I've been lurking for some time, but with the group going private and Jelly's unfortunate experiences I thought it appropriate to come "out of the darkness" and introduce myself to the group. My marathon is far, far away, but I train for my half and marathon in one long season since the one always seems to come very soon after the other.

 

Why I started Running:
I found myself quite overweight after my son was born, so I started to walk. Being an overachiever by nature, I kept pushing the distance, and eventually it took too long, so I started running short segments of the walk until one day, I ran all five miles. Then one day I ran a 5k--the goal was to run it in under 30 minutes and I came in at 26:18. That was it, I was hooked! I celebrated my second "runniversary" earlier this summer. (Of course, I now run for longer periods of time than I ever walked, so it's funny that I started running because one hour was "way too long" to spend exercising in the mornings.)

Running Stats:
5k pr 23:28

10k pr 49:07

half-mary pr 1:50:36

first marathon 3/01/2009  4:30:04

Personal Stats:
Married 9 years; daughter 5, son 3. I'm a former teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom; we live in Jupiter (yes, really), in southeastern Florida.

 

Having had a somewhat disappointing and very very wet first marathon, I'm looking forward to learning from better runners. I'm running between 40 and 45 mpw now in training for the Women's Half in St Petersburg, FL, on November 22, hoping to beat my current PR, but it's hard to feel fast in this heat--it's usually about 90% when I run in the predawn. Following the half, I intend to up my mileage to prepare for the A1A Marathon in Fort Lauderdale at the end of February.

It's true, Erika, I generally find myself feeling very fast in October and November. I was blessed in my last half--a cold front blew threw the day before my race. We ran in 50 degrees and I couldn't believe how fast I was--ended up 10 minutes under my goal. Of course on marathon day the front blew threw literally at gun time--it was Gasparilla, the race that's run in Tampa Bay. Great little race, but it's suffering from poor attendance and this year's the last time they'll run the 26.2.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

HI Vixi!!!

Welcome Cara...and Vix!

Hello all.  Thanks for the invitation to this group. 

 

Why I started Running:
I did some running of 5k's before school when I was in high school, paused until college and then I would jog for up to two hours every day, and began doing 5k races shortly thereafter.  For years I had just put one foot in front of the other, for many miles a week, and it's not until my late 20's that I made any improvements.  With aerobics as a teenager, an exercise bike I had as a teenager, and running, I've always exercised a little to excess when I did, and although it's never been an obsession, I blame my dad for the mindset as he's the same way!  As far as really seeing what I'm capable of, that mindset didn't occur until my 30's - right now I'm 34.  I was never fast at running or good at any sport in school, so I am surprising myself right now as my tempos, intervals and PRs improve.  I think the 'I suck at sports' mentally prevented me from really pushing myself with running, until now.

 

Running Stats:
I've done some 3mi, 4mi, 6mi, hospital hill half twice, Kansas city marathon and olathe marathon, and I'm set to do the Olathe again this April. 

 

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2008	Waddell and Reed Kansas City Marathon	26.6mi	3:54:28
2010	Olathe Marathon	Marathon	4:21:33
2010	Hospital Hill Half		1:55:47
2010	Kansas City Marathon	Half	1:46:40
2010	Grandview triange run	5k	22:08

 

I've taken 2 minutes off my 5k time in the last year, entirely because I finally began incorporating tempos and intervals.

Personal Stats:
I'm married with 2 kids (6 and 4), five step kids (10, 15, 17, 21, 23) and I know you can guess where I live.  I work as a project manager for a large telecommunications company (yellow and black logo). 

 

Goals:

Enjoy the marathon while I'm running it, through better pacing and better preparation.  Within minutes of my last marathon I muttered (from the ground) something to my husband about the marathon being just too long a distance for my body, and that I was better suited to half's (halves?).  However, I find half's not challenging enough, and I'm not at all inspired to see how fast I can run a half.   

 

Something to brag about:

My dad ran at least one sub-3, and my brother has done a 3:06.  End of bragging.

 

Gen

yes kids definitely control the number of hours I have to run, you have to be very dynamic and always ready to go. 

 

Wow, congratulations (sorry about the cat).