6.4 for me! Heading to a core class shortly!

This ends me at 50+ for the week. The build continues..

MUCH better run today! Why? Because it dropped to 35 last night. Sigh. Freaking Virginia. One extreme to the next around here. No music..just enjoyed the run. Didnt wear my calf sleeves because it was a short run..defiantly felt some cramping there. Few aches and pains but I blame it on the awful run yesterday and that I forgot to foam roll! Oh well.

Not too much going on here today. I would like to go to Kohls since they are having a great sale I need some work blouses. I also have to make a lemon pound cake and sweet potato casserole to take to HCBF's parents place tomorrow

Diane - Oh man you had a great day yesterday! Gelato sounds so goooood! Glad the back is feeling better. I bet the massage helps even more. Sigh. I need a massage…maybe I can afford one from my next OT paycheck haha,

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Lizzie, nice run! FWIW, I am always wearing my compression socks and immediately feel the difference if for whatever reason I have to wear regular socks. Not too happy about this "habit", but it is what it is.

10k today; man, it was tough. But every run can't be a good one. Have almost 100% decided on this autumn's goal race - September 16, Valmiera (Latvia, 100k from my place). Will have about 4 months to train after the trail HM in May. Yay! Oh, and it turns out the 10k trail race and floorball bronze game will be in the same week... Floorball - most likely on Thursday; trail race - Saturday. (And no one has cancelled Friday's work). As DH laughed, I will have to turn my universal soldier mode on.

Getting ready for tennis - WTA Miami final - Latvia vs USA - Ostapenko vs Stephens 

I have been running around all week and haven't been spending much time online, just realized I haven't posted in a couple days.

Cathy, hope vacation travel went well and you guys are already enjoying yourself!

Liz, yay for the much better run! I have a $10 off coupon from Kohl's I need to use, but I think I'm too lazy to go across town. I'll wait for the next big sale.

Diane, I'm glad your back is doing better, sounds like good news from the PT/doctor/person you went to (I can't remember exactly what he/she was).

Elina, sounds like they need to make that Friday between floor ball and the trail race a holiday. You are going to be tired by Sunday.

Damaris, nice job on the OTF. Hills..........

I ran a 10K this morning. One of my baby runners ran it last year and convinced a couple of us to run it this year. I got there and realized I left my Garmin at home. About 20 minutes away so no time to go back and get it. I ran a couple miles to warm up, then pulled up the Strava app and started it when the race started it and put it in my shorts pocket. Ran the whole race not knowing pace, did I go out too fast, how much farther (they did have mile markers, but still....). And I ran it so much better than the one two weeks ago. A big part of it was that the weather was so much better (mid 50s and low humidity vs mid 70s and high humidity two weeks ago), but my splits were fantastic. Strava said it was 6.5 miles (it wasn't), so had my splits at 7:35, 7:37, 7:35, 7:50, 7:33, 7:36, and 7:38 for the end. Those are all faster than actual since it had the distance long, but I was really happy with the consistency. I finished in 49:28 (7:58 pace, so at least even with the correct distance I was able to keep it under 8), which was more than two minutes faster than the one two weeks ago and was good enough to win my AG.

Then when I came home and finally got online, I saw a post from someone from the half marathon next Sunday that two of my runners are doing. I wanted to do it because it's on the roads where we run every Saturday (starts at the shopping center where our shoe store is), but since it's a week before Boston, did not sign up. I know myself too well and I wouldn't be able to run easy even though I have 13 on my schedule that day. Well, the post said that their 2:15 pacer (so 10:17 pace) had to bail and they were looking for someone that could easily run and talk at that pace to pace the 2:15 group. Well, I made a comment that I had 13 on the schedule, and it was about 2 min/mile slower than my half race pace, and I needed to run easy, and then two friends jumped in and said I would be great at it and would enjoy it, and........I'm now pacing the race. I need to practice running that pace this coming week. And NOT FORGET MY GARMIN!!

Now just relaxing. Had some coffee out on the back patio, had some lunch. Our lawn guy is here replacing some plants that died over the winter, adding mulch, etc. so I'm feeling productive even though they're out there doing all the work. No big Easter plans - probably just getting DH to cook chicken on the grill for dinner. Oh, and running 17-18 tomorrow.

6 more miles, 8.8 for today.  Have a light headache (third day of it), so I think I need a neck cracking.  Will contact my massage therapist for a Thursday visit.  I ended up not going to the funeral.  Next chance will be at the Mass Monday but I have a doctor's appointment so I'll see.  She knew it was hard to schedule in the middle of this week, poor thing.

Karen, congrats on the 10K.

Liz, baking, yum.

Hi ladies!

Last day of March, my birthday month is coming to an end

So ran and finished the Bataan Memorial Death March marathon, White Sands, NM, April 25.

First mile, it was paved road and then confusion becuz front runners missed a turn and had to turn back.  Some ran at least 1.5 miles before realizing it was the wrong way.  I ran a mile and had to run back a mile so some of us ended up running more than 26.2 miles.  We didn't see a sign to turn.  Anyway, For me, it was 28.2 miles.

Was around 40 degrees, partly cloudy at 6 am when in corral. We are 'marchers,' not 'runners.'  After pre-race ceremony which included a brief history of the Bataan death march by Philippinos and U.S. POWs, national anthems by both countries, names of survivors, VIPs, and two jet flyovers, the wounded warriors started first.  Then the rest of the categories.  Aid Stations had med tents with cots, gatorade, water, sliced oranges and bananas only.  Road to base was closed off to traffic.  After getting back on right course, it was dirt road with some sandy areas for 8 miles.  I walked through eating a banana and half of wrap I made.  Wore my hydration vest with 2 collapsible bottles, don't like the water bladder.  Then it's 2 miles on paved road, ouch!!  It's getting warmer and breezy.  Sat down and ate at mile 10 A.S. Then back to dirt road, a very gradual incline, not too noticable till you get to the 'top' at mile 14 A. S. where I laid down on cot to rest my achy knee and sore back.  Should have worn my hydration waist belt instead, the vest feels heavy.  Spent about 10 minutes here.

Then mile 18 A.S., I went to med tent where they have to get your info and vitals before giving you tylenol.  My knee is not happy.  Spent another 10 minutes here, shaking out sand/pebbles/dirt from shoes.  Then walked with other runners on the paved road for about a mile, just listening to their stories.  I ran from mile 20 to mile 21, ouch!! when it goes into an arroyo.  This is the 'sand pit.'  And it's the most sandy part of the course for about a mile.  I jogged/walked till mile 23. Sat and ate and shook out sand/dirt/pebbles out of shoes again.  Another 10 minutes.  I can run the last 3 miles to the finish.  It's a straightaway from here, but it's mostly hard packed dirt/gravel road.  Sole of feet is sore.  Just when I took off, I felt the band-aids on my big toes get loose and could feel the blisters.  It was so painful, I could barely walk.

I walked about 1/2 mile, then had to shut off brain and tell myself it's gonna hurt to the end, so 'suck it up, buttercup!'

I jogged/walked till mile 25.5, then ran all the way to the finish.  Went straight to the med tent.  Staff peeled off my socks.  Blisters are bleeding and fluid soaked into soles of shoes.  They couldn't believe I ran at all.  DH brought my sandals when he met me at the med tent.

Overall, it was quite an experience.  Glad I did it.  It was not your typical race.  The significance of the event was more important then 'racing' the event.  It was tough to pass soldiers marching with huge packs, and others marching in memory of loved ones lost in combat.  So I didn't mind walking, it was incredible listening to their stories and reasons for marching.

The course is dirt/gravel/paved road, not trails.  Not crazy about those types of courses.  But I finished upright.

Time was 6 hrs, 37 minutes.  Could have finished an hour early but oh well.  OV:  136/1025 in female light division.  AG: 26/211.

8,460 marchers.  66% male, 34% female.

We stayed another night on base in our trailer.  It was another ferocious and scary WINDY night.  Left early and made it back to our AZ work home by 9 pm.