Post it

Good morning!  I didn't do the 5k today. It's a small race about 45" away and also has a duathlon. Yesterday the race director sent an email saying they would wait to start the 5k until those racers finished the first loop and the 5k start could be delayed.  It prob would have been ok, but since I have a meeting here at 1030, I was afraid it would be tight  to get home, shower and  to town.  I wish he'd had that note on the website just a few days earlier.   I did get my miles in already though-2 loops of the back 9 and that's 4.5 to 5  miles. I was slow, but it was a beautiful morning!  Life is good!

Karen, good luck on your race today!  Is this your goal bike race?  That's next weekend, right?

Carol, it sounds like you made the right decision.  We need to enjoy the process.

Tessa, bummer on your knee!  Was it a fall?   Great deal getting rid of the trailer.

Ginny, I hope you have a good 5k.

Marjorie, thanks for the Easter basket idea for parents. I picked up a couple things for my mom, but am just going to put hers in a reusable grocery bag with spring flowers on it.  I may use the same bag for daughter's.

Hi, Lisa, Sugarland, Laura and all who follow.

I need to hit the shower so I can make the meeting. I'm still working on organizing the storage room and closet so that'll be a the afternoon project.  I have to say, if anyone made a You tube video of me trying to get those shelves up, esp of me  trying to use Molly bolts, it would get a lot of laughs.  I even had blood dripping last night. Small cut, but still...  For better or worse, it just makes me more determined to do it myself. It's not rocket science, right?

Bring on the weekend, yay!  Ran 8.5 with RC this morning but my legs were tired from yoga last night.  I haven't done yoga in something like 20 years but a friend leads a "happy hour" yoga class on Fridays and only $5 drop in, so I gave it a try.  I suspect I would benefit from going more often, given how I felt this morning, but finding time for everything is so hard.

Positive news on the job front.  I was complaining here recently about not hearing back from a couple of job interviews, but then I got an offer on Thursday.  It's basically the same job I'm doing now but at a better law firm with a broader array of clients and higher salary.  Still would like to know what's going on with the second position, but not going to risk losing this offer over it.  Bird in the hand being better than two in the bush, and all that...

Camille, careful with those home improvement projects -- sometimes they fight back and draw blood!  you asked recently about my Antarctica photos.  Here's the link to the album on FB (should be usable if you aren't on FB or connected to me).

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.609835572418076.1073741832.100001749157606&type=1&l=8f6c45819d

Marjorie, you continue to be the consummate family ambassador, making your family Easter baskets and hosting dad and wife.

Carol, I bet your abs are looking fabulous from those planks.  What does the Run Challenge group do?

Hi to everyone else!  Off to take care of chores.

Gatsby, that's great news! Congratulations!!!

Marjorie, saw the garage floor pic on fb. That looks good. With our garage I think the hardest part would be getting everything out of there to get it done.

Camille, good for you for getting the miles in even though you couldn't do the race. My duathlon today had a 5K as well, but they started the 5K 1/2 hour before the du, and it was an out and back course on a bike path. Those 5kers finishing after 30 minutes probably didn't enjoy a herd of runners coming at them. And of course my friend and I were doing a quick warmup when the first 5K finisher came back. He was way out in front and was not even going to break 20 minutes. My friend is a sub-20 5K runner, so we determined that next time we should do the 5K, finish 1st and 2nd overall (also first male and female), then do the du. After the race that seemed much less smart though - I was beat.

Carol, have you started seeing in benefits in your running with the strength training you're doing? I know it would help me, especially for longer runs when my back starts hurting - I know that's my weak core talking to me.

Okay, here's my recap. My race today was so much fun! The race was a 1.9 mile run, 10 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. I did the first run at about a 7:10  pace, ran into transition and realized I had nothing to lean on while I changed from running to bike shoes. So that took a lot longer than it should have as I apparently don't have very good balance. The bike was awesome. I passed a ton of people, only two people (both guys) passed me. It took me a few miles to get comfortable and going good (I really should have ridden outside more than one 20 minute ride last weekend). I got my average speed up to 19.8 - if I'd started out better I could have easily been over 20. The bike workouts I've been doing have definitely made a difference. Got back to transition, got off the bike and racked it, then bent over to switch shoes and my left calf cramped up hard. I stood there unable to move for at least 30 seconds, watching the three girls I'd passed on the bike course and a whole bunch of guys go by. I finally was able to get my running shoes back on and started limping towards the final run, when someone very nicely pointed out that I still had my helmet on. So back to take that off and then finally on the run. My legs actually felt pretty good (except the calf), but I couldn't catch my breath. I don't know if feeling under the weather the last few days had something to do with that, or maybe running through a park where everything is blooming had something to do with it, or I just didn't have the sauce. Plus, after my horrible transition, I kind of lost my fight. I passed a few people on the run, but I just couldn't push myself hard. I think I averaged 7:54 miles. I finished 8th female overall, 2nd master, 1st in my AG.

I really wanted the overall masters, but it was not to be. She was one of the girls I passed on the bike that passed me back while I was standing in transition in pain. So I figured she was a faster runner than me, so why push it - I wouldn't be able to catch her. Well, turns out she passed me in the first transition as well when I was fumbling with my shoes and that's how she got ahead of me on the bike. I was actually a few seconds faster than her on the second run, but she still beat my by just under a minute. I feel like I should have been able to catch and pass her on the run, but my head and the fact that it was harder than normal to breathe just took the fight right out of me. And at the turnaround (out and back course), there were no women anywhere close behind me, so I slacked off even more. I am still happy with what I did. I had guessed the best I could do was 1:10, and I finished in 1:11:31. Without fumbling and cramps in transition, and a little bit better second run, I think I could actually do better than 1:10. Second in my AG was a 1:21, so I guess I could have slacked off even more.

I didn't do the 5k yesterday morning.   I ran 8 miles this morning and I really need to get in the mileage and I was afraid running 3 days in a row and one of those days being a race, that I wouldn't be able to do my longish one today.  I felt pretty good this morning and am happy that I got in the 8.

Karen....my back hurts too and I have been doing strength training.  My mom had back pain in the same place that I do, I am thinking it is just a weak spot for me, I don't know, maybe that is just an excuse, but it seems no matter what I do I get this back pain .  Mine is right below the shoulder blades and just feels like it needs to be cracked really good!  Good job on the race, I keep saying you are amazing and you are!

It was so nice to run this morning in just a shirt and capris!  No gloves, hat, jacket.  Tuesday is supposed to be horrible here, but I am not thinking about that.  Today is gorgeous so far.

Dh and I are going to Crocker Park today.  A really neat shopping center outdoors near Cleveland.  Then we are cooking out for the first time this year (if the rain holds off)  Burgers and asparagus on the grill....yum!

Hi to everyone.

ginny

10.1 for me. Errands and yard work today. Getting my car washed right now.

Had to laugh as dad's wife put me as her daughter in law on fb. Took forever for dh to understand that meant he would be the sin. Ha ha. She needs to fix that.

Lisa see, we always buy brand new houses so we haven't had that issue with our last 4 homes. But, this one I'm really loving how it looks now.

Karen you are so speedy! Sorry on the cramp.

Ginny core work really helps. But if it is below the  shoulder blades that us usually caused by the neck. Most common referral of pain from the neck is to the shoulder blades.

Lisa as good for you getting back to trails.

Marjorie, daughter-in-law? That's funny!

Lisa, the good thing about going from the west coast east is you get extra time - so I see no reason not to do the race. At a reasonable pace, of course, enjoying every minute.

Ginny, smart not to do the race yesterday. You have more self control than I do!

I ran 12 miles this morning. The legs were not happy to do that after yesterday's effort. Finally started feeling better about halfway through, now stiff again if I sit down for long. So far my solution is to not sit still for long. It was 80 degrees when I finished at noon. I was dripping with sweat, but I was not complaining at all.

We hired a company to do a bunch of work on the outside of our house - painting, replacing the columns out front, replacing a bunch of rotting wood, power washing, etc. Basically three full days of work for three days. DH got to talking to the foreman and gave him the utility trailer we have sitting in the back yard. We don't need it and we don't have a vehicle that will tow it anymore. Deal was that he'd pick it up today and haul it off with all the junk in it, and we'd sign over the title. Win/win, and then when they were moving it around front, DH talked to him about doing some other work for us on the side. I think we're going to have him re-do the kitchen counters and maybe replace the carpet in the living and dining rooms with wood or laminate. Oh, and his wife has her own cleaning service, and DH seems to like and trust this guy, so I may actually get people to come and clean my house!!! Win/win/win for me too!

Sunny Sunday!  Ran 12.6 on a trail (the only flat trail around) along the ocean.  It was foggy when I started but the sun was peeking through a couple hours later when I finished.  Used my 20% off coupon from REI (today's the last day to use them, REI fans!) to buy a new pair of sunglasses with polychromatic lenses, which are supposed to change tint depending on how bright it is outside.  I am very excited to try them since my usual sunglasses are too dark for foggy days, but I still want UV protection for my eyes.

Karen, sounds like a hard race with all of the changing and transitions!  Well done on the AG award.

Lisa, hooray for being back out on the trails!  I agree with Karen -- do the half (you didn't really expect us to say otherwise, did you?).  Just take it easy, walk if needed, and enjoy being out on the trails.

Ginny, looks like you've got your running mojo back!  Nice 8.

Marjorie, when you're done with all of your house projects, you'll practically have a brand new house!

Hi LC -- Prom?  Whew, glad you survived!  (And that your DD had fun.)

MTA Hi Carol!  Cross-posted

Waves to everyone else!  Off to do some work in the yard.