Rebel Alliance Roll call

[jenanderson]

yes, the southern campus of the university of minnesota does have a hockey team names after a rat that digs holes in the ground.

Fortunately, the real team from Minnesota is located at the MAIN CAMPUS of the University of Minnesota in Duluth, Minnesota! GOOOOOO BULLDOGS!

Pat - This cracked me up! My DH's twin sister actually went to Duluth and so we are used to bulldog fans. We will be going to see a Gopher hockey game on Saturday but they are not doing real great this year.

Did the 30 Day Shred this morning and 30 minute run/walk this afternoon. My body is going to hate me tomorrow. But I have to do something to keep myself sane, since it appears the kids will never go back to school.

I would like to hear about the 30 Day Shred....I have heard others mention it and it sounds like people think it is a good workout. Is it a DVD? What is it like?

jen, great job on the weight loss. Your body needs a rest day, don't feel guilty.

Thanks! I was trying to imagine 4-5 pound bags of flour or sugar today as a comparison to the 20 pounds I have lost and I am amazed that I was carrying around that kind of extra weight. I feel really proud of myself for not giving up this time and developing healthy habits instead of just starving myself and then quitting.

I struggle with days of rest because I sometimes worry that if I take a day off that I won't go back out again. I am learning to have faith in myself and know that I can handle a day off and it doesn't mean I have quit. It is still a bit of a mental thing for me.

Good grief, Jen! You needed a day off. I am amazed at your dedication, though. Sounds like you are well on your way to reaching that goal. What made you decide that now is the time?

I managed 2 quick miles last night, but my knees were protesting a bit from my 9 miles on Sunday. Hope to do more tonight. Have to get ready for the Princess!

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday that goes by very quickly. Unless you're doing something fun, then I hope it seems to last all day!

I did need the day off! It felt great to not work out at all and then even better today when I felt ready to be back at it again. I think I decided that this is the time to actually make life changes for several reasons. First, when I gain weight I really struggle with my diabetes. I could taste a sugary taste in my mouth around the holidays and knew that my blood sugars were too high. I didn't want to have to do insulin again. Then, there were all the little reasons...I hated to find clothes that fit, I hated how I looked in photos and I was not happy with how I felt. Finally, a great friend of mine asked if I would consider doing the Princess in 2011 with her. Put it all together and I knew it was time. I set the date to start as January 1st and never looked back. I have worked hard, attended WW, made important changes and am happy to say it has been 6 weeks...long enough to make a good habit.

Hope you had a good run today!

Hi All! I am back from Sunny Palm Springs (it was 82 on Sunday - CRAZY). I officially completed my 2nd half marathon. I cut 15 minutes off of my first, and finished in 2:45. I still walked most of the race. My plan had been to walk 3/4 of a mile and run 1/4. I figured that would give me just enough of a boost to make sure I beat my time from the last half, when I only walked. I did awesome for the first 5 or 6 miles, then I was dragging. It was over 70 degrees by then (I am used to 40 for a high, so it was HOT!) and the sun was up (race didn't start until 7am). So I was dead. I stopped running and just tried to make it to the finish. I swear the entire last half of the race was up hill! I got to mile 9 and my DH had put up some cute signs to keep me going (the only ones on the entire course!) That made me smile. I knew I had to finish, but I was honestly worried that I wouldn't make it. But I rounded the last corner and ran in the last .25miles or so of the race. And I beat my original time by 15 minutes! I was excited (but dead).

The race wasn't as well put together as the Disneyland Race. I missed a lot of that organization. They did have traffic stopped for me, but I got to the finish and all they had was water and old cut up apples! Lucky for me my DH had some Valentine's roses and an orange for me. Then we limped to the car and he stopped at the gas station to get me a drink. what a good guy.

Manda - Great job on your race and your time!!!! That is so great! I love that your DH was so kind to you and took care of you - he sounds like a really good guy!

Good evening,
I think spring is in the air up north. It is a day off today but I had to work. There is a kind of snowstorm that is expected next wednesday: more than 10 cm. At last I will be able to use my snowblower .
Diane

I love that you are excited to use your snowblower! I am waiting for all our snow to LEAVE! I am tired of using the snowblower this winter and can't wait to see nothing but clear roads!

Well, I enjoyed my day off yesterday and so today I was back at it again. DH and I did week 6, day 1 of the C25K. Turned out to only take us 2.7 miles but it was a nice run.

Hope everyone had a great day!
Jen

 

[disney_mommy]

Hi All! I am back from Sunny Palm Springs (it was 82 on Sunday - CRAZY). I officially completed my 2nd half marathon. I cut 15 minutes off of my first, and finished in 2:45. I still walked most of the race. My plan had been to walk 3/4 of a mile and run 1/4. I figured that would give me just enough of a boost to make sure I beat my time from the last half, when I only walked. I did awesome for the first 5 or 6 miles, then I was dragging. It was over 70 degrees by then (I am used to 40 for a high, so it was HOT!) and the sun was up (race didn't start until 7am). So I was dead. I stopped running and just tried to make it to the finish. I swear the entire last half of the race was up hill! I got to mile 9 and my DH had put up some cute signs to keep me going (the only ones on the entire course!) That made me smile. I knew I had to finish, but I was honestly worried that I wouldn't make it. But I rounded the last corner and ran in the last .25miles or so of the race. And I beat my original time by 15 minutes! I was excited (but dead).

The race wasn't as well put together as the Disneyland Race. I missed a lot of that organization. They did have traffic stopped for me, but I got to the finish and all they had was water and old cut up apples! Lucky for me my DH had some Valentine's roses and an orange for me. Then we limped to the car and he stopped at the gas station to get me a drink. what a good guy.

I was super stiff after the drive home on Monday (10 1/2 hours). And I was sad to come back to the cold. But I had a good time.

Manda, congrats on your completed race and your new PR! What a wonderful DH you have. How great to have such support right there.

Good evening,
I think spring is in the air up north. It is a day off today but I had to work. There is a kind of snowstorm that is expected next wednesday: more than 10 cm. At last I will be able to use my snowblower . Diane

You're so funny, Diane! Enjoy your snowblower!


I took a day off yesterday, so now I have no-training guilt. But I figure it's so late now that I'm pretty much as ready as I'll ever be... I hope.

 

[grstink]

I did need the day off! It felt great to not work out at all and then even better today when I felt ready to be back at it again. I think I decided that this is the time to actually make life changes for several reasons. First, when I gain weight I really struggle with my diabetes. I could taste a sugary taste in my mouth around the holidays and knew that my blood sugars were too high. I didn't want to have to do insulin again. Then, there were all the little reasons...I hated to find clothes that fit, I hated how I looked in photos and I was not happy with how I felt. Finally, a great friend of mine asked if I would consider doing the Princess in 2011 with her. Put it all together and I knew it was time. I set the date to start as January 1st and never looked back. I have worked hard, attended WW, made important changes and am happy to say it has been 6 weeks...long enough to make a good habit.

Jen, that is so great. I am so happy for you. If you notice my siggie, I started the same way last year. My daughter wanted me to get out more and exercise after my retirement. We started by doing the 5K last year and worked up to the Princess Half for this March. It has been a whole year of positive changes for me. Keep up the great work and you will be amazed how fast the time will pass and how proud you will be with your accomplishments.

 

[K80K]

Manda: Great job on the half marathon!

I hopped on the treadmill this morning and ran till I ran out of time. 3.2 miles.

 

[cwnhokie]

Jen, the 30 Day Shred is a video with Jillian Michaels. I bought it from Walmart for $10 to use on my cross training days. It's only 20 mins, 3 min. strength, 2 min. cardio, 1 min abs, repeated 3 times, with a warm up and cool down. I figured how hard could it be for 20 mins. I did it the first time on Sunday and thought I was going to die. She keeps your heart rate up the entire time. I was so sore on Monday I couldn't run or do the DVD, so Tuesday I did both and it was a little easier, did it again yesterday and it was a little easier again, but still very tough. I'm not nearly as sore though. There are 3 levels of workouts. I think I will be on Level 1 for a while. When she started out with push-ups, I realized that although I have been running for about a year now, I have done nothing with my other muscles, ouch!

 

[french lady]

Still no snow expected in La belle province. I did a tempo run this morning: that was fun...
I took a day off today. So I stayed home with my 2 dogs. I am telling you, they were worst than kids today. When I was inside they wanted to go out every 30 minutes and when we were out and we were playing with the ball, my "monster" miniature schnauzer was leaving the ball under the gallery and I could swear she was smiling at me when I had problems getting the ball.
I was so happy when my sister arrived to take them to the stable so they can play with the cat and goat.
Now it is my quiet time at home.

Bonne soirée
Diane

 

[jenanderson]

Jen, that is so great. I am so happy for you. If you notice my siggie, I started the same way last year. My daughter wanted me to get out more and exercise after my retirement. We started by doing the 5K last year and worked up to the Princess Half for this March. It has been a whole year of positive changes for me. Keep up the great work and you will be amazed how fast the time will pass and how proud you will be with your accomplishments.

It is so great to hear actual stories of people who started where I am at and are having such success. Thank you for sharing! I can't wait to hear all about your Princess!!!

I am already so proud of myself. Tonight when I ran a decent pace for 10 minutes straight, I could not believe it!!! It is still just so hard to believe that 6 weeks ago I was not running at all and how great I now feel when I run.

Jen, the 30 Day Shred is a video with Jillian Michaels. I bought it from Walmart for $10 to use on my cross training days. It's only 20 mins, 3 min. strength, 2 min. cardio, 1 min abs, repeated 3 times, with a warm up and cool down. I figured how hard could it be for 20 mins. I did it the first time on Sunday and thought I was going to die. She keeps your heart rate up the entire time. I was so sore on Monday I couldn't run or do the DVD, so Tuesday I did both and it was a little easier, did it again yesterday and it was a little easier again, but still very tough. I'm not nearly as sore though. There are 3 levels of workouts. I think I will be on Level 1 for a while. When she started out with push-ups, I realized that although I have been running for about a year now, I have done nothing with my other muscles, ouch!

I am going to be looking for this because it sounds great! I need something new with a good challenge. Thanks for the info!

Still no snow expected in La belle province. I did a tempo run this morning: that was fun...
I took a day off today. So I stayed home with my 2 dogs. I am telling you, they were worst than kids today. When I was inside they wanted to go out every 30 minutes and when we were out and we were playing with the ball, my "monster" miniature schnauzer was leaving the ball under the gallery and I could swear she was smiling at me when I had problems getting the ball.
I was so happy when my sister arrived to take them to the stable so they can play with the cat and goat.
Now it is my quiet time at home.

Bonne soirée
Diane

Sounds like a nice day off! Hope you enjoyed your quiet time!

AFM - Completed day 2, week 6 of the C25K tonight. It was a beautiful run and I had fun. I loved being outside and pushing myself to do the 10 minute intervals. Later I did a bunch of stretching because I think I am not very flexible and my muscles get so tight after running.

I have to weigh in tomorrow so I will get up, do pilates and walk before I get on the scale. I am hoping to have loss 3 pounds this week so I can make it a full 20 pounds lost since New Year's. Might not make it but I know I am close.

Have a great night everyone!
Jen

 

[luckymum22]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to check in-haven't been here in a few days. I haven't gotten out for a run since Monday! With the kids back at school and me back at work, my schedule is all messed up! I worked this morning from 5am - 8am (I'm a phlebotomist at a hospital and work early to get all the morning labs collected before breakfast comes.) and then I'll take a nap during the afternoon and my husband says we'll run as soon as he gets home from work. We have done that on some Friday nights but it is dark and cold by the time he gets here, so it is not my favorite time to get out. We must do it though because we are running the Frozen Foot 5K on Sunday so I'd rather run tonight than tomorrow so we are good to go for the race. The weather looks like it might be decent for our 5K. The weather channel says: times of sun and clouds & highs in the low 40s and lows in the upper 20s. Every other 5K we have done has been 38 degrees and freezing rain. I'm just hoping it is a dry day!
I loved reading everyone's updates and you all are inspiring me to look into some cross training!
Katie, congratulations on the new 2010 Rav4-we just bought a new 2010 Corolla in December and love it despite all the recent recalls. I still have hope Toyota will pull through this and trust that we bought quality vehicles!
Manda, congratulations on your new PR with your 2nd half marathon! You inspire us! I think I'll be following the whole run-walk-run style throughout my upcoming races. I beat myself up pretty bad for walking the hills in my last 5K but I think I'm just going to build them into my plan and not feel guilty about it. Your time was awesome!
Oh, someone asked about my dog... I changed my profile picture so you all could see him. He is a Border Collie mix, about 50 lbs. and black and very fluffy. We don't really know what else he is but he has the thick mane of a Chow Chow and the Spitz tail. When he stands next to a Newfoundland their coats are very similar along the back. He is so unusual that everyone offers a guess at his breed but he is very unique! He is a Delta Society PetPartner and we used to visit at nursing homes weekly but have slowed down with that this year. He will be 7 years old in March and he is enjoying our new running routine!
Hope everyone has a great weekend-I'll be sure to post my 5K time asap on Sunday!
~Barb

 

[luckymum22]

I am already so proud of myself. Tonight when I ran a decent pace for 10 minutes straight, I could not believe it!!! It is still just so hard to believe that 6 weeks ago I was not running at all and how great I now feel when I run.

Almost forgot to say...
Jen, you rock!

I'm discovering this too-the more we run the better we feel! What a great way to live!
I am so glad to be sharing this time with you all! Thanks everyone for posting on here, it really makes a difference!

 

[disney_mommy]

I am already so proud of myself. Tonight when I ran a decent pace for 10 minutes straight, I could not believe it!!! It is still just so hard to believe that 6 weeks ago I was not running at all and how great I now feel when I run.

AFM - Completed day 2, week 6 of the C25K tonight. It was a beautiful run and I had fun. I loved being outside and pushing myself to do the 10 minute intervals. Later I did a bunch of stretching because I think I am not very flexible and my muscles get so tight after running.

I have to weigh in tomorrow so I will get up, do pilates and walk before I get on the scale. I am hoping to have loss 3 pounds this week so I can make it a full 20 pounds lost since New Year's. Might not make it but I know I am close.

Jen

Jen, you have such a great attitude! You are such a good example for us all. I hope you reach your goal tomorrow.


Hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday! I will be busy this weekend getting ready for the Princess. This weekend my son will be at his dad's and he'll be with me next weekend, then the weekend after I'll be in Disney! I think I have a pretty good idea of what I willpack, buyt I need to practice pack to see if I can get it all in a carry-on. And oh yeah, I need to keep training!

 

[ghoulishgirl]

Hi everyone! I made it 4 out of 5 days swimming (didn't go Wed.). Unfortunately, it is not getting any better endurance-wise. I won an auction on Ebay for a Total Immersion freestyle dvd and hopefully that will help.

My swimming coach has recommended that I move from Group 3 to Group 2 because he said I won't build any endurance in Group 3. Group 3 is beginners, swim 25 yards, receive critique, swim another 25 and so on for the whole hour. He thinks I'm a good enough swimmer to move to Group 2. I'm really nervous about it because I can swim 25 yards, but if I start back immediately, I am seriously out of breath! Then bad things happen, water up my nose, form falls apart, etc.

Anyway, ran on Wednesday instead of swim, I needed a mental break from the frustration! And even though I swam this morning, going to get on the treadmill later. Have a great weekend everyone!

UPDATE: This swimming thing must be good for something, I ran faster and at a higher incline on the treadmill and it felt great! I just may keep swimming until Goofy 2011!

 

[jenanderson]

Jen, you have such a great attitude! You are such a good example for us all. I hope you reach your goal tomorrow.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday! I will be busy this weekend getting ready for the Princess. This weekend my son will be at his dad's and he'll be with me next weekend, then the weekend after I'll be in Disney! I think I have a pretty good idea of what I willpack, buyt I need to practice pack to see if I can get it all in a carry-on. And oh yeah, I need to keep training!

Andrea - I did not reach my weight goal but that is okay. I keep losing each week and that is all that matters. I know I will make it this week and it will still be wonderful. It is amazing to think of what 20 pounds looks like and how that is almost GONE from my body!

I am so excited for you about the Princess!!! I bet you can barely stand it at this point. I can't wait to have you come back and share it all with us here.

My swimming coach has recommended that I move from Group 3 to Group 2 because he said I won't build any endurance in Group 3. Group 3 is beginners, swim 25 yards, receive critique, swim another 25 and so on for the whole hour. He thinks I'm a good enough swimmer to move to Group 2. I'm really nervous about it because I can swim 25 yards, but if I start back immediately, I am seriously out of breath! Then bad things happen, water up my nose, form falls apart, etc.

Anyway, ran on Wednesday instead of swim, I needed a mental break from the frustration! And even though I swam this morning, going to get on the treadmill later. Have a great weekend everyone!

Keep us updated on that swimming. I know you can do it! I would switch to Group 2 and just see how it goes. You might surprise yourself and start to build the endurance you need. If it doesn't work, you could always move back to Group 3.

AFM - Ahh, a beautiful run today! The weather was beautiful (20°F), there was no wind and it was snowing big huge fluffy flakes. I was still able to run in my thin leggings with shorts and my shirt...no wind pants and no coat...love it! DH and I ran week 6, day 3 of the C25K so a warm up, 25 minutes of running and a cool down. I was so surprised because it was easy. I set a nice easy pace and ran it without any walking and still felt good at the end. I would love to say what the pace was but I pushed a button on my Nike+ without realizing it and so I have no record of the run. I am ready to either get a new arm band for my iPod (so I don't push any buttons by mistake) or get a watch (like a forerunner or Garmin).

I have to share my biggest excitement though. I have horrible shin splint problems...always have. I have worked with trainers and tried different shoes, I have tried to change my stride and the way I run, I have tried ice and other things but I always have pain. Well, today I tried KT tape and ran for the first time with absolutely no pain. I could not believe it - would would have thought that 4 strips of special tape would make such a difference! It was so wonderful! I am hoping that using the tape for a few weeks will allow me to kick the shin splints once and for all.

Hope everyone has a great day!
Jen

 

[forceword]

It is amazing to think of what 20 pounds looks like and how that is almost GONE from my body!

Jen

Well done for your fantastic weight loss Jen. I'm planning to lose another 15 lbs before the Edinburgh Marathon in May and it's really noticable the difference that the 18lbs I've already lost has made to my running.

I've been on holiday visiting my family which always makes it hard to be disciplined. I'm planning to get back on schedule this week.

 

[ghoulishgirl]

I have to share my biggest excitement though. I have horrible shin splint problems...always have. I have worked with trainers and tried different shoes, I have tried to change my stride and the way I run, I have tried ice and other things but I always have pain. Well, today I tried KT tape and ran for the first time with absolutely no pain. I could not believe it - would would have thought that 4 strips of special tape would make such a difference! It was so wonderful! I am hoping that using the tape for a few weeks will allow me to kick the shin splints once and for all.

That is so exciting Jen! I also am prone to shin splints and have to be very careful about my mileage. I'll keep that tape in mind! Thanks for your words of encouragement too!

 

[luckymum22]

I am trying to read up on nutrition and running tonight. 5K tomorrow at 2pm. Do I eat a big breakfast and not lunch or do I eat a little at breakfast, like usual with coffee, and a decent lunch?
I received some free samples of PowerBar Energy Gel Blasts. Should I try to chew one of these along my run if I start to tire out? The last time I ran this course I got so fatigued because of the early adrenaline rush and starting off too quick then pooping out at the first hill at the 1-mile mark. I ended up walking more than I wanted to. For this race I want to have good energy to get through it and I'm thinking I need to look at how I'm fueling myself before the race. Any pointers?

 

[forceword]

I am trying to read up on nutrition and running tonight. 5K tomorrow at 2pm. Do I eat a big breakfast and not lunch or do I eat a little at breakfast, like usual with coffee, and a decent lunch?
I received some free samples of PowerBar Energy Gel Blasts. Should I try to chew one of these along my run if I start to tire out? The last time I ran this course I got so fatigued because of the early adrenaline rush and starting off too quick then pooping out at the first hill at the 1-mile mark. I ended up walking more than I wanted to. For this race I want to have good energy to get through it and I'm thinking I need to look at how I'm fueling myself before the race. Any pointers?

Hi luckymum22,

I'm no expert but I think that your fatigue has more to do with going off too fast rather than nutrition. If you have a good breakfast (I usually like to have porridge, honey and bananas on race day) and an early, light lunch for a 2pm race you should have plenty of energy for a 5k. Don't try anything new though.

When you race, try and resist the andrenaline rush at the start. I speak as an experienced marathon runner who went off too quickly at the London Marathon in 2007 and suffered agony from mile 16 onwards. My problem wasn't that I didn't have enough energy, I had gels coming out of my ears, but simple muscle fatigue. It was my third marathon, I should have known better.

I always grab some jelly beans or other high sugar sweets from the crowd in the last few miles of a marathon. I don't know if they help physically but they make me feel better. Those high energy gels might do the same for you. You should always try them in training before hand to make sure that they agree with you.

Best of luck,

Liam

 

[luckymum22]

Bob and I just finished our 5K-new PR's for both of us!
Unofficial times Bob 27:10 or close.
Me 33:52 Met my goal to finish under 34 minutes!
Can't wait for the official times to be posted to see where we rank for our age group!
I ate oatmeal and a banana at 10am, 4 hours from the race and an hour before the race I had a small cup of coffee. It made me a little jittery as the race was starting but I think it was the excitement and anxiousness too!
Bob took off at the first turn and ran the whole thing without walking. I walked up the first hill and talked with some other women (we do this!)
One of the women had the dog that beat me last time and I told her I wasn't going to get beat by the dog again! She and I talked for awhile then I took off and we caught up again after I walked the next hill. She and I ended up running the last half of the race together and she was the best coach I ever had! When we got to the end I crossed the finish line just before her and her dog! It was a great race. Then I tripped over the finish line and scrapped up both knees, ripped my $35 running pants and embarrassed myself. I then got up and found my husband met up with my running partner and her dog and introduced myself to her. I am bloodied and sore but what an awesome run! I am very happy!

 

[cwnhokie]

Luckymum 22, Sounds like you had a great race! Sorry for the finish, but it sounds like you handled it with good spirits and you beat that dog!

Jen, I bought some tape about a year ago and have been meaning to have a PT friend of mine show me how to use it and still haven't. I'm glad to hear you are having success with it.

I am kicking myself for not running outside today, I think it got up to almost 50 and sunny. I'm still a little concerned with the huge snow piles and cars being able to see me around corners so I guess it's back to the treadmill for another day.

 

[jenanderson]

Liam - Great job on losing your 18 pounds too! It is amazing how much it makes a difference in running without that weight. My bigger goal is to lose 50 pounds by August! It is a lot but I know I can do it and I will be so much healthier as a result of it.

Keep us updated on how your next 15 pounds go before your marathon! I bet you will be able to do it if you keep your mind on the goal!

Barb - WAY TO GO!!!!! I am so excited to read that you did better than what you had planned! That is just so great! You and your DH must be so proud of doing so well. I think that it is great that you found a running partner as you were going as well. Too bad about tripping at the finish line but at least you did not get seriously hurt. I am so happy for you....glad to read it was an awesome run!!

Jen, I bought some tape about a year ago and have been meaning to have a PT friend of mine show me how to use it and still haven't. I'm glad to hear you are having success with it.

I am kicking myself for not running outside today, I think it got up to almost 50 and sunny. I'm still a little concerned with the huge snow piles and cars being able to see me around corners so I guess it's back to the treadmill for another day.

I am now in LOVE with the KT tape! Another day of running without pain or any discomfort at all has convinced me that I will continue to use it for a while.

AFM - Ran outside again today. It was so beautiful! We were up at my mom's house so we had to find a new place to run. We were able to find a road that was not too busy, was clear of snow and was pretty flat. DH and I completed Day 1, Week 7 of the C25K. This whole week has us walking for 5 minutes, running 25 and then walking 5 again. I do not know if we will do much more because I am trying not to push it with my legs this week. We were able to do 2.82 miles and maintain a 11'42"/mile pace (that includes the walking). We figure that we will not push ourselves too hard with the pace but if we are feeling good, we might add to the distance (running beyond the 25 minute notice). The great thing is that I have not had any pain AND we have not been out of breath at the end of our time.

The bummer part is that this afternoon, my nose started running really bad and I feel like I am getting a horrible cold. My eyes are watery, I am sneezing, my throat is scratchy and my nose is running non-stop. It is a good thing tomorrow is not a running day!

Have a great week everyone!
Jen

 

[luckymum22]

Still happy about my race yesterday but I'm wondering,
do other runners fall or is it just me?
One day last fall, I decided to run off the paved path to a dirt path and I tripped over a tree root and skinned one knee and both palms. That fall seems like nothing after yesterday's graceful finish line trip, fall, and roll!
(warning: whining ahead!)
I hit hard on both knees which are bruised and scraped-I'm keeping them covered but the gauze is blood soaked. I had an awesome running shirt on that covered my palms and has thumb holes which seems to have saved my skin! I have bruises on both palms and somewhat of a straight line cut (no idea how I did that!) I feel like I got hit by a truck! When I got in the shower this morning I noticed bruises on my thigh, inside of one elbow and the outside of the other elbow and a bruise on my wrist. I have no idea how I impacted the ground in so many places so hard! I had a horrible night of sleep and I've been taking Advil/ibruprophen. Now I'm putting ice on my knees for 10 min. alternating, which seems to help-probably should have done that yesterday! I feel like such a clumsy idiot!
The race we did was not my favorite course out of all of the few 5K's we've done. It is a very hilly course, so I was pretty worn out when I fell. The woman I ran with says she uses this route for her hill work to train for a marathon. The finish line is kind of awkward. They have electronic timing so you have to run over this plastic raised mat that they put over the road in this rope lined, two-person wide chute. There are two finish line mats so you have to go over both. I got over the first one and tripped on the second one. I rolled when I landed so when I got up I was on the other side of the rope chute and one of the race guys was yelling at me to stay in the chute! I guess you are supposed to follow through the chute in order so they can tear the bottom part of your bib off and I was slowing down the narrow chute as others came in behind me.
Oh and a side note, there was a giant pile of bloody vomit at the end of the chute that everyone had to step around. My husband had finished 7 minutes before me and said it was there when he finished. How hard would it have been to at least throw some dirt over it or something!
There is water inside the building at the registration table but that is it-no snacks at all. We live pretty close so I brought water bottles and bananas and left them in the car for the ride home. We left as soon as I could get the electronic timing tag off my shoe. The race folks were hovering waiting for them!
This is a series of three months of races, Jan.-Feb.-Mar. I signed up because it is right here in our town and there is not much going on in the winter. I thought this would keep us running through the winter months and it has! I just wish the course and those who run it were friendlier! Everyone is so competitive and serious. I'll sit this one out next year! Bob and I have to decide if we will do the next one in March. That's when they give out the long-sleeved tech shirts they promised to have at the first race in Jan.
I look forward to having more choices in local races as Spring comes. It looks like I could probably find a semi-local 5K to do every weekend after Easter until the fall! ...I mean Autumn.
Thanks for listening!
~Barb