxQ/Tb9zgjPjjrI/AAAAAAAAAEk/Shls4fdnnIk/s320/margaritas5Kgroup2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the race. Post race meal and drinks. See how tired we look?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Di1Om7Pqeio/Tb92PRbLcKI/AAAAAAAAAEw/xUb-R9A1SrM/s1600/margaritas5Kresults2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Di1Om7Pqeio/Tb92PRbLcKI/AAAAAAAAAEw/xUb-R9A1SrM/s320/margaritas5Kresults2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT LAST!!</td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was about halfway home when I realized that I threw my stuff in the car after the race and forgot to turn in the jacket and headphones I found. Plus side? Jacket is my size.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I also now have a shirt to wear to work on Cinco de Mayo!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>**UPDATE**</b><i> I received an e-mail from a representative at Loco Sports regarding this blog about the Margaritas 5K. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><i>I don't think they were too happy with my comments!! </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><i>Check out her e-mail and my response to it <a href="http://sariah8.blogspot.com/2011/05/if-youre-complaining-about-me-youre.html">here</a>. :)</i></span></div></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-54771790329754099472011-04-30T12:19:00.002-04:002011-06-30T23:44:29.549-04:00Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I’ve gotten so caught up (and by that I mean obsessed) with finding more 5Ks to run that I have given swimming a backseat in my triathlon training. I’m a strong swimmer and I’m confident in my ability, but I also know that by focusing solely on running, for the mere fact that it sucks and I hate it, therefore I need to overcome it, I am weakening my biking and swimming strengths. Or so they say. I’ve been swimming since I could walk. I swam every day, every summer when I was at camp as a kid and I was became a lifeguard by the age of 16. I think I’m good in that department. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Nonethless, I decided to brush up by doing some swimming drills. I have never in my life done swimming drills. I’ve always just done laps, treading, brick tests, etc. So I took the plunge (pun intended) and did some drills, which included thumb to thigh, touch and go, swimming with closed fists and swimming with one arm. Seriously. If you ever want to mess with someone while you’re swimming and make them think you’re drowning, try swimming with your fists closed. You will flail around like an idiot, while literally punching the water, trying to stay afloat. After I started that drill, I noticed the lifeguard started watching me a little more closely, with a lot more concern. Right after that, I started the one arm drills. More people stared. One girl arrived just as I was starting the one arm drills and she was sitting in the hot tub, just watching me in horror. I started laughing while I was swimming, because I realized that she really thought I only had one arm. It’s also hard to swim and laugh at the same time. That added more flailing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The good thing about the drills, though, was I lost track of time completely because I was concentrating on form (and trying not to drown) and not just swimming laps. It gets pretty boring in the pool just swimming laps. There’s no music to listen to, no one to talk to, nothing at all except random thoughts. And if you’re swimming for distance, you have to count laps. I’ve lost count many times. So I’ve gotten in the habit of making up songs while swimming laps as a way to count my laps. Not kidding. “The laps go swimming one by one, hurrah, hurrah. The laps go swimming one by one, hurrah, hurrah. This lap was swam one time, just one, and I’m the one not sucking my thumb and I keep one swimming until the end of the lane, of the lane boom, boom, boom. The laps go swimming two by two hurrah, hurrah....” and so on and so forth. I also tend to slack on the kicking part so I have to remind myself every one in a while with a bit of perfectly placed “Just keep kicking, just keep kicking”, as Dory in Finding Nemo might say. I get weird while swimming. It’s the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I swam for an hour yesterday and I’m exhausted today. I always forget how much swimming laps (or in this case drills) tires me out. It’s a good workout though you use your whole body to keep yourself from drowning. There’s good motivation right there!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Tomorrow, I have another 5K. It’s in Exeter, NH and it’s the <a href="http://www.locorunning.com/Margaritas5K.php">Margarita 5K</a>. Meaning there will be a margarita party at the end of the race. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not too sure that they’ve classified margaritas as a good post race recovery drink. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Plus, I don’t like tequila anyway. I’m just in it for the shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-10600651050496163642011-04-23T22:43:00.019-04:002011-06-30T23:44:52.630-04:00Stonyfield Earth Day 5K 2011 Race Report<div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was a dark and stormy night.</span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Wait, this isn't a murder mystery. It's a 5K.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was a raining, snowing, sleeting, 36-degree morning in Londonderry, NH. </span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Perfect. That sounds much more like a 5K-race set up. Eye roll. Good thing I found my long lost waterproof jacket last night. I definitely needed it today.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I carpooled the hour and some change ride to the <a href="http://www.stonyfield5k.com/index.php">Stonyfield Earth Day 5K</a> in Londonderry, NH with two people from our group and we got there around 8am. Race time was 10am. It was 36-degrees. We got our race numbers, grabbed a free yogurt and ran back to sit in the car and keep warm. Since we had gotten there so early, we were parked right next to the registration tent and all of the vendor tents. We watched the vendors set up their giveaways and chatted about the best types of sneakers to wear, how people run barefoot (and how strange it is) and sneakers that have toes on them to mimic barefoot running. Interesting stuff.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I had my eye on the pretzel lady because she parked next to us and looked to be unloading some fancy stuff out of her car. I took a break from staring her down and conversed with my comrades. All of a sudden, I see people milling around her tent, holding BAGS. I’m not exactly sure what happened next, but there was yelling, rushing, and clambering out of the car. I don’t mess around when it comes to free stuff. We each got a bag and then walked around to the other tents to check out what they had. We filled up our new pretzel bags with lots of other cool free stuff.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Look-it!<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyBcLAU_U8Q/TbOTpUMxGgI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/lZxUav_yeRQ/s1600/stonyfieldswag.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598981099757836802" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyBcLAU_U8Q/TbOTpUMxGgI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/lZxUav_yeRQ/s200/stonyfieldswag.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 120px;" /></a><br />
<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then it was back to the car again to keep warm. Because it was still <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">36-degrees</i>. By this time, we realized there was snow mixed in with the sleet. Awesome.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">About 15 minutes before race time, we used the stylish port-o-potties and headed over to the start line. I spotted a guy warming up near the start line and he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">barefoot</i>. Weird, we had just been discussing that. Also, he was crazy. It was 36-god-damn-degrees. My feet were cold and I had wool socks on. I tried to pay attention to the announcer, but I was a little to far away from the line to really hear him well. This was my view:<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dVWbdZ-a9AM/TbOTY72VwtI/AAAAAAAAAEI/JZIoH_pMQrc/s1600/stonyfieldstart.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598980818343412434" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dVWbdZ-a9AM/TbOTY72VwtI/AAAAAAAAAEI/JZIoH_pMQrc/s200/stonyfieldstart.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 120px;" /></a><br />
<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">As we kind of stretched, kind of danced around to keep warm, a woman came up next to me and asked me if I was running or walking. I responded, "I don't know yet. I guess we'll find out". We then compared Garmin watches. She had on the 205 and I had the 305.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Let’s backtrack. About a week ago, I was looking for a GPS/heart-rate monitor watch to help me keep track of my running activities. I figure I need to see how I’m doing in order to keep getting better. I discovered the Garmin Forerunner 305. It was way too expensive for my paycheck, but after looking around for cheaper models, I found the 305 on amazon for $128. Almost $275 cheaper than what it retails for on the Garmin site. Sold. </span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As I'm chatting with this woman about our watches, I glance down and see her shoes. They have toes. I'm floored that not only was this the second thing for us to see that we had been talking about, but that she was actually wearing them! They look like slippers. Weird, toe slippers. But I'm not gonna lie. I'm curious</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">In the distance I hear, "GO". Everyone lurches forward, then stops. Then we all lurch forward again, but this time it's for real. I’m in the middle of a big crowd and I have no choice but to start off running, which I’m not used to. I usually do a warm up walk of about 5 minutes before I start running, but not today! Today, I pretended to be a runner. For at least 500 feet!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I knew I had to keep myself entertained throughout the race so I played a game of leapfrog with some people around me. I’d run past them, take a break to walk, wait for them to run past me, wait for them to take a break to walk, then run again. It worked out pretty well until I got distracted by the front-runners of the race. They were coming back from the first loop and passed all of us going the other way. Everyone was cheering them on, but all I noticed were three or four of them really giving it their all trying to pass each other. I thought to myself, "Jeez, calm down. It's not a race". Oh wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I saw a few people from our group while on the race. We waved at each other and cheered each other on, but for the most part, I was by myself. I expected to be because I'm a slower runner than the people I went with.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">At one point, I passed a girl and her mother who were jogging along and I thought to myself, "Hey, at least I'm faster than somebody!" until I realized that they had stopped for the girl to tie her shoe. Whatever.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Towards the end of the race, right near the last loop, I started a conversation with a woman (Hi Marguerite!!) who I had been playing leapfrog with almost the whole race. We talked for the last half-mile and it absolutely flew by. Next time I'm definitely sticking with someone for conversation!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Of course, me being me, I had to run the last bit to the finish line. Someone said that they were announcing names as people crossed the finish line, but I didn't hear them say my name. Probably because I was pumping my fists up in the air like a fool, trying not to trip over the mats on the finish line. I’m classy like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulKqIyvmiyA/TbORvpb9d7I/AAAAAAAAAD4/DQPD-AcH7ms/s1600/stonyfieldfinish.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598979009514665906" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulKqIyvmiyA/TbORvpb9d7I/AAAAAAAAAD4/DQPD-AcH7ms/s320/stonyfieldfinish.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">And finishing right before me is the girl and her mother who I passed. They must have cut the last mile loop short, because I KNOW they didn't pass me again. I would have recognized her shoes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My finish time was 52:07 making my average page 16:31 minutes per mile. An even better time that the other night’s dreadmill run. Things are looking up. I didn't even mind that I came in last among the group I went with, or that I was 840/882. That’s a lie. It’s a little depressing. But, at least I wasn't last! And then Amanda sent me this picture/quote, which really put things into perspective and made it a little bit better.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bym1tVmVZ7Q/TbORj6ihZEI/AAAAAAAAADw/WzllOLAB1JQ/s1600/howslow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598978807947158594" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bym1tVmVZ7Q/TbORj6ihZEI/AAAAAAAAADw/WzllOLAB1JQ/s200/howslow.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /></a> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It was still freezing cold so we headed back to the car to go home almost immediately. Thankfully I brought along a change of clothes in case I got wet because all four layers of my clothes were soaked.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My waterproof jacket? Not waterproof.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-79676767666272937712011-04-20T22:09:00.006-04:002011-06-30T23:45:13.139-04:00I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I hate running.<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Today, I was planning on going on a 12-mile bike ride along the Assabet River Rail Trail. I haven't been on it yet, but it looks to be downhill one way and uphill the other way. Fantastic. If it's challenging enough then I can do it regularly and not have to bike on roads with cars, which is preferable, seeing as I'd rather not get hit by some idiot who is texting and driving.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Unfortunately, it was supposed to rain tonight and when I left work, it was spitting and cold and miserable out. My biking friend and I decided not to go because we didn't want to get caught in a downpour. So we postponed. That's not the bad part. The bad part was that if I wasn't biking, I was running. On the treadmill. So I had a date with my treadmill tonight. It wasn't the worst date I've been on, but it was pretty damn close. At one point, I muttered "I hate my life right now". Wouldn't you?</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I planned to do 3.1 miles in honor of an upcoming 5K (in 3 days!), but as I started, I knew it wasn't going to happen. I bargained with myself that if I did at least 1 mile, I’d feel good about myself. Then I fought with myself, saying, "No, you said you were going to do a 5K tonight, and you’re going to do it". Then I rationalized that "Two miles is pretty good, right?" And again, I yelled at myself, "No! You did 2 miles the other day, you're going to do 3.1 miles, like we discussed earlier. It's what you get for being a pansy and not biking in the rain. Do it." And so I listened and started another running interval.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">At about 2 miles, I decided that I needed to man up and finish the 3.1 miles. It was only 1 mile more and for God’s sake, it’s not that hard. "Oh yeah?" I said to myself, "Not that hard? Then why do you hate running so much?"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">"Because it’s too hard and I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this." It became a chant of sorts.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">That's when I realized that chanting, "I hate this" while running wasn't a good way to keep my pace. So I tried a new tactic. I challenged myself to concentrate on distance running and not timed running. Before I knew it, I was at 3.1 miles. And done. It took me 54:55. With a pace of 17:43/mile. A</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"> personal best. <b>Fistpump</b>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Then, I realized that I had been running at 5 mph for all my intervals. The fastest I’ve ever done on the treadmill. And I hadn't even noticed it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><b>Fistpump</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">I’m still not looking forward to the running portion of the triathlon or the training for running, but at least I'm seeing progress.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;">Also. It didn't rain after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-56771056665262779982011-04-17T14:01:00.010-04:002011-06-30T23:45:35.764-04:00First stop: sprint triathlon. After that: a half marathon??<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My best friend, </span></span><a href="http://theemilyvillehorror.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3366ff;">Emily</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, recently said to me "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I do not find the need to run unless something is chasing me that has to potential to kill me." </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I normally don't run unless something is chasing me either, in fact I think the last time I ran, I was being chased by a dog when I was in elementary school. Apparently he didn't want me cutting across his lawn as a shortcut on the way home from school. But unfortunately, it's part of this horrific triathlon I signed up for. And the duathlon isn't much better, it's running and biking, then MORE running. Seriously? Where’s the swimming and biking only race? Isn't that a duathlon too? I'd like to hop on board that train.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Here's where it gets weird: Yesterday two of my friends a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">mbushed me on twitter with the premise of doing the Disney Half marathon next February. My first thought? "I can't take a vacation to Florida in February </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> March!" March is my Red Sox Spring Training month. I can't miss that. I can't. Don't give me excuses, or a way out, I'll rephrase it for you, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I won't</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My second thought was "I'm only doing a 5K as part of this sprint triathlon in September. That’s only 3.1 miles of running. A half marathon is 13.1. miles. That extra 10 miles to run with only 5 months of training, is highly daunting." And now that I reminisce about yesterday and my thoughts, it means training during the winter. I hate winter. I try not to go outside if possible. This is not looking good.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Yesterday was a great day though, although cold, and I frown upon that. My co-worker, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">and great friend</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, Alyson and I headed down to Rhode Island to bike along the Easy Bay bike path. It was very flat and a very easy path. It was nice for a leisurely ride without any purpose of training. But, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">man</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, was it </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">cold</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TlCb2lTu-vs/Tass4kW5VaI/AAAAAAAAADI/4JJQ2S6oTFM/s1600/saraalysonbike.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596616312281978274" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TlCb2lTu-vs/Tass4kW5VaI/AAAAAAAAADI/4JJQ2S6oTFM/s320/saraalysonbike.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 166px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Before we rode, we went into a store to use the bathroom and I was on the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">lookout for the Runner's World magazine. See, even though I don't like to run, I'm constantly reading articles online, flipping through magazines and reading blogs by other runners to get ideas on how to become a runner, or advice for my poor form, or to find to why they do it and how far they've come. If they can do it, why can't I? I seem to spend more time researching running than actually running. Works for me.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I found one lone copy of Runner's World and decided it must be fate. While normally this running business wouldn't interest me, I've become obsessed lately. Probably because I can't do it and I have an obsessive compulsive need to fix that. This issue of Runner’s World has a </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">SPECIAL BEGINNER’S GUIDE</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. See?</span></span></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596616581867832930" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VP9xSafE3Rk/TastIQpLBmI/AAAAAAAAADQ/TRn-eJc-1s0/s320/RWbeginnersguide.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 250px;" /><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I most definitely need a special beginner's guide. Because I’m sure it's different from the 47 other beginner's guides I've read. I haven't read this one yet, but I have started looking through the magazine. That's when I found this:</span></span></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596617143704660050" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y2dTQ9F0vdc/Tasto9pgqFI/AAAAAAAAADY/By6i3X--9a4/s320/DisPrincessHM.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 237px;" /> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And I thought "Oh, how cool, I want to do that". WHAT?? Who am I? And why am I having these thoughts. Reminder: I can't run.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, I Googled the Disney Princess Half Marathon for 2012. It’s Feb 24-26, and it will probably take me that long to complete it. They key about that though; it's over a weekend in February. I can still take my week-long March vacation. Score. And then I Googled "Half Marathon Training Schedules". Dammit.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well girls, I guess that made my decision for me about the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I'm in. </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-334102275532840022011-04-14T22:09:00.008-04:002011-06-30T23:45:50.694-04:00Does anyone actually like running? I'm serious.<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">As I was driving to the bike store the the other day, I noticed a few runners along the road. It made me realize why I hate running, and the thought of running so much. It’s a depressing thing to do. Every single person I saw running looked like they hated their life in that moment. I know I do when I’m running. I've never seen anyone smiling, peaceful, zen-like, or even in deep thought while running. Just pure utter hatred for life. So why is it so popular? There are more fun ways to exercise right? Especially since there is so much talk out there about people having "bad runs". Isn't exercise supposed to make you feel good?</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">I had a "bad run" about a week ago. My legs felt like blocks, my hamstrings </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">were tight and my knees were making strange noises. It was depressing. I tried to get myself back into the game by doing 10 and 20 second sprints at 5 and 6 miles per hour, respectively. It didn't really make me feel any better about myself though. I was already spiraling down, and fast.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">I've read about bad runs before. Seems that everyone has them. The advice is to just get over it and do it again the next time. The problem there, is I’m a self-sabotager. I’ll remember this the next time it’s a run day and I’ll tell myself that I can’t do it all over again. I had planned to bump up my intervals to 3 minutes running, 3 minutes walking. Before I even got started, I actually said, "I won't be able to do it". But I still tried. Or maybe not. I got to 2 minutes and just couldn't do it. Then I was pissed at myself and couldn't even do 2 minutes on the next interval. This is why I don’t like running. Because I can’t do it well and I don’t like that weakness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">Who invented this running business, and why? </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">I was sick for 2 days this week and wasn't able to work out, so I knew I had to do something today. A co-worker stopped by my classroom before going for a walk at lunchtime and I convinced her to walk with me after work instead. I need that motivation. I was afrai</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">d I’d get home after work and veg out and not get back into a routine, because it’s so easy to slack off once you've done it for a few days in a row.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">She said yes, and tonight I did running intervals OUTSIDE! I know! It was exactly as people had told me it would be. </span></span><strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">Hell</span></span></strike><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"> Hard. I used the SportyPal app on my phone to track time, distance, speed, etc. At first glance, my stats sucked, but they weren't just lacking a little bit from the change to outside vs. being inside on my treadmill; they were downright depressing. They were embarrassing, sad, pathetic, poor, and any other negative adjective you can think of. I was mad and discouraged, and upset, and even more adjectives. It showed my fastest speed running as 3.6mph and my average speed over all as 2.9mph. Seriously? I walk 3.0 easily </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">on the treadmill. How is my </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">average</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"> slower than that? I know I can do better than that. It pissed me off.</span></span></span></div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595632124610885858" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZiNCBXBV4Y/TaetxTkyOOI/AAAAAAAAADA/OliKvRbiydo/s320/walk-run-041411.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 210px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">I don’t care if it was outside.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">But then as I was looking for a picture to showcase my first attempt at outside “running”, I went to the SportyPal website and saw my stats in a new light. Apparently the app didn't show me everything. My fastest speed actually was 6.75. WHAT? I must admit, I also doubt that one, because the velocity box at the bottom only shows the fastest speed as 5.8. But still…5.8. I’ll take that!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;">I feel a little bit better about my first attempt at outside running. Only emotionally though. Physically, I already hurt. I hope to be able to move tomorrow.</span></span></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-2619650043194657822011-04-10T21:16:00.008-04:002011-06-30T23:46:06.056-04:00My bike seat is out to kill me. Or at the very least maim me.<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Oh My God. Payback is a bitch. Never again will I keep score with my bike seat again. Except for now. Bike seat 1, Sara -1.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When people warn you that the first ride of the season will result in a sore butt, they are lying. My butt is fine. I have enough padding on it for an Iron Man race. It’s the lady parts that are hurting. I think I have chafing in places no one should ever have chafing. I haven't checked, nor do I plan to. I don’t want to know. I feel like my bike seat made an arrangement with my future children and have now made it easier for them to escape at the end of their term. Only, of course, if I am able to have children after today’s bike ride.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I didn't have just a bike ride planned, no that would be too easy. I also had plans for a morning trampoline dodge ball event, as well as an interval run training session this evening. I’m quite glad I doubted my ability last night when I decided that, not only would I probably not make it back from Rhode Island in time, but after biking at least 14 miles, my legs might be too tired for interval running. I was right. The legs are tired, but in a good way. The lady parts, bad.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Today's bike trail was the </span></span><a href="http://www.cycleblackstone.com/blackstoneriverbikeway.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Blackstone River Bikeway</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> in Rhode Island. Apparently this bikeway also extends all the way up to Worcester, it's just not completely off road the entire way. I might check it out sometime. Maybe. Probably not. We biked from Lincoln to Woonsocket. Although the competed trail for that section is 10 miles, we started part way up and biked 7 miles to the end of the trail, and back. We had the option to bike the remaining 3 miles the other way, if we wanted to. I waved the white flag and headed into Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin' Robbins instead, like any normal person would.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I met a lot of great people today, who I will see again next week for another bike trail ride. It was nice to be surrounded by people of varying levels who all just want to have fun riding. Lately, my mentality has been so focused on training and how to train better that I've been missing out on the fun aspect. I've also been psyching myself out. I needed today to settle myself down and just enjoy the ride.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Next week is the </span></span><a href="http://www.riparks.com/eastbay.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">East Bay Bike Path</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, a mere 14.5 miles. One way.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Someone on the ride today had a split seat on their bike. When someone commented on it by saying "Oh, you have a split seat, that must be really comfortable", I thought, "Split seat? I have splits all up in MY seat". I felt every bump on the car ride home.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This is obviously a "before" picture.</span></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qXwEDDya-OM/TaJWlLQli1I/AAAAAAAAAC4/aT08jcK1bis/s1600/BikeBlackstone.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594128883825085266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qXwEDDya-OM/TaJWlLQli1I/AAAAAAAAAC4/aT08jcK1bis/s320/BikeBlackstone.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 191px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794696152337694309.post-40196991715393839002011-04-06T22:31:00.005-04:002011-06-30T23:47:14.366-04:00Biking is such drama.<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've moved!!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">NEW BLOG ADDRESS HERE: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://runaroundsara.blogspot.com/">runaroundsara.blogspot.com</a></span></span></b></div></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I got a new bike last weekend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">My previous bike was 15 years old with cracking tires, a broken braking system, and something about the wires. I glazed over at that point. I did perk up when they mentioned the price of fixing it up for my needs of training. $325. Not kidding. New bikes started at $349. It was pretty easy to make a decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuRrw_EYwfM/TZ0iTIq1fKI/AAAAAAAAACw/mXI8T0r2JHM/s1600/bike.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592664024404032674" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuRrw_EYwfM/TZ0iTIq1fKI/AAAAAAAAACw/mXI8T0r2JHM/s320/bike.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 191px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I took it out for a test run today. Everything was fine until I left the complex and went out onto the street. I switched gears and heard a clunk. My first thought "I’m gonna die out here, all alone, except for that one car that’s about to hit me". After I realized I was still alive, I noticed that the cadence on my bike computer wasn't registering. So then I thought, "Awesome, I just broke my new bike computer". Maybe that’s what the clunk was.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I did a 3-mile loop in about 16 minutes, about a minute and a half slower per mile than my usual pace. I can’t decide if I was slower because I was only doing a test run to check out the bike, if I just need to get used to the bike and the gears and the gadgets and stuff, or if riding on the road is really a huge difference from riding a stationary bike.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I called the bike shop when I got back and told them the cadence was broken. Then as I mounted my bike onto my car, I moved the cadence sensor into the correct position, since it had slipped, and fixed it. But I still wanted to bring it in to see if they could tighten the sensor so it wouldn't slip again. Oh, they fixed it alright. They used electrical tape. Seriously, from the girl who "fixed" a leaky faucet earlier this year with a maxi pad and duct tape, I could have done that myself and saved the bike shop kid in skinny jeans some time.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">The biggest surprise of the evening though; my butt doesn't hurt. New bike 0, Sara 1. </span> </span></span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09861627723679241556noreply@blogger.com2