Easy Run

Location of Sis' wedding... I hope it will be this nice on the big day!

Yesterday I arrived back at home... in Bismarck... living with the family. Fun times! Wedding planning all around. It's just nice to be home, even if there is a lot to do.

Yesterday it rained all day. I think we accumulated over 2 inches of moisture. So, today, when Sis and I went out for our morning jog, I was a little worried as the clouds were still hovering. It was a cool 50 degrees, but nice. Kind of humid. The sun peeked through the clouds, ocassionally. On our last quarter of a mile it started to rain but it was refreshing. All in all, 2.25 miles, no walking. Very nice.

The ticker above is my goal for June. May was quite unsuccessful, as I had only ran once in the last two weeks. June will be better. I hope! I was only able to accumulate a little over 20 miles this month...eeks.

One crazy busy weekend

Let's just say it was one crazy busy weekend. I never realized how much work goes into planning a wedding and this one was no exception. I truely enjoyed being the personal attendant at this wedding. The bride was wonderful to work with and it was so much fun all around. In the process of making a last minute stop at the hotel room, before the wedding, for a pair of slip on shoes for the bride to wear during the dance, I came across a bag with a box in it. Out of curiousity I opened it and here it was the groom's wedding band. Go me. In the last lap around the big hotel room, I swiped a shout to go wipe from a gift basket, just in case. Good thing. That came in handly early during the dinner, when the groom got chocolate on his suit jacket and it rubbed against the bride's gown. Yikes. But, everyone loved the chocolate fountain! All in all, the wedding was beautiful, the bride was gorgeous, the wedding party looked wonderful, the reception food was great and people danced it up that evening.

Left to Right: Junior Bridesmaid, Bride, Maid of Honor

-relaxing before the ceremony-

My legs hurt from running to and form the bar for a quick shot with some cousins and other family members...plus, I opted to dance barefoot, as I aquired three blisters that day. I plan to rest the next day or so and then get back into my running. Wednesday I will be heading home. Less than 3 weeks until my sisters wedding, and I can hardly wait!

Happy running, y'all!

The end has come....

Today is the day. The day that I will not only be saying goodbye to my students, but goodbye to my fellow co-workers...teachers, principals, and other support staff.... As much as I have been looking forward to this day, I will be sad. Hopefully I can hold back the tears. I am really going to miss my students (even though some of them have really tested my patience this year).

Where has the time gone? It has been 1 year. 1 year consisting of 1 crazy summer of 17 credits combined with spending almost every waking hour with classmates (some who are best friends of mine now), 15 credits of evening classes in the fall and spring each, and 9 months of full time teaching. It seems as if I just started the RT program a couple months ago. So much accomplished and learned in 1 year.

I am still in the process of finding a job. It's so frustrating. I spend an hour at least to fill out 1 application, and then nothing. I hear nothing. I just want to get that job so I can relax for the next 2 months.

Today, I am done with school at 1pm. From there I will head back to GF, get my hair colored and cut, possibly get my nails done, do some shopping, pack for the weekend, and go for a nice jog through the neighborhood again.

I have been hear for almost 8 years and in less than a week, I will be leaving. For good. I don't think it has really hit me yet.

Happy running, y'all!

Happiness is....

In response to Wes' post today, I thought I would throw a little blurp out there on my view of happiness in regards to training/racing....

Happiness is: Enjoying the little things after overcoming minor injuries and setbacks. Going out for a casual run with no concerns for distance or time. No garmin, mp3 player, or heart rate monitor..... just me and the pavement having a heart to heart, all while strengthening my body.... physically, mentally, and emotionally.

A Run in the Sun

I was complaining in my last post about the weather being icky this week. As of yesterday, it was still gorgeous. When I got home from school, I went out for my first run in a week and a half. The sun was very warm with the temperature being in the high 70's. The humidity was fairly high, as I could feel it weighing my hair down. There was a noticeable wind, but not like the cold wind we usually get. This wind was one that I felt pushing me on my way out and slightly cooling me off on my way back in. Overall, it was a very successful and enjoyable 2.5 miles.

I started with a nice walk for a few minutes to warm up the old muscles. Once I started running I was immediately paying attention to how I landed on my feet and what direction they were facing. I know that prior to this run, I would land on my heel a lot. For some reason, I thought that was the "right" way. Wrong. My feet were facing straight ahead, which is good. I noticed that landing on the middle of my foot felt better as I ran and was better on my knees! Great success! I did the run5/walk1 method with a longer walk break towards the end. It was hot. I had to.

After my run, I tested a new drink. New to me. I tried the EAS AdvantagEDGE Complete Nutrition Shake. I know I don't get nearly enough protein in a day, and I wanted to try this after my run. It was actually quite tasty. I enjoyed it.

After cooling off, I cleaned up and my cousins, aunt and I went out for dinner on the patio of a favorite GF restaurant of ours, located along the river. It was just perfect. Cold drinks, appetizer and a chicken salad. Yummy. Afterwards we went back to the house and relaxed. My cousin's boyfriend, made a pitcher of Mohito's and they were fabulous! I had two, and then asked what was in a Mohito. All I got out of what he said was, "A lot of alcohol". Needless to say, I slept like a baby.

On a side note, for those of you who asked about any bites on a job... still working on it. I am hoping to land a position in a certain district, but until I do so, I am not at liberty to say!

Happy running, y'all!

Starting Fresh...today

Yesterday was my last day of "no running" and to be completely honest, I am a little nervous to get back out there today. I spent the last week reading a book by Susan Favor-Hamilton, covering the basics of running. I learned a lot in regards to mechanics, nutrition, and other fun stuff.

Yesterday, I spent some time looking over different training schedules, such as Hal Higdon's, Jeff Galloway's, Furman's First, and Runner's World Smart Coach, trying to figure out the right plan for me. I decided that for this week, I am going to test the waters with short distances, 3-4 times this week. I need to really start listening to my body and paying more attention to what I am putting in it before and after a run.

It's going to be difficult to get some runs in outdoors this week. Rainy and icky all week. I am tempted to take advantage of a free-trial membership at a local gym here...for that reason. I am no longer able to use the wonderful wellness center on campus.

It's going to be a crazy, busy week. My cousin is getting married this weekend and I am her personal attendant. We have a lot to accomplish in preparation for this wonderful day! Her sister and her boyfriend are home from England as well, so we will be busy with them, shoving our faces with food they don't get in England and enjoying a few cocktails. Probably not the best time to start back up with running, but is there ever a perfect time?

Until tomorrow! Happy monday...and happy running, y'all!

Food for thought

There... is... a... running... God!

I woke up this morning and the pain in my ankle was gone. I don't know what it was. A part of me thought it was some sort of bone bruise. Then I thought it was some sort of nerve pinching. When I would lift off my toes, a pinching pain would occur that went up to my knee... if that makes any sense. All I have been doing is resting, icing, and stretching. Another example of how important it is to stretch, even on the days you don't run.

It was interesting to read what some of you fellow bloggers said about your running mechanics. I think that sometimes when I run I end up planting my heal down first. According to Suzy Favor Hamilton, you are to "plant your feet at the mid-foot area or at a full-foot plant, avoiding a pure heel touchdown." And the angle of your foot should be either strait ahead at touchdown or pointing slightly inward. Very interesting.

Food for thought: Sometimes runners get all caught up in the idea of eating carbs, carbs, and more carbs, and forget how important protein is. Here's a nasty comparison for you to think over...

Bagel with 2 Tbsp butter...500 cal...11g protein...60g carbs...26g fat
Quarter Pounder................430 cal...23g protein...36g carbs...21g fat

I am still planning on not running until next week. I am working on finding what will work for me. I was reading how important it is to build a good foundation (base)... and I want to do that for at least a month before I even think about doing some fancy runs again, like speed work/intervals.

This is Teacherwoman, signing off... happy running y'all. I will be back on Monday with an idea as to what kind of schedule I will be attempting!

running mechanics

I picked up a couple books last night to educate myself further with my running and other stuff. I will not mention the books I picked up because I do not want to jump the gun and put any crazy ideas in your heads. I will share that later. But, I did start reading one of the books and it is okay for the most part. One of the things that really struck me is the fact that my running "mechanics" are probably not the greatest. Another thing that I read, that was no shocker to this girl was the fact that I probably don't eat the healthiest...and this NEEDS to change (as I am eating a chocolate chip cookie).

Questions for you all: When you run, what part of your foot hits the ground first? And, does your foot point straight ahead, slightly in, or slightly outwards?

I will tell you what I learned... I would like to see what others "mechanics" look like.

I think I numbed the heck out of my ankle last night. I went upstairs to bed and didn't feel any pain when walking up the stairs. But, it was and still is there this morning. It's more annoying than anything.

Time for a Fresh Start

My comment on my last post, questioning myself why I run, was probably taken out of context. I know why I run. I know why I enjoy it. I think it was more out of frustration with my ankle. That's all!

With taking some time off from running due to recouping from other health issues (orders from the doc), I am going to take the time to educate myself more ... with running and training that is. I have been running for a year now and I am not as happy with my running as I would like to be. As soon as I would increase my mileage, or build up my endurance, the demands of school and/or class would get in the way or I would have minor injuries or soreness that would set me back. Thus being mostly due to pushing myself too hard and trying to pick up where I had left off. When I do start back up with my running, I am going to start with a clean plate. I want to try a program that works for me, staying free from injuries. I think I might look into the galloway way... to build a good foundation of running. And once I am able to get back into the pool (not until a month has passed...doctor orders again), I am going to use that and cycling as a form of cross training. Who knows... I may anticipate training for a sprint tri in the spring of 2008!

Time for a fresh start. Any pointers would be greatfully appreciated.

Happy running, y'all!

If you haven't already, check out my last post and see my crazy pics from Graduation!

Big Weekend

The past week or so has been quite busy, but oh so much fun! Here's a recap and explanation as to why I haven't been around in blogger land for almost a week!

Friday Night:

My parents and sister came into town and we enjoyed a nice dinner at my aunt's house. Later on, a bunch of us met up with my sister's fiance and his parents for some drinks. I chose to be some sort of a designated driver as I knew I was going to be having fun the next night... after graduation.

Last year at this time, my sister and I, as well as a couple of our cousins, introduced my father and a few uncles to the wonderful world of jag bombs. This year, we introduced my mom and her sister to a Chuck Norris drink. I think she enjoyed it... as she was the first one to slam her glass down! Too cute!

Aunt, Mom, Dad, Sis

Graduation:

Saturday started with an early morning, running some errands, and rushing off to graduation. My sister's Fiance B and I took off before others, as we had to be there quite early. Early enough to just stand around in a line for over a half hour.

The ceremony lasted for a good few hours. I couldn't sit still at all. All I had in my system was a little breakfast and coffee. Not a good mix. Afterwards, we met up with our families outdoors. The weather was gorgeous with the sun shining from the baby blue sky! I was so ready to get out of my cap, gown, and hood.. geez, all the stuff they require you to wear when you get your masters. I will definitely not be working towards my doctorate.

Mom, Me, Dad

Me & Steph (Sis)

Me, Steph, and B (Steph's Fiance)

Saturday Night:

After a wonderful dinner at a local country club, it was MY turn to have some fun. We had a late start as the dinner went late, but it was still a lot of fun. We went to a local bar as a co-worker's husband's band was playing. Too much fun!

Chuck Norris...anyone?!?!

B, Dad, Me, Mom, B's roomie, Aunt

Group shot... again! I don't think I was having much fun...

Me and my sista! Some say we look like sisters... Nah!!

All and all, the weekend was supurb! And to be able to see my Mom on mother's day was another treat. For her and me, I would think! Now, I just need to land me a job!

Yesterday I had my doctor appointment and it went well. I forgot to ask when I can run, so I will be calling today. Although, my ankle has been bothering me. I am starting to really question why I run. Anytime I can get back into the swing of things, something happens. I have the dull achy pain that wraps around my right ankle when I push off of my foot. Frustrating. Very very frustrating. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! {EDIT: I talked to the Nurse. No running for 5 days. Minimum. I guess it is good...for my ankle if anything.}

Restful Wednesday

Last night was my rest night. We went out for dinner for a "going away" party for one of the teachers. It was very nice, and a lot of teachers showed up for it. I didn't get home until shortly after 9pm. I got ready for bed, and looked over some of my old training logs while I watched the end of the Twins game. It was kind of interesting to see what I was doing this time of year a year ago.

The picture below was taken while my Sis and I were driving back to GF on sunday evening. We got lot of rain this past weekend and there was this beautiful rainbow. We could see both sides, but the middle was covered by the clouds. At one point there were two rainbows. Very nice. We couldn't find the pot of gold ... or skittles either.


Tonight, I hope to go for an easy jog and get to bed early. I didn't sleep well last night and was up for good around 515 this morning.

Happy running, y'all! The weekend is almost here, and it's almost time to party!

Not the sharpest crayon in the box...

For the record, I was NOT intoxicated when I went for my run monday night. AND, that is NOT why I almost biffed it! Hehehe.

Last night, Sis and I went for a run at 5pm, shortly after I got home from school. Let's just say running in 82 degrees probably wasn't the smartest thing. But, you live and learn. I couldn't get into the groove of things, but we did it. What I struggled with the most was a dry mouth. For some reason, I had such a dry mouth that it was even a struggle to swallow! We ended up logging 3.32 miles. Atleast there was a slight breeze and minimal humidity.

We had a big dinner, watched American Idol (I wasn't too impressed ... I'm thinking it is time for Lakisha to pack her things), and then we went and played 3 on 3 volleyball. Boy, how I miss our days of volleyball. Another thing I am going to miss this summer. Sniff sniff.

From there, I went home to watch the end of the Twins game. The piranha's pulled it off again and Morneau closed the game with an upper deck home run! Dang, he is good!

And... the Suns beat the Spurs... Nice! 101-81... Gotta love the Nash-meister!

I love this time of year. Things are slowing down with school, NBA playoffs have begun, baseball is in full-swing (no pun intended), the temperature is rising!! Gotta love it!

Tonight, there is a going away party for a teacher. I call a rest day. Happy running y'all!

TIP: no beer before you run

I can't get over how nice the weather is here. As I had stated in my previous post, we hit up Buck Burgers last night. For those of you who were questioning what Buck Burgers were, here is your answer. You see, there is this local bar that serves food. On Monday nights, they serve Burgers with frips (fried chips) for only $1 with the purchas of a drink. We usually purchase a pitcher of beer (or 2). You can substitute the fried chips for fries or onion rings for an additional $1. These burgers are THE Best and we look forward to any monday that we can go. It's been a while since I had class monday nights. But, I think last night was our last. Sniff sniff.

Afterwards, we relaxed a bit to let our food (and beer) settle. Then, shortly after 7pm, Sis and I went out for a run. It was still warm, but very nice out! We did a loop through the neighborhood and only went about 1.92 miles. I am blaming the rough run on the beer and dehydration! Sis had drank too much water prior to the run. I like to follow the "no eating less than 2 hours before running" .... but that didn't happen. Shortly into our run, I nearly "kissed the ground" as my right foot got caught on a raised piece of concrete. Dangit. My face came within six inches of the ground and I was surprised that I was able to catch myself in the nick of time!

Tonight, we hope to do a longer run, then a good pasta/chicken dinner, all before the start of American Idol! Wahoo!

Buck Burgers

Yesterday was my God-daughters first holy communion. I was glad I was able to be there, along with many other family members. She is growing so fast!

I was only able to log a little over 11 miles last week. I am contemplating changing my goal for two reasons: 1) A lot of busy weekends through this month, and 2) I have a doctor appointment next monday that may put me on required rest-mode for a week or so after a procedure.

We'll see.

I got on google maps today to figure out the actual distance of my run friday night. I was running under many large trees and felt that my garmin was not reading correctly. Sure enough, it missed 1/10 of a mile. That is something, people. So I added it!

Tonight my sister, her fiance, and I plan to do buck burgers. This has been a tradition of ours as long as we all have lived in GF and it will probably be our last time! Kinda bittersweet! At about 8pm, I will plan to go for a run. I couldn't believe how sore my 3 miles from friday night and 4 miles from saturday morning left me feeling!

To answer your question John, the picure in my last post must have some sort of optical illusion...the bridge is not curved like that!

Some running...some resting

Friday:
Snuck in a late evening run immediately after I got home (in Bismarck). Was a great run around the quiet neighborhood. I was able to listen to the nature all around me and take in the beautiful sight of a pink, purple and blue sky with the sun setting behind the clouds. Logging about 3 miles. I couldn't trust the Garmin too much as I was running under tall trees and it said my pace was over 12 minutes/mi. when I know I was bookin' it!

Saturday:
Woke up and ran with Mom, Dad, and Sis. We drove to the park, and ended up running down and back through the park and along the Missouri River.

(picture taken from Google Images)

The temperature was cool but nice, about 54 degrees and overcast. Shortly after our run it began to rain again. I can't believe how green it is already and the trees and plants are beginning to bloom! 4.46 miles logged today. A young lady had commented on how we were inspiration ... a family working out together. That was nice.

Tonight will be some R&R with baseball on tv and some cold one's in our hands... mmmm..

Tomorrow:
I might do a couple miles in the evening when I get back to GF.

Happy running, y'all!

Not so much...

First of all... the Ticker above is my running goal for the month of May. 60 Miles in May... I hope I can accomplish it!

The plan for the evening was to run a couple errands, help my cousin with her invites for the Grooms Dinner, and then go for a slow 5 mile run.

Not so much.

I ran a couple errands, still haven't figured out what I am going to wear for Graduation, the Groom's dinner, the wedding, or my sister's Groom's dinner. I met up with everyone to work on the invites and it took 3+ hours! I didn't get home until 8:45 and was afraid that it was going to get too dark to fast. Well, I realized there was still some daylight at 9:15 and I could have gone for a quick 2 miles instead of nothing. Oh well. Chalk it up for a lesson learned. I just could not get myself to go to the gym for a 5 mile run. Yuck.

I decided to pack and hit the hay early. I am heading home this weekend. I hope to go for a run tomorrow morning with someone...Mom, Dad, or Sis. Then I have to go in for alterations on my bridesmaid dress. Sunday I will be attending my God-daughter's First Holy Communion! Boy she is getting big.

The weather calls for light rain all weekend. That's okay. We need it. The farmers need it.


Have a good weekend, y'all!

With a little help from my friends...

Last night I went out for a short run. I wanted to do 5 miles, but after a loop around the neighborhood with a brief stop halfway, I was too tempted to call it quits. And I did. I only did 2 miles. My justification for it was that I was going to go out and do 5 today. I am slowly trying to get back into this running groove, as my running log for the past two weeks was rediculously low on numbers.

It was gorgeous when I went out for my run, alone. The first mile it seemed as if my breathing was off and I just couldn't get into a good comfortable stride. Then the last mile was smooth as could be. I should have just kept going. Oh well.

The past month or so has been an emotional rollercoaster. And, I am glad to know that I am not the only one out there feeling this way right now. Between finishing up school (which I pretty much have accomplished), searching for a job (still in progress), and thinking about the possibility of moving away from all my friends and family, it's been rough! Tuesday night was the last night of class for me... and as I looked around, I realized that many of those that were sitting there...I wouldn't see them for a while, if ever again. There were tears, there was laughter. All of us RT's have been through so much together and I have become so close to many, some more than others. This song goes out to my RT's...

What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not o sing out of key

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

What do I do when my love is away
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day
Are you sad because you're on your own

No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Do you need anybody
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to love

Would you believe in a love at first sight
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
What do you see when you turn out the light
I can't tell you but I know it's mine

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Do you need anybody
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to love

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends

~The Beatles~

Before I sign off... I just want to give a shout out to Wes and wish him luck with his first Tri this weekend! Good luck!

Done...done...and done..

Monday night the weather was absolutely gorgeous when we left class shortly after 9pm. A friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go for a run with him... I said no. I don't know if I am comfortable running with a guy. I am afraid that I will hold him back or not be able to go as far as him! I am probably just being silly.

Last night, I made it to the gym before class. Yes, the gym. I hate going there once the weather gets nicer, but I wanted to get in one last spin session before the class is over. So, I ran 2 miles first and then did 10.7 miles on the bike. Too much fun! It's been a couple weeks since I have done that! I am back!

Last night was my last night of class. For good. I have all assignments in, tests taken, and projects presented. I AM DONE! All I have to do is finish up the year at school with my students and show up for graduation! I am sooo pumped and ready to celebrate! Anyone want to join???

My current goal right now is to find (get) a job before the end of the month and get back on track with my running!

Tonight?.. ... .. I plan to run in the glorious 70 degree weather .... ahhh.

Happy running, y'all!