Savannah RnR Marathon Race Recap: Part 2

5:00A ALARM
Time to get up!!!  It's RACE DAY!!

Even at 5:00A, in a hotel room with family and friends who traveled from out of town to be here for the race (which I am so grateful for!!!) and all of my running gear set out...it still didn't feel like we were about to run a marathon..26.2 miles.  Attribute that to dedicated training, sleepiness or severe denial, it felt like getting up for a fun run.

We all got up, got dressed and ate some breakfast.  Jer and I took our breakfast to-go (Nature Valley Bar & coffee) and headed down the street to meet our fellow Dnationers for pep talks and photos by 6:00A.  What a great team!!  It was very cold this early and were grateful for the meeting space.  After pics, it was time to either head to gear check or to the corral!!  Here we go....

LOVED running into friends in the corral gates!!  Way to get the excitement elevated!!

While we are waiting in the gates, we saw friends both participating and on the sides eager to cheer on friends, loved ones and strangers on the remarkable feat we were about to endure (still not convinced this was actually happening..).  The music began and the wind blew cold.  This was a race where the runners were comfortable sharing "their space" to keep warm.  The closeness really helped block the wind and no one seemed to mind!  Then we heard it..peaking through the song of, "I love Rock & Roll"..was the National Anthem.  Prior to races, this moment is a very powerful one for all of those in attendance (of course I mean, I can't speak for everyone..but for me, it is very powerful).  Silence falls over the 23,000 runners and all eyes are on the US Flags at our side..wow.

Announcements were made and then the first corral's horn went off!  OMG..it was getting closer and closer for our wave to embark on the course. Horn....Horn...and then there was our signal!!  Off we went!! 
Within the first 2 miles, I shed my arm warmers (A.K.A. long socks) along the side of the road with a smile knowing all of the throw-aways were getting donated to local shelters.

My amazing friend ran with Jer and I for the 1st 11.5 miles before the half course split with the full.  She went on and beat her half PR by over an HOUR!  WAY TO GO and I am soooo proud of you!!!

The support from the residents along the side of the road was just as genuine as the volunteers staged throughout the course and was incredible.  My sister and her boyfriend were also following us throughout the course and met us with excitement and signs on several spots along the course..wow!!  Now that is dedication!  Some of the signs were funny while others were emotional.  Both were just what we needed and kept us going for the entire race.  Just passed mile 15 we passed another friend's house who waited outside and added signs for us to see as we passed:

What an awesome surprise!!

Miles 17 - 22 were my hardest as we hit a headwind, uphill and my IT-Band was really beginning to hurt.  Luckily, I had been carrying my trusty Clif Shot Blocks (as mentioned in previous posts) for the energy I physically needed.  Which are my favorite flavors you ask?  Strawberry and Tropical Punch are my current favorites and were also the flavors that carried me through the race. YUMM :-)

After mile 22, it hit me how close I was and I got my 2nd wind!!  I know my mother was watching from above and helped to heal me to continue on.  When she was here on Earth, she was a paramedic after all..

Right before Mile 26..I saw a very cool sign my sister had to push me for the last .2, it said, "Sayin' Heeeyyyooo"  Let me explain. I mentioned to her awhile ago and I am so impressed she remembered, I love the song, "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz and could see that being my 'finishing' song.  I LOVE it and find it so exciting!!  You must check it out!  Gosh, it was so awesome she remembered and knew exactly where I needed it.  While I was beaming at the sign, her boyfriend caught and action shot!

Finished in 5:29:12 Officially!  It's true!!  Here are some additional photos:

This was amazing and I thank all everyone for their support, donations and dedication.

What's next ????  More races?! I have PR's to beat :-)

Half Marathon: 2:20
Full Marathon: 5:29

Stay Tuned..

Savannah RnR Marathon Race Recap: Part 1

Good Morning!

I know it has been awhile since I have posted, however, I am still pinching myself to believe it actually happened...but it's true..I ran my first marathon!!!  This incredible experience has been so surreal and I feel blessed to be able to have accomplished it.  Here I will share with you what happened...

The days before...Packet Pick-Up & DetermiNation Pasta Dinner

The Health & Fitness Expo was fantastic.  I eagerly approached my corral # 15 stand to pick up my bib.  It took a lot out of me not to grab it, run around holding it high it the air and shout, "OMG OMG OMG!!" As I was not alone, I held it together and continued through the fabulous merchandise areas, sampled products and eyed the very cool gear they had to offer.  My favorite was this shirt that said, "If you see me collapse, pause my Garmin" haha Makes me chuckle everytime!  Once I made it through, it was time for the DetermiNation Pasta Dinner..

Prior to dinner start there was singlet decorating which I lovingly added an, "In Memory" ribbon for my mother and added a, "Happy Birthday Mom!" to the back of my shirt as well for her.  This was also a fun opportunity for photos, pep talks and any of those questions..like..what have we gotten ourselves into?

 

Following the fun, it was time to eat!!  I am sure the food is all of our favorite parts.  I had noodles, artichokes (these were soooo delicious), grilled chicken and marinara sauce..YUM.  During the dinner, we were reminded of why we endured the 18 weeks of vigorous training, why we exceeded our fundraising goals and were reminded that we are all in this together.  There was laughter and there were tears, both of which were overwhelming emotions and all with good spirits.  Following the meal and presentation, it was time to get to bed!

...Next Blog Post is Race Recap...:-)

Only 29 Days Left!

Oh my goodness!  We have hit the "20's"!  It is amazing how quickly it is coming and I couldn't be more proud of our training.  As you know, my boyfriend and I have been diligently training together throughout the last several months and are feeling really good about Nov. 5!

Fundraising Updates!

VTB (http://vtbrunssav.blogspot.com/) and I getting ready for the Bake Sale!

 In addition to the Oktoberfest face painting (shown in previous posts), our awesome DetermiNation team had a Bake Sale at work (thank you colleagues for your generous donations!):

Several people setting up for the Sale!

Sunrise Restaurant in Savannah agreed to a 10% day for our team AND we had a Yard Sale the next morning (lovingly called Bacon & Bargains! --Sunrise Restaurant & Yard Sale!):

We have been working very hard on our fundraising and it is not only going great..we are having so much fun doing it!

Currently, I am less than $300.00 away from my goal!!

What about the training??  

Well, last weekend we ran 18 miles!  It went so amazing and felt great!  The night before we had noodles and spaghetti sauce (mental note!).  The was a cool morning and the lake at our apartment was stunning!

We ran 10 miles, took off a long sleeve layer, continued to mile 14 where I stretched for about 2 mins, and finished strong (3 hrs. 35 min.s)!  The long runs on the weekend do not include the runs that occur during the week (Tue, Wed, Thur) that keep our endurance up for the weekends

It truly is incredible to feel like it is really happening...and in a 

not-so-scary, yet exciting, and emotional way.

  

Gorgeous morning for a run!

Speaking of emotions..I received a very powerful gift this week.  My birthday is coming up on Oct 23rd and as a gift, my sister had sent me what is called a, "thumbie."  What this is, is a charm worn on a necklace, that has an imprint of my mother's thumb print.  This also has on it her birthstone and an engraving on the back.  This was given so I would have it to wear during the marathon on Nov. 5.  This really touched my soul and gave me the extra lift I needed to make my heart & soul lighter and my feet more swift.  If you are a new reader of this blog, this importance is explained in the, "Why am I doing this?" post.  From there, you will understand.  

Let's go DetermiNation! 

Hydration & Black Toenail....polish..

Of all these posts discussing the highs and lows of training, I think I have left off the news of my toenail...it happened.  It's black.  I thought it would never happen to me, but my left, "index" (?) toenail has been black for awhile and I have been in denial.  I am looking at it as initiation into being an "Elite Athlete" and it's nothing some cute nail polish can't mask :-)

Speaking of feminine products, I wanted to actually discuss waterproof mascara.  I thought naming my blog this was witty and fitting for my personality, but I do have a confession:  I run naked.  Well, make-up-less.  My experience with running with make-up, waterproof or not, results in it inevitably pouring into my eyes and I am then blinded by the burning sweat/make-up mix.  I have tried a specific brand of waterproof mascara (Maybelline..) and it couldn't hold up to my intense training.  Any suggestions??  I will be happy to try them and offer an unbiased review.

Besides being blinded by any remnants of make-up/sweat mix, I do tend to run out of water during long runs and am then stuck searching for replenishment.  Recently, I have been toying with getting a Camelbak to train with.  It holds 50 oz. of water which knocks my 16 oz. right out of the water (yes, I went there!).  Has anyone tried this??  

The last 3 weeks..

I have kept up with my training and am getting excited//nervous about the next few weeks.  I am only 40 days away from the first marathon my body will endure and I am surprisingly still able to stand! 

As you saw on my latest post, the half-marathon went great!!  I did have to go to work afterwards and ended up feeling wiped out with a major headache all evening.  The great feeling of accomplishment though, did keep me beaming though!  

A few days after the race I FINALLY got my long awaited shoes:

Mizuno Wave Elixir 6

 

 

.....AND THEY FIT!!!!!  Oh how I wished I had them during the race, however, my feet now willingly enter the comfortable new shoes and rejoice when they have room to breathe.  My last shoes were also Mizunos and other than them being too small, I LOVED the light weight feel of them.  I can easily say that I am a Mizuno gal through and through :-)

Throughout the past several weeks, it is amazing to be able to compare runs and try to analyze what works, what doesn't and why.  For example, last weekend I had a 16 mile run which went EXCELLENT!!  I was able to run the entire time from start to finish with one small break around mile 10 to stretch.  I also refilled my water bottle at that time and continued the route.  What an amazing feeling!!!  This past weekend though, I ran 12, and man, I struggled through it.  I just couldn't seem to get in a groove and stopped several times to either walk or stretch.  I would like to blame it on the meatloaf I ate the night before but at this point I can't be certain.

Immediately following the 12 miles of ache, I went to try and raise money for my DetermiNation goal (I am short about $560.00--To donate, click on the link on the right side of the blog...THANK YOU!!!) and worked at our booth set-up at Effingham's Oktoberfest.  I face painted for about 2.5 hours and had an amazing time!!!!

Me & a brave Samaritan!  What a spectacular day!!

I didn't have a poster set-up with painted options and instead tried my fate by asking each child what they would like.  As expected, I had some wild requests!!  Purple tigers, cats, dogs, fire-breathing T-Rex mixed with a Dragon, etc.  Fortunately, I grew up loving to draw and they didn't turn out so bad :-)  In fact, there were these two little girls that I painted and as a thank you, they brought me a hand-made necklace!  Fundraising or not, being able to see the happy faces and excited responses were worth every second.  I really wish I would've arrived earlier.

Our (Me & Jer) Cross-Training yesterday morning was SUP Surfing (Stand Up Paddle Board-Surfing) and was hosted by East Coast Paddleboarding (http://eastcoastpaddleboarding.com/).  They were excellent and I had a great time!!!  I highly recommend them to others and will definitely go there to rent boards.  I did, however, under estimate the beach's sun from 9A - 12:30P and ended up burned.  Not good.

AAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!  OK, I had to get that off my chest.  This upcoming weekend I have an 18 mile run..longest to date.  It really is amazing to think how quickly this is coming.  I feel so proud to have been training and participating in something so big and I thank you for being interested enough to keep reading.

Our First Half-Marathon!! (Training purposes..)

This past Saturday, Sept 3, marked our first half-marathon race!!  This was the, "Milestone 13.1" that was host by FCA Endurance to serve as a training race before the big one (26.2!) in November.  That's right..we ran a half-marathon race....just for training/fun. 

Before the race began

Putting this race on was such a good idea and allowed us participants to gauge our speed, nutrition and fluid intake to help us be more efficient come November.  Our long runs during training, are at a slower pace to build endurance and add time and miles to our physique...this one though..was created to test our "race pace."

At the beginning, the pack took off!!!  It is so hard to stay back and remember we are not racing the other competitors, we are testing ourselves.  Falling into the pack trap, we started at a faster pace than normal and stuck with it for about 2/3 of the way.  At about mile 9ish, it started to catch up to me and I was starting to get tired.  My pace slowly crept up and I began counting the minutes and searching for my binoculars to find the finish line.  At this time, Jer and I wished each other luck and he moved forward breaking the sound barrier with his speed while I was trying to remember the story of the tortoise and the hare...Did the hare win?..the tortoise?..did anyone read the fine print of the two relaxing under a shady tree?  No?,..oh..

Action shot!

It was about this time I met a fellow runner, Catie.  This was also Catie's first half-marathon and bravo for her..she was actually training for the half in November and decided to give this a shot with only have a 9 miler long run under her belt.  Turns out, she is also a fellow blogger (Quest to 13.1)!!  Maybe that will change to 26.2?

That is one of the reasons I love the sport so much..the genuine support and friendliness of the other runners sharing the road with you.  Giving a nod, a small wave or even taking the time to say a, "way to go!" to a fellow runner really goes a long way!  for those runners out there who run right past their peers - Running 101 - be courteous. 

Catie and I ended up running the last few miles together and crossed the finish line as new pals!  The race felt great and would definitely consider this a success!

Advice for future- stick with my slower start, stronger finish, just like in training..try to avoid pacing with the fast starters..as difficult as it can be, so I can finish faster!


The finish!

Jer & I with our medals!!

Fellow DetermiNation runners! VTB & Nancy Shippee!

Catie and I receiving our medals!

Picture left to size small for a reason....not pretty

What an amazing race!  Official race results have not yet been posted, however, my Garmin clocked it at 2:27 with 11:17 avg pace.

Wait..what was that?  Did my shoes come in time for the race?? (see blogs below)...............

Nope!  I left with (3) painful blisters on my toes due to wearing my too-small worn-out shoes for my first half-marathon.  Oh how I long for my shoes to come in before my little piggies 'go to the market' or 'stay home.'


This week we can officially pick up our other medals..the 13.1 stickers for our cars!! :-)  FCA did a great job and I am so glad we were able to participate in this great event.  Way to go!!

UPDATE!!!!

OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:  2:20:41 

Very proud!

Out with Old in with the New

Yesterday Jer and I went for our weekend long run and I cut mine slightly short.  I began to walk at 11.67 miles while Jer successfully completed the 12.5 we were going for.  Unfortunately, we left the door later than we would've liked and if you are familiar with Savannah, you need to get as many miles in as you can before the sun finds you!  I was so hot and out of water so I cut my run short, SAFETY FIRST!

NEW SHOES!

A couple weekends ago when I went to Fleet Feet for the injury clinic, I also got re-fitted for shoes.  I hadn't purchased new running shoes since last October and for some reason they felt.....like they shrunk?  My toes would get blisters at the tips and would be sore after long runs.  Once I got re-fitted, turns out, they are at least a 1/2 size too small!!???!  Holy moley.. no wonder my feet would be sore (I wonder if my grandpa foot from a previous post has anything to do with this?)  I was re-sized and video taped on the treadmill with my current, too-small, worn-out shoes and then video taped in new shoes that aren't worn out and fit.  Let me just tell you what a difference they made!  My shoes are so broken down that my regularly neutral form was no longer.  My right foot remained neutral while my left began pronating.  Once I put new shoes on, re-video taped and compared videos, my left foot didn't pronate NEARLY as far (poor shoes a contributing factor for my left knee IT Band syndrome?).  Amazing.  I visually witnessed the need for new shoes.  These shoe people are not just trying to sell you new ones for the heck of it, they know what they are talking about!

I am a Mizuno gal and before I purchased the newer version of the Wave Rider that I currently have, they want to try my in the Elixir.  Unfortunately, they didn't have my size in stock and so they special ordered it for me to try (they are so great here in Savannah..they go above and beyond and genuinely focus on building a healthier, safer, you).  They haven't come in yet so I am still squishing my toes into the too-small worn-out ones and keeping my fingers crossed I get them in this week....Pics to come when they do!
 :-)

Ouch!

Whew!!  What a busy couple of weeks.  My apologies for not posting sooner but I will let you know what was missed....

My first diagnosed running injury

A couple of weeks ago (most likely since my last post) I had been experiencing some knee pain, specifically my left, when I would run or go down stairs.  I figured I must have landed on it funny but the steps thing threw me off.  I could go up them with little to no pain, however, I could barely get down!  I also live on the 2nd floor of an apartment building and for some reason, my dog, Lucy, wouldn't take herself to go...,"outside" ..by herself, even though she must've known I had trouble going down.  I even tried to hand her the leash so she could carry it herself!!  Nope..wouldn't go without me.  Lazy bum:

Cute as can be!!  Worth the pain to take her potty

Fortunately, Fleet Feet Sports here in Savannah does a free injury clinic once a month and I decided I should at least get it looked at.  Turns out I have a very common injury, "I-T Band Syndrome" (feel free to look it up.)  The Dr. was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about this and gave me the best news ever:   

I DIDN'T HAVE TO STOP RUNNING!!!  

Oh man, that would've been awful.  Instead, he gave me instructions on specific stretches, icing and recommended Kinnesio tape for any run longer than 8 miles.  Since I had a 12 mile run the very next day, he have me some extra strips to hold me over until I could get my very own roll...Here is how my Sunday morning 12 mile run looked:

Ignore the crazy look on my face, it was early and I was tired!

FYI - Don't try to stick, remove, stick, remove 3-4x before running..the sticky part will no longer stick.

The run itself went great until my Garmin lost it's charge about 11.5 miles into it.  I didn't charge it the night before but a couple hours of running needs it!  It was our longest run to date and went well :-)  

This past week though, I took a few days off in an effort to heal my leg a little more and it really helped.  I can actually move down steps without cringing and feel more confident in training with a peace of mind my leg won't split in 2 places.  I also bought some beige Kinnesio tape so it doesn't stand out like a sore thumb...er...leg ;-)

REST CAN BE GOOD

Rolling through Training, Foam Rolling, and Rolling Back Time

Where are we in training??
According to our marathon training plan we have reached the end of week 6 of 18!  YAY!!  Is it all downhill from here?  I am very proud of Jer and I for sticking to the plan day by day for the last 41 days so far..:-)

Making break time at work productive

My dear friend introduced me to something I had not used nor seen before: a Foam Roller.  Is this common?  How had I missed this?  Anyway, as she introduced this tool to me complete with an excellent demonstration, she proceeded to say how much it, "hurt so good".  Now, with that description, I was a bit skeptical what to expect..Have no fear, the more you use it the better it feels, or so she says.  Being the good sport I make the effort to be, I agreed to give it a try during a break at work...

Here is VTB looking all innocent before she said anything about pain

Turns out, rolling out my hamstrings were the most tolerable :-)

Well, she was right, it did hurt..but compared it to getting a deep tissue massage.  Let's just take a moment think about getting a massage.. ::::::::::::moment of peace::::::::::::::.....

OK we're back! Well, I didn't "roll" very long because I still had a 5 mile run that evening and was afraid my quads or t-bands would tear into pieces, so I stuck with the hamstrings..which DID feel good :-)
Speaking of massage though...I haven't had a professional massage in a couple years and being an "elite athlete" and all, technically, I am supposed to have them frequently...right??

Pace adjustments..another form of feeling good about training 

After these weeks of training, I looked back at the history saved in my Garmin (which I LOVE and HIGHLY recommend) to see how my avg pace has changed from before training began, beginning of training, and after 6 weeks of diligent running.  Wow, this was really neat and made me feel like the training program is really working! Currently, I am running about 10:30+/- min/miles when going anywhere from 3 miles all the way up to 9 miles consistently (exceeding 9 miles the time was slightly higher).  Towards the beginning of training I did about 11 min/miles and months ago before training began, I avgd at 11:30-12:00ish min/miles.  It was SO COOL to see that although my distances are increasing, my time has been decreasing! This was hugely motivating and really gave the mental part of the training (just as important as the physical part) the boost I needed to continually give the extra effort each time I put my running shoes on.

Watch out Savannah Rock N Roll speed racers!  Here I come!

I LOVE Clif Products!

Usually people only write about products/services when they are dissatisfied (see my post below regarding my less than satisfactional armband), however, I also like to make sure credit is given where credit is due.  In this particular case I am referring to the Clif Company:  http://www.clifbar.com/

Not only are they are an organic and all natural food/wine producing company, good for the environment and sustainable, their products are UN-MATCHED.  As you may have seen in previous posts, during long runs, we have used sport beans and GU's, neither of which really stood out in flavor, however, both gave the energy needed.  This week, during our longest run to date (10 miles) we brought with us Clif Shot Blocks (thanks VTB!!!)................

WOW!!!!

These not only gave us the energy we needed but were also DELICIOUS!!!!!!!  Now, we are regular consumers of the Clif Bars (Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Crunch) and we also enjoy their Cabernet pouches:

 

Camping in WV..around the fire, by the lake, with a delicious glass of wine

However, after the run today we will also purchase their energy products.  What an amazing company and I highly recommend them to anyone and everyone for all of their products!!  Job well done!!

Car trouble, old feet and dirty legs!

Whew..what a week this has been.  No blogging = trouble.  For those of you who know me personally may be aware that my car had recently broke down ::insert pouty face::  This was 5 days ago now and the car is still in the shop.  This has caused me to ask favors for rides to work and carpooling for basic necessities like getting groceries..thank you to everyone who has helped out!! I greatly appreciate it!!

What have you missed???

Last Saturday (July 30) Jer and I went to Rails to Trails at Ft. Pulaski in Savannah, GA to run our 9 miles..went great (avg pace: 11:29, 966 calories burned, and 1 hr 43mins)!  I did stop at the porta-potty at mile 7 (way to go Ft. Pulaski for keeping this toilet-paper stocked!).  Other than that...awesome time and beautiful scenery..infact..I tweeted this pic w/the hashtag #seenonmyrun for @Runnersworld to hopefully RT (didn't happen, but at least I tried!):

Good morning Savannah!

We also completed our necessary 3 miles on Tuesday but ended up rearranging the rest of the week to accommodate the car troubles and work schedules:  Wednesday/Thursday - Rest, Friday - 5 miles at the YMCA (HOTTT Weather), Saturday - Rest and today, Sunday....longest run so far...

Today, Sunday, August 7, we (Jer & I) completed our longest run to date: 10 Miles!!  Avg: 11:51 pace, 1,037 calories burned and finished in under 2 hours (1 hr 58 min).  This was completed in Pooler, GA and once finished, it revealed some new insight to what comes with long running.....

Let's back up..

When I get ready to run, for some unknown reason, my left shoe always feels looser than my right and I always end up tightening it.  In doing so, my right shoe then feels looser and I adjust accordingly.  This causes a long battle and well, you get the point..endless attempting for 100% and equal shoe comfort on both feet.  Well, this morning I ran into the status quo with my left shoe feeling loose and proceeded in tightening my left shoe to match the right.  As usual, it then felt tightest, however, I wasn't going to fall in to the normal trap and simply left it the way it was....tight on the left, loose on the right.  Well, after 10 miles of sweat...we returned to our apartment and began to stretch.  This is the time when we noticed some physical differences in ourselves from when we left, to when we returned.....

What's wrong with that left foot?

Is that a tan line??

Picture 1:

OK - these are my feet.  I was quite startled when I was stretching and immediately noticed that my left foot was very old, white and wrinkled looking.  My right foot.... - Normal?.  I didn't recall leaving my left foot in a hot tub to soak while the rest of me left for a long run...however..I was definitely a bit baffled by this conundrum and referred to my dear friend: www.google.com.  This frantic search revealed that a combination of lots of sweat and TIGHT SHOES can cause old, wrinkly-looking feet...oopss..lesson learned.  I promise to no longer tighten my loosely-felt left shoe that I continually struggle with a minimum of 4 days a week.  Besides, this may save me more time in the mornings anyway

Picture 2:

These are Jer's legs and they appear to have gained a tan line near the ankles on our run in the sun.  However, this is no tan line...this is how our legs look after our long trail runs.  We run, we kick up dirt, we stomp through mud puddles and by golly we like it!  Our evidence though, it quickly removed after the shower that immediately follows the training run. 

Something that has certainly helped us was joining the YMCA!  This is perfect for cross-training days or short runs when early morning doesn't fit our work schedules or it is 112 degrees outside.  YAY for www.groupon.com for featuring a discounted membership!  I LOOOVVEEE Yoga and group classes!!  I will try to fit them in any time I can :-)

All in all, I would say the training was a great success and I can't wait for the upcoming week!  

Go DNation!!!!

FIRE!!!!!!!!

OK..First, let's talking about chafing.   For those of you who have not experienced this yet, I will give you a brief description of what it is; basically a sandpaper-esque burn somewhere on your body made by a shirt, shorts, hat and/or anything and everything that touches you.  Sometimes when this occurs, you don't really know it is happening until it is too late......

I have experienced this on my inner thighs and body glide helped..great! however..recently..I received it somewhere else..... ..........dum dum dum...:::scary interlude::::.....

Before I reveal the location I want to share with you a recent purchase I made:

Motorola Atrix 4G Android Phone Accessories Kit: Black Neoprene Exercise Armband 

by Motorola

This is the exact title of the armband I purchased off of Amazon.com about a month ago.  I chose this particular product since I have a Motorola Atrix 4G as my phone and also use it as my source of music (Pandora rocks!).  I thought, perfect!!  An armband made specifically for my phone!!  Well...after just wearing it twice, I was a bit more educated on this....

1.  This could probably fit any size phone/ipod or other device...I know this because it is larger than the picture shows and swallows my phone.   This prevents me from pressing any keys while in use (quite different than the picture showed..)  I thought..oh well, I can make this work!  I proceeded to place a folded up tissue at the bottom of the phone pocket to create a bit of "lift" for my phone and makes the keys accessible..DONE!

2.  This armband was either made for a body builder or I have a BIG problem with the size of my arm.  The little velcro piece that seals the band to your arm is HUMUNGOUS and would need to wrap around my arm twice to fit.  No worries...since I live with McGiver, this was fixed by using a safety pin..EASY PEASY! 

3.  OK......this was the last straw,...... I inserted my tissue to hold the phone in place...safety pinned the band around my arm and went for a 5 mile run.  By the time I came back, I felt great!!  Until....I showered......

BURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Moses...My underarm burst into flames!  You know, the soft part of your arm that is impossible to firm up?  You should have seen the flames that were shooting off my arm!!  I wish I saw them too....good thing water was pouring on them to put them out instantaneously so they wouldn't burn the apartment down!  The smoke though...filled the apartment and fire trucks had to come to make sure everything was safe and sound.  Imagine trying to explain to firefighters and police (of course they were there too!!) that an armband caused a fire.  They didn't immediately believe me about the flames or the smoke, but don't worry, I think they took my word for it.   
--Side Note:  OK, I may have exaggerated a bit on the fire, smoke, and emergency response...but I do guarantee the pain felt as if it were true--

(4) Days later I still have the scab under my arm and am back to square one on searching for a new armband

One more thing...

As I thought about the DetermiNation Dock Party on Sunday, I realized I didn't express my intense gratitude or appreciation for my fellow teammates that I should have previously on my blog.  

This may have been from trying to move my laptop outside on the porch before blogging and having to wait for it to shut down and restart (which takes forever) when unplugging it...that's right,...my laptop needs to remain plugged in to work.  It is not as much of a portable computer as it is more of a compact desktop.  

It may have also been partly due to the quickly approaching storm that was heading my way (yes, and I decided blogging on the porch was the best idea at the time) and the countless seconds -which felt like hours- for my computer to re-boot.  Once I plugged it in outside I was determined to finish before the rain started!  

This is all not to mention I still needed to hop in the shower before heading to work..I don't think my officemates would appreciate the endurance effort put in during the previous hours as running partners do.

Regardless..there are no excuses!!  That group of people really is really amazing.  You never know what people go through until you open up about it and doing so in the atmosphere is easier than I thought.  Heck, some of these people had me crying on our first meeting!!!  "STRANGER DANGER" is one phrase that is immediately erased when the gathering is formed.  

Friendships built on a safe and honest surface create the most comfortable environment.  

GO DETERMINATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comraderie

Happy Tuesday everyone!

What a great weekend!  I'll bring you up to speed..

Saturday we had a 5 miler (tapering week) which went great!  I especially enjoy looking at the calories burned after a run.  It usually equates to a little over 100 calories a mile and it really makes a tough run worth it!

I had to get up early and work Sunday however, that night, the local Savannah-ians who are on the DetermiNation team had a Dock Party at one of the member's homes, Nancy Shippee & her husband Clark.  Their home is absolutely AMAZING and their hospitality even topped that.  As my dear friend Victoria, AKA, VTB, put it, it's nice to see people not all sweaty in work-out clothes and instead, get together to BBQ on the ocean and EAT!

Catching live crab straight from the Ocean!

 BTW - VTB is a very good friend of mine and also has an awesome blog (she inspired me to create mine!) for you to check out: 

http://vtbrunssav.blogspot.com/

LZ & VTB

At the Dock Party  there were about 15 +/- of us there and it was so nice to feel instant connections with those around you....all with the same goal....BEAT CANCER! The stories came and the relationships grew stronger.  While we were there, we were able to create what are known as "Prayer Flags" to be hung at Rails to Trails on Tybee Island.  We frequent this location for long runs because it is not only beautiful but an easy trail 6 miles long.  This used to be an old Railroad connecting Savannah to Tybee, however, many moons ago it transformed into a jogger's paradise..take a peek ...

At the end..Location of Prayer Flags

In the railroad picture above you can see flags hung all around it.  These will be hung there and remain for all those to see and pray for...here's mine:

It says, "ACS DetermiNation, RnRSavannah, 11-5-11 for Susan Z. MOM 11/5/49-2/24/06

What a great group we have and I am very fortunate to be a part of it.   Now to try to continue fundraising!!

This morning we got up, ran 3 miles, way faster than normal..had some coffee, cereal and now time to hop in the shower to head to work before I am late.  The rest of the week looks like: tomorrow (Wed) 4 miles, Thur. 3 miles, Fri. rest, Sat. 9 miles.  More to come and happy trails (hehe)!! :-)

Indoors, Outdoors, Morning and Night

Although I didn't immediately post about it, last weekend Jer and I completed our first 7-miler and it went GREAT!!  We brought along some GU gel and between you and me, I didn't really care for it.  I am a consistency person and quite frankly would've preferred something to chew.  I think next time I will try the chomps.  Rumor has it that swedish fish do the same trick..is that true?? I LOVE some swedish fish!  When I was little I would buy full boxes just for me.  Yummy :-)

This week we also had (2) 3 milers and (1) 4 miler.  Two of these were done on treadmill in the afternoon and One was completed outside first thing in the morning.  I know it may seem inconsistent but it works for our busy schedules and the HOT HOT Savannah weather.  As much as we love summer time, training in the cooler weather will definitely work for us and help to be more consistent.  

I also came to a realization about myself this week while waiting for the treadmill. I found myself disappointed and anxious as I was waiting for this man to finish his walk on the treadmill...it felt like he was hogging it FOREVER (this may have also come from the fact we walked in the room at the very same time and I was being courteous to allow him to pick his machine of choice first...DANG he chose.the exact one I wanted).  Once he finished I hopped on and after a few miles realized..I AM one of those people who would appear to, "hog" the machine for long periods of time..........................oops............

I very much prefer outdoor runs though and with the way our work schedules were this week, waking up earlier than 4:30A to add more miles just didn't seem like a good idea at the time. 

Today (Friday) is a rest day and tomorrow we taper back down to 5 miles.  It's funny though, we almost wish it didn't taper down as we are really enjoying the satisfaction of completing longer runs than we normally would have.  I know it may sound crazy, but they feel so good!! Happy Running!

West Virginia Adventures

Whew! Finally a chance to catch up on how training runs were in the great state of West Virginia.  Each year we are lucky enough to spend time camping at Burnsville Lake where we go boating, kayaking, biking and simply enjoying time with family.  It's amazing to still have a piece of the U.S. that isn't encompassed by cell phone towers,...that's right..no reception!! For those of you may work for a cell phone or internet company, let's just keep this gem a secret OK?

Don't worry, while we spent a week enjoying life, nature and loved ones, we DID complete the necessary training runs which included (3) 3 milers and (1) 6 miler.  Let me tell you..I have a whole new appreciation for those who train in hilly/mountainous terrain!!  You can really feel the difference from 6 miles fast and flat to 6 miles in the mountains...YOWZA!  Then it hit me, if I moved to a hilly location, trained for a fast and flat marathon, my chances of beating Oprah's time increase exponentially...hmm..

In addition, we completed our cross training that consisted of a 10 mile kayak ride down the river.  I wasn't as tired as my legs were sunburned.  I had applied and re-applied spf 50 sunscreen during this time, however, my legs were a it neglected..and they made sure I knew it.  Lesson learned.  One amazing thing that happened on that cross training was the miracle of witnessing a baby deer swim across the water RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.. oh my goodness it was absolutely beautiful and something I won't soon forget.

I am not sure if ziplining counts..but we did that too and it was awesome!!!!!!!!  It was my first time and ended up being a great core workout :-)

That trip is always such a relaxing yet action packed time and I look forward to it all year round.  Let's just say the countdown has already begun for next time :-)

Time to back track to Day 1 - Rain drops keep falling on my head...::music note::

Okay, it's really Day 2 of training, Day 1 is a rest day (LOVE Hal Higdon's Novice training plan..beginning with a rest day is GENIOUS!) :-)

Side Note:
You might hear me use the words "we" or "us" when talking about how the runs have gone.  I assure you that I am not referring to any alternate egos or personalities, I am most likely referring to Jerame, my boyfriend of 6.5 amazing years and motivating running partner.  See us pictured below with some fellow DetermiNation Runners (we are actually up to 77 runners already!!) - What a great group!!:

OK, back to the run..
3 Miles, back on July 5

Since the weather here in GA is VERY warm any any point of the day in early July, we (see, already using that pronoun!) decided to try to treadmill instead of our normal route.  Turns out,  only (1) treadmill was functional at our apartment complex and therefore, we took our chance in the humidity..until it happened..only .7 miles into it there came the rain!!!  At that point, we were already too far gone and took it as a cool blessing.  We finished the 3 miles with smiling faces and were able to successfully check off the first (er...second) training day.

Why am I doing this?

As you may have read in my, "About Me" section, I am running this marathon in honor of my late mother.  She passed away of brain cancer and throughout each day of her struggle, her forward thinking and portrayal of hope blessed my sisters and I with a glimpse of possibility.  What we were blissfully unaware of was the pain she had been going through and the honest trials she was silently coping with.  Did she really believe she would be getting better each day even though the cancer was slowly taking away all motor function or was it simply to give her observing daughters the impression we needed that it was all just a bad dream?  I don't think we will ever know the correct answer to that question, however, what I will always remember is the constant strength she showed in moments of agony, the love she showed when time was ticking and the empowerment she provided even when the outlook wasn't favorable.  


My mother was amazing each and every day I can remember and there isn't anything I wouldn't do to show her that her legacy in my heart will always remain.  I love you mom and I hope this chance to give back in your memory brings a smile to your face and a beautiful happiness on your birthday xoxo