Gardening Again

Many of you probably don't know this but I grew up on a farm and the need to grow things is engrained in my soul.  For years, I have resisted and felt like simply didn't have enough time.  This year, that has all changed. 

Last summer we decided to lay a patio with 12x12 concrete pavers and ended up with a lot of extra sand.  Up until now, this huge pile of sand has been sitting in our back yard and served no purpose.  I take that back, it had two purposes: 1) something else to mow around 2) a hill for Samson to run up and down and sometimes sleep on.

A few weeks ago, we started to have septic problems and ended up needing to get it pumped out.  What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend ended up involving a small tractor with a back hoe attachment and lots of yard work.  If you live in the city, be very thankful you don't have to deal with.  FYI - It's never a good thing when poots come up your toilet instead of going down. 

I'm aware this doesn't sound like it has much to do with gardening but I'll get to that point in a second. 

Just before the septic problems, I had already been thinking about planing some vegetables but didn't really feel like digging up the yard.   Then it hit me...use cattle water troughs!!!  I started shopping around and depending on the size these can get expensive fast.  Our local Tractor Supply sold these in a variety of sizes and I went with a fairly small one, sized 2'x2'x4'.  To start out with, I purchased two at about $80 each.

Note: They had some 2'x2'x2' that were cheaper but I have a large and very clumsy dog.  I was terrified he would stomp all over my plants in a short container. 

We used the tractor that weekend to fill these with our left over sand but left about 4 inches at the top for potting soil.  In case you don't have a giant sand pile in your yard (and who doesn't), sand can be purchased fairly cheaply at any home improvement or gardening store.   Another option, I saw last weekend is to fill the bottom with empty plastic bottles.  This is total genius!!  They are light weight so your container will be easy to move if you need to.

This last weekend, I finally decided to buy everything else I needed.  Since space was limited, I ended up only buying plants that we both love the most. 

After roaming around Home Depot for a while, I decided on the following:

• 4 bags of potting soil (2 cu ft size)
• 7 tomato plants (2 different sizes of tomatoes)
• 4 cucumber plants
• 4 jalapeno plants
• 5 green bell peppers
• Plastic painter's tarp - This was around $3 and just used to keep my car from getting dirty.

In between purchasing my containers and purchasing all my materials, I bought a new car.  Turns out, you can fit a lot of stuff in the back of a MINI Cooper if you try!

Once I got home we started mixing the garden soil and sand.  It's best to pour about half a bag in and mix then pour the rest of the bag in.  Sometimes garden soil can be so strong with fertilizer it will burn your plants.  Mixing it with native soil will keep that from happening.

We had a tiller attachment for our weed-eater from a few years back.  Having that made the mixing super easy.  If you don't have one of these, it's easy enough to mix the soil using a garden spade or a three prong garden tool.

Almost all the plants now come in biodegradable containers that you plant with the plant.  Much less waste and almost no transplant shock.  Before these, plants came in plastic containers and if you weren't very careful with the roots the plants would die and be a giant waste of money.

If you've never grown anything before, don't let that scare you off.  Instructions come with the plants, either on the wrapper or a little plastic pic in the soil.  This will let you know about how far apart to plant them and how much light they need. 

Basically you need to dig a hole just big enough to fit the container.  Here's what mine looked like in the beginning.



6 plants on the left are jalapeno, 6 middle are green bell pepper and 3 on the right are cucumber



Top left is a cucumber plant and the rest are tomato

We finished by adding another couple inches of garden soil and watering enough to give them a good soaking.  If your water starts to puddle, stop before you drown them!    
This is an awesome project to do with kids to show them where all the veggies in the store actually came from.  Dont' let limited time and space discourage you.  After you get everything set-up, it take a couple minutes each day to water and that's it.  My boss actually uses plastic pools from Wal-Mart for his gardens.  Easy for his daughter to reach and cheap!

Hopefully in 45-60 days we will be enjoying the fruits of our labor.  Ha!!  (Tacky gardening joke but I had to work it in)

**Since we planted there have been some new developments.  Turns out being afraid that my clumsy dog would stomp on a smaller garden shouldn't have been my only fear.  These container are the perfect height to provide him with a tasty buffet.  He's already eaten 3 of the 4 cucumber plants.  Looks like I'll be replacing those this weekend.

Amazing Vacation Turns Into My Worst Race: Cowtwon Half - Race Recap

I'm not exactly sure how to write the post but all I know is that I need to. What I can tell you is this, in the words of a blogger friend; you better have your boots ready because there's some verbal vomit coming.

My previous race was the Rock n Roll San Antonio Half Marathon on Nov 12. This was an absolutely amazing race and even though I didn't meet my goal time (due to injury), I still finished faster than my first half. Afterward, I took a couple weeks off to rest my IT band and concentrate on stretching it.

Then came the month of December and I tried to get back out there and get my mileage back up and work a little on pace. Even though I was training, I’ll admit, it was hard and my heart wasn’t fully into it. My training partners and I run after work and it was always dark and cold, sometimes very cold. At this point, I had full intentions on running the Cowtown Half in the end of February followed up by Rock n Roll Dallas in the end of March. Honestly, I was really excited about this schedule and anxious to see if my body could hold up to 2 months of half marathons. There are a lot of runners who do this but it would have been my first time.

Then New Year’s Eve came and I ended up with unexpected surgery that took me completely off my feet for two weeks. My surgeon cleared me to start “lightly jogging” on January 20 and fully training again on January 30. This leaves me with a total of three weeks to train for the Cowtown Half. Some of you may be looking at a calendar and notice that if I started really training there would be four weeks to do it. But Wait..There’s More!! Since October we’ve had a ski trip planned from February 17 through the 25th. That’s right, I scheduled a ski trip the week before a half and planned on doing as much downhill skiing as I could stand for 4 days.

Our vacation was truly fabulous. A lot of fresh snow fell our first day there, which helped make for some great skiing. We took my first ever snowmobile tour and managed to get it stuck only twice. This was the first time in my life, I had been in snow up to my thighs and still wasn’t standing on the ground! It was quite interesting and much harder to move in than I expected. Every day we made as many runs as we could handle and ended up totally exhausted every night.

Originally, our plans were to drive about 8 hours toward home on Saturday and drive the rest of the way Sunday. Once I registered for the race, this meant either leaving on Friday or doing the entire 13+ hour drive on Saturday. No one wanted to give up that last day of skiing so we decided to leave at 7am on Saturday and make the whole drive in one day. I knew it wouldn’t be good for my body to be sitting in a truck that long the day before but honestly hoped it would help a little and give my legs some rest from skiing. In 13 hours home we stopped three times, twice for food and once for fuel. It actually wasn’t that bad of a drive but I was dying to get out of the truck by the time we got home at 8:30 that night.

We quickly unloaded the truck and I started to find my clothes for the race. The weather on race day was supposed to start a little chilly but warm up quickly. Most everything I had planned on wearing was in the tub we took skiing and once I rounded up everything else I would need for that day, I headed to dig out my clothes. Hubby had locked the ski tub so when we were stopped for food no one would mess with our stuff. When I asked for the keys, he thought I had them and I thought he had them. We searched for nearly an hour and couldn’t find them anywhere. At this point, I gave up and decided to wear something else. I know there are a lot of others out there like me (or at least I hope there is) and if I can’t wear what I have planned out in my head, my race automatically starts off going in a bad direction.

I actually slept okay that night but I think it was from pure exhaustion. Rachel had picked up my packet for me so we met that morning and rode together. After we got there we rounded up most of our team members and nervously waited for the start. We talked about pace and how we hoped the race would go. I was shooting for a 2:30 finish but joked I hoped to just finish, it wasn’t until about 2 hours later did I realize how true that joke would become.

About 10 minutes before the start of the race, I took my first Gu. I started off at what felt like a comfortable pace but somewhere around a mile and a quarter, I felt the bubbling in my guts but nothing too uncomfortable. After just a little farther the bubbling went from mild to severe. Thank God the first porta-potties were just ahead!! I have never made a pit stop after only a mile and a half but there was no way to avoid it. My surgeon warned me that after gall bladder surgery that there will be foods that make you sick that never have before. That morning, I learned Gu was one of them. After re-enacting the scene from Dumb and Dumber, except in a porta-potty (sorry for the visual but that’s what it felt like); I managed to get back out on the course but my mojo was gone. Every step seemed a struggle to find my pace and enjoy myself.

Most of miles 3-8 are pretty much a blur. I just schlepped along, alternating between walking and jogging. Somewhere between mile 7 & 8, I found Elaine. We exchanged high 5’s and went on with our races. It’s always great to see a smiling face at that point in your race. Just after mile 8 is when you start the uphill climb on the Main St Bridge that goes over the Trinity and this is where my pain started. At this point, my thighs were exhausted but I was still moving. After topping that hill, I managed to jog for a little through downtown but slowed again to a walk. Another runner runs up beside me, looks me square in the eye then slowly down to my feet and slowly back up to make eye contact. She nicely smiles and says “C’mon! You can finish! We’re almost done!” I can only imagine how pathetic I looked at this point because I felt absolutely terrible. Not too much farther into we passed Starbucks and I wanted so badly to stop and get a coffee, thinking the caffeine would help. I resisted (which seemed overly hard) and kept on trucking.

Somewhere around mile 10 everything below my belly button ached so badly I could barely move and had totally stopped even trying to run. I pulled out my phone and started to text my husband, knowing is encouragement would keep me moving toward the finish. I walked along constantly thinking how there was only a 5k left and I had to finish. Once I started down the Lancaster Street Bridge it took everything I could muster to even move. Rachel texted needing me to call because she was having a hard time getting a line out. Soon as she answered, she mentioned where they were and wanted to know where I was. “The Bridge” was the only thing I could say before I started to cry. I remember her sweet and encouraging voice saying “Just finish Jess. You can do this.”

There were multiple times on that bridge that stopping and standing there was the only thing that would relieve how badly my body hurt. I have never sobbed because my legs and feet hurt so badly during a race but that day I did. Suck it up! and Finish your race! were phrases that went through my mind hundreds of times in that mile.

Just after passing the mile 12 sign and knowing there was just over a mile left, I tried to pick up my pace. It was still a walk but a slightly faster one. Every step was painful from my thighs to my toes. As I’m walking along, I see Marci. We went to college together and she’s one of my best friends but as we met on University Dr., she looked straight at me and didn’t realize who I was until I managed to mutter “Hey Marci” and give a slight wave. In my mind this drives home even more how terrible I look if she doesn’t recognize me. Her first words to me were “Oh God! You’re still out here! You hurt...” and she jumped off the curb and gave me a huge, tight hug. All I could do was stand on the street and sob uncontrollably. I remember telling her how bad my body hurt and how I wasn’t sure if I could finish. She just kept hugging and told me how “everyone needs bad races to truly appreciate the good ones” and how “this wasn’t a race and to treat it as a bad training run.” and how no one expected me to have a great race because I had skiied for a week prior.  I think she followed that up with how skiing before a half was possbily the stupidest thing I could have done.  It was the brutal truth and that's why I love Marci.  I’m not even sure I said bye to her but remember pulling away, crying and saying “I’m just going to walk.” I have no idea where the emotion came from or how to stop it.

I rounded the corner, expecting to see the finish line but it wasn’t there. Race organizers had moved it and it was around another corner but I wasn’t sure how far. Once I made that final corner, the finish was about 400 yards ahead and I started to run. I hadn’t ran in miles but I was going to at least run across the finish. The race clock read 3 hours 34 minutes and 18 seconds.

Even walking was difficult but I eventually made my way to get my finisher’s shirt and find Rachel. Immediately she hugged me and I started to cry again. Rachel, Toybeth and I headed to look at the results posting so they could see what their official time came in at. Both Rachel and Toybeth set a PR that day and had fantastic races. Rachel came in just under 2 hours for her half and Toybeth just over 2 hours. It was slightly depressing to know they had been waiting for me to finish almost as long as it took them to run their half. Their excitement over their finish was a pep to my spirit though. Excitement always leads to energy and I needed that.

Today was the first time I actually looked up my times and I’ll be honest, after Cowtown, it’s been hard to get back to running. I have ran twice since the race: once for 1.7 miles and a 5k last weekend that turned out fantastic. In the weeks since Cowtown, I’ve thought a lot about my running and where I want to go with it. For now, I’m going to concentrate on strength training and working my 5k and 10k times. With any luck and a lot of effort, hopefully, I’ll run the Dallas White Rock half in December.

Time for a Change

I've decided it's time for a change.  Three years ago, hubby and I went to a nutritionist to loose weight.  We both lost a significant amount of weight but do not follow the program like we should at all and the pounds have crept back. 

In all honesty, I need to loose about 20 pounds.  I'm 5'5" and currently at 171 pounds.  The top healthy BMI weight for someone my height is 148.  Other than my weight, I'm currently healthy but I also know that excess weight is the primary cause of a whole lot of health problems.  Diabetes runs in my family and its one I'm terrified of.  So does high cholesterol and high blood pressure. 

Above all, I'm uncomfortable.  My clothes are getting tighter and not in an attractive way.  "The straw that broke the camel's back" was weekend before last after a shopping trip with my hubby.  I found two pairs of great NorthFace convertible pants on clearance.  I bought my normal size and was super excited to try them on when I got home.  Much to my dismay, not only did they not fit, I couldn't even get the buttons to meet.  Extreme disappointment set in and I spent most of last week reviewing where I have went wrong.

For the last few years, I have strength trained two days a week and ran at least two days a week, usually three.  For the last few months, I've been good to run twice a week and strengh training has been totally dropped.  Considering, strength training is something I love, it's been hard for this to not be part of my routine.

On the other front, I like food.  It always makes me feel better to prepare (or order) healthy dinners but this isn't what's always on my mind.  I seem to run short on time in the evenings and it's much easier to make some tacos and rice than it is to make grilled chicken with vegetables.  I'll admit, that sounds like the laziest thing I've said in a while.

Needless to say, a new journey is starting and I'll keep you posted.  Right now, I'm off to find the plan designed by our nutritionist that we were on a few years a go that worked so well.  I'll get 2012 turned around and I vow it will end much healthier than it began!!

Coming Soon: First Official Shoe Review

In mid December, @RunAddicts (blog) sent out a tweet about wanting some runners to review some new Asics.  Having just switched over to Asics in October, I thought this would be a very cool opportunity to try another pair of their shoes and decided to send in an email.  Honestly, as much as I love to run (and blog about it), it would have never occurred to me I would actually be chosen.

Much to my surprise, I received an email this morning from Davy with Run Addicts letting me know I had been chosen and the new shoes would be in the mail soon.  Needless to say, this has started my weekend off very nicely!! 

I'll post the review here shortly after receiving the shoes. 

Hope everyone has terrific training this weekend and good luck to everyone racing this weekend!

Thankful Thursday

Today's Thankful Thursday is dedicated to this little guy, my nephew Lane.

Just chilling last summer



Playing Peek-a-Boo!



Lane & Monk Monk (made by his great grandmother)



In the last year, he has brought renewed life (and lots of fun) to our little family.  It been a wonderful gift to watch him push my sister's buttons grow and discover new things.  His expressions are priceless and always a little overboard.  There's a very good chance that part of his personality came from me.  In the last few weeks, he really started to work at talking and honestly, I can't wait to hear all the funny stuff that will come out of his mouth. 

I'm truly thankful to my sister & her husband from bring him into our life.

FWRC Einstein 10k - Race Recap

This past Sunday, January 22, I ran the Fort Worth Runners Club Einstein 10k. This race was going to be a first for me in two ways. Up to now, I had never ran a 10k nor had I ever been part of a club run and ended up really enjoying both.

The race was an out and back course, which for me personally, can sometimes make the miles pass much more slowly than they actually are.  If I had my preference, it would always be one big loop versus an out and back course but with the race only being $12, I definitely wasn't going to complain.



Sarah, Rachel and I before the race



My surgery was only two weeks ago and I had been released from my surgeon to start really running again 3 days before this.  The plan was to take this race easy and make sure all systems felt right.  Overall, my goal was to finish in 1:15.  After 3 weeks off, 6 miles may have been a little ambitious but I was willing to try. 

There were only about 100 people there and it was great to take part in such a small race.  Rachel and Sarah joined me for the race and we lined up about 5 minutes to 8 am and waited for the start.  Just after 8 am, someone yelled "Ready, Set, GO!" and we were off.  It made me giggle for someone to actually yell for us to go but it kind of make me feel like a kid again and was just another great quirk for this run.

The first few miles felt good and fatigue seemed to be my worst enemy at this point.  Honestly, it felt like I had left my lungs at home.  Normally, I don't breathe that hard for a sprint much less an intentionally slow pace.  Other than not being able to breathe, the first 3 miles seemed to go well. 

There was a turn around just past mile 3 that turned us into the wind.  Rachel had already made the turn around and we ended up passing on the course.  It was great to see her big smile as she asked how I felt.  I replied tired but still going. We high-fived and kept trucking.  There were some very very small inclines but against the wind and already tired, I felt like I was running up Mount Everest.  Mile 5 seemed to be the worst but once I figured out there was only 1.2 miles left, I tried to pick it up a little. 

With about a half mile left, I see Rachel and Sarah running back toward me.  It made my heart warm to seem them coming back for me and to check on me.  We ran together until the time clock came into sight and I ran faster than I had all day.  My finishing time was 1:13:00 with an overall pace of 11:44.

I made my way back over to the pavilion and found Rachel and Sarah.  For a race that only cost $12, I was shocked at everything they provided.  There were bagels, bananas, water, hot chocolate and marshmallows for the kids to roast over a fire they had.  Overall, I was very impressed with FWRC and really want to join the club.  Everyone at the race was incredibly nice and it was well organized.

During the race, I heard some runners pointing out, "Hey! There's Einstein."  All I noticed was a bronze statue on a bench with crazy hair and figured that's what they were pointing out.  Afterward, we headed over to the bench to get some picture with Einstein.  It wasn't until after I posted this picture on Facebook that I found out the statue is actually Mark Twain.  DOAH!!! 



Overall, it was a fantastic morning that we ended with some girl chat over breakfast at Panera. 

Other than discounted entry fees, what are your favorite reason for being part of a running club?

I was pretty stoned..

..or full of it depending on how you want to phrase it!  I'm really late on getting this post up but I met with my surgeon on January 11 for a check-up.  During the meeting, he mentioned again about how my gallbladder was over 3 times the size it should have been.  Dr. R then proceeds to tell me after the surgery they decided to count the stones and turns out there more than 50 stones.  50 STONES!!  During the consultation, he told me he had no idea how I felt good enough to walk much less do any kind of running. Honestly, I have no idea how I was doing it.  I now wonder if this hasn't been what was giving me such an iritable stomach over the last few years and I was just blaming it on eating things I shouldn't. 

I'm blessed to say there have been no complications or issues after the surgery and I'm feeling stronger everyday.  I'm most thankful to be running again.  All the non-activity was killing me!!

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive and checked on me over the last few weeks.  I am a firm believer in the healing process being accelerated by attitude.  Over the last couple of weeks, you all have helped keep my spirits up and I am truly thankful.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful that out of all the people in this world, I happen to have found my perfect match when I met my husband.  When we met, we realized how much we had in common but that we were also different in just enough ways to keep each other interested.

This has been a long and difficult couple of weeks and I don't know how I would have made through it without him.  He's been by my side every step of the way and made my first surgery feel like it was something routine.  Keeping me calm is something that seems to be easy to him.  Ask anyone who knows me and you'll find out, that's no easy task.  By nature, I'm a little high strung and he takes it all in stride.

We married almost 5 years ago and I can't imagine my life without him.  He's always my cheerleader, protector, provider and above all, my best friend.  There are many more years in our life together and I each day, I'm thankful I get to spend those days with him. 

I am incredibly thankful to have Shawn in my life and pray everyday that I never have to know life without him.

~~Jessi

Thankful Thursday...on Friday

Yesterday was a little busy, so my Thankful Thursday post had to get pushed off until today. Over the last few days, I have been attended to by a barrage of unbelievably kind & helpful medical staff at Harris Southwest in Fort Worth. 
On NYE, I was hit with a horribly painful gall bladder attack & it was suggested we have it taken out sooner than later. Two days later I was scheduled for surgery & yesterday at 2 pm had it removed.

Everyone from the pre-op nursing crew to the anesthesia crew to the surgeon & his nurses did everything in their power to make me comfortable both physically & mentally. I was much more worried about the anesthesia than the actual surgery but those fears were quickly calmed by the wonderful staff that attended to me.

Dr Rutledge, told Shawn the surgery went very well and he was glad we did it now. Turns out, my gallbladder was three times the size it was supposed to be & there was a very large stone completely blocking it. Another attack would have been much worse than the first and could have easily done damage to other organs.

I've been given strict instructions to avoid any fat, greasy or fried foods; basically anything good is out of the question for a couple weeks. Other than diet restrictions, I've been told no activity for one week & only light activity during the second week. I had hoped on running the Bold in the Cold 5k or 15k this weekend but looks like that won't happen. Right now I'm hoping to feel well enough to run the Lake Benbrook half at the end of January. 
All this down time will give me a chance to write thank you notes to all the various medical crews for a job well done. They are in a position that is rarely thanked for what they do and as we all know, a simple note can go a long way.

Anyway, back to Thankful Thursday. This week I am tremendously thankful to have access to professional medical care. Many places in our planet don't have that luxury & if you have an illness, living in chronic pain may be your only option.
Please take a moment and be thankful for what you have and the people in it!



Heading to the hospital. I hoped the bright colors would help the day go by better!



All hooked up and waiting on the surgeon.

Here we go!

NYE & an ambulance: Not part of my plans!

Last night was probably the worst NYE ever. I woke up, Saturday morning with some upper abdominal pain that gradually worsened through out the day. By 6pm the pain had started to radiate to my back. Our NYE party was set to begin at 8pm & at this point I felt wretched. After eating, the pain was so intense, I abandoned my own party to lay down. Around 11:30, Shawn convinced me to go to the hospital.

We made it in to Weatherford, & the pain became so intense, Shawn had to pull over & let me throw up. Knowing I probably couldn't make it the 30 minute truck ride to Fort Worth, we headed to the Life Care station. Medic 11 started an IV to give me some anti-nausea meds & started the trip to Fort Worth. Half way there, I thought I was going to die. This was the worst cramping & pain I have ever felt. At this point, he gave me my first 2 mg of morphine and made the comment that it was 11:57 &
 by the new year I should be feeling less pain.

As the 2012 rolled in, my medic bids me "Happy New Year!" asked how the pain was. On a scale of 1 to 10, at the worst, it was probably an 8 but now it was a 7. Still horrible but less intense. The pain starts to intensify again and he gives me a 2nd dose of morphine. Within 2 minutes, my pain shot up to around 9.5 and I begin to throw up again. Apparently, morphine makes the pain better but also makes you puke up everything you've eaten for the last three days.

We reach the hospital to find the ER is dead. Thank you Jesus! From what I could tell, there was only one other patient they were attending to. My nurses were very sweet & funny too, so it made the time pass a little easier. After about a half hour the on call doctor came in to do some pain & pressure tests & ordered a sonogram & X-ray.

Once those tests were finished & I had been wheeled back to my room, another cramp came on that was with out a doubt the worst thing I have ever experienced. Dilaudid was the next pain med in their arsenal & works magic. This was my first experience with it & if you've never had it, it's an instant drunk. Within 30 seconds, the whole room is spinning and if I hadn't had so many anti-nausea meds I probably would have looked similar to the girl from Poltergeist.

The doctor comes back in after reviewing the sonogram & X-rays & let's us know that my gall bladder is full of stones. His exact words were something to the point of there were so many that he didn't try counting them. He then let's us know there is no need for emergency surgery but that he would give me the name of a surgeon & at sometime in the next week or two I would need to have it removed.

Soon after we were discharged & headed home. We finally made it to bed about 5 am. Today, I've felt ok, just a little tired but am also being extremely cautious with food.

Hope everyone had a much better NYE than I did & please, please eat some extra black eyed peas for me!!

Thankful Thursday

Back in November, there was a movement on Facebook to post something daily that you were thankful for.  Many of my friends posted daily and it was interesting to see what they had to say.  One thing everyone seemed to have in common was the thought that we shouldn't just express our thanks in November but all year long.

I've thought about this for a few weeks and decided to start Thankful Thursday.  This may already exist but if it does I haven't heard about it yet.  During those weeks, I've also thought hard about what to first be thankful for.  Then it hit me..I wouldn't be able to express my thoughts openly (much less in this blog) without living in the great United States of America.

For my first Thankful Thursday post, I am thankful to live in country where I am free to express my thoughts and to our military who so courageously protects that freedom.

Here's my challenge to you, be thankful for something each Thursday and let it be known. If you are thankful of a certain person in your life, let them know. A kind word will go a long way in today's world.

What are you thankful for??

Coyote Chase 5k - Race Recap

This past weekend, some friends and I ran in the Coyote Chase 5k and 1 mile fun run. It's a great local race, benefiting the Weatherford College scholarship fund. Last year, was my first year to participate and really enjoyed it for two reasons: small race with not more than probably 300 people in the 5k and it starts at 9:30 AM. That's right..9:30 AM!!  For me, that's a definite plus.  I'm not much of a morning person. Truth be told, I'm not much of an up-late-at-night person either.  Anyway, back to the race.

As you may remember, I had some severe knee pain during the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio half marathon the weekend before.  Most of last week was spent on the couch, alternating between ice and a heating pad, trying to get the swelling to go down.  By Friday, most of the pain was gone except for when walking down stairs.  I decided to go ahead and continue on with the race and if the pain returned, I would just walk it out.  Plus, a friend (Tyra) who had decided she would like to try running again was coming to meet Rachel and I and do the 1 mile fun run with her son.  It was going to be the first race for them both so I wanted to be there to cheer.

Strangely, going into this race, I had absolutely no pre-race jitters and this is totally out of character for me. It doesn't matter if it's a 1 mile fun run or a half marathon, there are going to be frogs in my tummy. Frogs? Yes, I know; most people get "butterflies" when they get nervous but this is something much bigger than some dainty butterflies. It seriously feels like there are frogs jumping around inside me doing anything they can to bust out.  I'm not sure what was about this race but I was unusually calm.

As always, I left my house a little late that morning and the 1 mile fun run group was starting to finish when I arrived.  Tyra and her son were just making it to the finish line when I walked up and it was the cutest thing to see him so exited to run across that finish line and get his ribbon.

Knowing I was going to take this race easy, I decided on somewhere around middle of the pack to line up.  I knew this wouldn't be a PR but I also didn't plan on walking the whole thing.  Once the gun went off, there was a little weaving through people but nothing too bad.  The first mile felt good and came in around 10:47.  Not too shabby but definitely not my best.  Mile 2 has some great hills in it but I still managed to come out with 11:13; definitely slower but no knee pain.  Mile 3 is basically downhill but I couldn't seem to muster up any energy and finished with an overall time of 32:27. 

All week, I prepped myself to the fact this wouldn't be a PR and my time wouldn't be great but in the end I was still disappointed.  The only minor victory I had was knowing I had finished with very little knee pain.

Our group did have a couple of big victories though.  Rachel and Mrs. Looney placed first in their AG.  Congratulaitons ladies!!



Tyra, Me, Rachel & Mrs. Looney

There's some great races coming up in 2012.  I can't wait to see what the new year will bring and just hope it contains lots of miles, laughs and friends!!

Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio - Race Recap / Part 2

Up to this point, the race was going extremely well.  Miles were flowing by easily and I was well on target to hit my goal of 2:30. 

Suddenly, just after I start mile 8 there was intense and searing pain in my right knee.  At one point, I actually looked down to see if I was bleeding; hoping I hadn't been shot.  The faster I tried to go the worse the pain got.  As you can tell from mile mile splits, I was significantly slowing down. In fact, the best I could muster was a fast hobble that really resembled what mall walkers do.  I know you can see it in your head, there was lots of arm pumping and hip wiggling but I was doing the best I could.

Mile 8:  12:24
Mile 9: 13:22
Mile 10: 13:33

Out of no where, just after mile 10, I hear my hubby yelling at me "Hey Jess!  Smile!!"  What was he doing here!!  To back-up just a little, before the race, Shawn and Rachel's hubby, Ken, decided to catch us at mile 3 & 8 to get pictures and cheer us on.  Mile 10 was no where in the arrangement.  I had seen them at mile 3 but never did at mile 8, which was horribly packed with people and I honestly figured I had just missed them.  Upon seeing him, I tried to smile and wave for a quick picture.  I was unbelieveably excited to see him and it honestly made it a little easier for a minute.  He yelled something about a bicycle and the finish line and I kept on trucking.

Knowing I had just finshed 1 slow mile and 2 very slow miles, I really wanted to try and pick up the pace and finish strong.  Toward the start of mile 11, I ran up behind a man wearing a Wounded Warrior shirt with something about the para-Olympics on it.  It was at this point, I noticed he had an artifical foot. Everything just below the calf muscle was gone.  All I can think of is if he can do this so can I.  I tried to speed up and the pain actually started to ease some the longer I went.  Upon seeing, the mile 12 marker and knowing I only had 1.1 miles left, I gave it all I had. 

Mile 11: 12:44
Mile 12: 12:50
Mile 13: 12:13

Just before the mile 13 marker there was a slight turn for the home stretch. I looked down at my watch and realized I was at a 2:35.  At this point, I was totally esctatic with my time.  After the pain I was in, I was really surprised this was faster than my first half. 

My official finishing time was 2:39:00 and comes out to almost 7 minutes faster than my first half marathon.  I may not have hit my ultimate goal of 2:30 for this race but it gives me something to shoot for with the Cowtown in Feb.

Sweet!! New bling!!!!

After the race, it takes forever to actually get a phone line out to find Shawn.  He knew we would never find each other in the finish area and had actually waited just outside the Alamodome.  Once I made my way over there, I see him waiting with a bicycle.  Turns out, San Antonio has this awesome bike rental services that for $10 you can rent a bicycle for 24 hours.  There are between 14-17 bike stations around the downtown area to help you get between museums, the zoo and other attractions.  He wanted to meet me at mile 10 but knew he couldn't get there before I did and make it back to the finish before I did.  I rode the bike back to the turn-in point and we walked out way back to the hotel.

At this point, the only thing left to do was say good bye to perhaps the ugliest carpet known to man.  Seriously, where did they buy this stuff?!

All in all, this was a fabulous weekend and a great race.  I'm proud of how I did and know overall, my body is considerable stronger than it was for my first race.  After the Cowtown, my entire body ached.  My legs basically gave up somewhere before mile 10 and I basically walked the last 3 miles.  After finishing in San Antonio, I felt fabulous.  My knee was throbbing but overall, my leg muscles felt strong. 

Above all, I'm proud to know I'm not a "one and done" runner.  I've loved both the half marathons I've ran and can't wait for the next couple in the line up!!

Oh yeah, I forgot about the picture Shawn took at mile 10.  That's me in the white hat directly behind the woman in blue.  I love him so much just for trying.

Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio - Race Recap

This past weekend, my husband and I took off for my first out of town race.  I had heard great things about the Rock n Roll series and after some discussion with my training partner we decided San Antonio was a great place to start.

Friday: Travel Day

First, it was terrifying to try to pack for this trip.  I’m bad about over packing for a normal trip but when I have to make sure I have all my race gear packed, there is an obscene amount of baggage that comes with one person.  I was able to get all my clothing packed into my small rolling suitcase but there was no room for running shoes and other race essentials. This meant I was taking my gym bag.  Toiletries went in their handheld carrier but I also had to pack my food. 

Any day but race day, I have an iron stomach but there is something about running that will turn me inside out.  I’ve found a specific protein shake that won’t make me sick and it was going with me, along with small bottles of milk to mix it with.  All of this went into a very small cooler and prompted the following conversation.

Hubby: Ya know babe – they sell milk in San Antonio, probably even at our hotel.  We can just get it there to mix your shakes with.

Me: I know they sell milk in San Antonio but it’s San Antonio milk, not Weatherford milk. What if it was a different brand with funny stuff in it?

I was terrified to take any chances. The cooler was going. 

The drive down was great but ended up getting into San Antonio about 5:15 and had to deal with some pretty gnarly traffic.  Once we finally found our hotel, (after some passionate discussions on how to read a map) it was time to unload everything I packed.  Side note: I know for men it’s totally unacceptable for the map reader to turn the map so it flows with the direction the vehicle is heading but if you want me to get us there, this is how I have to do it. Hubby unloads both of our suitcases and I grab the rest of my stuff.  We’ve always had the agreement, that if you packet it, you haul it and I’m totally fine with this.  He brought my suitcase to me and at this point, I feel slightly like Za Za Gabor moving to Green Acres.  I have a rolling suitcase in one hand, a toiletry bag and cooler in the other and a back pack on each shoulder.  Hubby on the other hand has one small rolling suitcase. 

After checking in and relaxing at the hotel for a little we headed out to find dinner.  I’m absolutely horrified to eat anything for fear it will make me sick.  We ended up at County Line BBQ and it was actually pretty good.  I’ll try and post a separate restaurant review later.  This being our only night where we didn’t have to get up before the chickens we wanted to stay up for a little.  We headed over to one of my hubby’s favorite places, Howl at the Moon.  For those who haven’t been, it’s a piano bar where you can request the songs they play and sing along with them.  It’s an awesome place.  I sang at the top of my lungs for about 3 hours and was able to get out some race jitters.

 Fun times at Howl at the Moon

Oh yea…I can’t leave this out.  This was what I ate for dessert both Friday and Saturday night from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  Given my photography skills with my iPhone camera, I'm very aware this looks like a turd on a stick but it's not.  It’s three big marshmallows on a stick, covered in toasted coconut and drizzled in delicious milk chocolate and it was FABULOUS!!!    After all, it is race weekend and I’m carb loading.

Best dessert sold in San Antonio!!

Saturday: Expo Day

I love expo day! I mean, who doesn’t??  It’s when all the race excitement really starts to come together with tons of new goodies and things to dream about wanting.  We met my race partner Rachel and her hubby in front of the Alamodome about 1pm and picked up our bibs and goodie bags.  Found tons of stuff I wanted but only ended up buying some new headphones, an iFitness belt with bottles and tropical punch Nuun.  Knowing the race was supposed to be hot and humid I really wanted to carry some fluid with me.  Just as we were getting ready to leave, I found out a friend I hadn’t seen in years, Amanda, was working her way thru packet pick-up.  We hadn’t seen each other in about 8 years and it was awesome to see her at the race!
 

Rachel and I at packet pick-up.  So exciting!!

Long lost buddy Amanda W & I at the expo

Amanda had organized dinner for 16 of us at Paesano’s Italian on the River Walk.  The food was awesome!  I’ll write a restaurant review for this soon too!  We walked the river for just a little and it was back to the hotel for an early bed time.


Sunday: Race Day!!!

Shawn and I at the start line

I woke up absolutely terrified of the race.  My ultimate goal was to run a 2:30 but would have been happy with anything under the 2:45 (my previous PR from the Cowtown 2011).  The night before I had laid out all my clothes, packed my belt and mixed my Nuun and was really glad I had. My mind was running a thousand miles an hour and my stomach was in knots.  It took a lot of work to keep my shake down. With every drink, it took total effort to not puke.  We meet Rachel and her hubby in the lobby of our hotel at 6:35 and once we are outside, it starts to set in how crappy the weather was.  Temps were in the upper 60’s and humidity was around 90%, fog hung over all the buildings.

So excited our race is finally here!!!!!

We made our way to the starting area, took a few pictures and got ready to start.  I’ve never been to a race this size.  People were everywhere.  The Cowtown in Fort Worth was my first half marathon in Feb 2011 and I only thought it was huge until this.  Once we worked our way into the crowd, my nerves started to settle.  I just kept trying to remind myself to “run my race” as Shawn, Rachel and Marci have beat in my head so many times. 

Once we finally made it to the start line, I worked to find my comfortable pace and make my way through the crowd.  The beginning miles flowed by easily partly due to the fact I was so busy reading all the signs and listening to the bands and cheer stations.  There was a great hill at mile 5 that looked just like the hill we train on every week.  It was a long steady grade for about half a mile and soon as I saw it I thought to myself “You’ve got this!” and took off!  It seemed much easier than our training hill which was a huge relief.
 

Running past the Alamo, just before mile 3 

Halfway into the race, I really wasn't looking at overall time.  Each time a mile marker passed, I made sure to take my split.  To meet my goal of 2:30 I needed to average a 11:28 pace. At this point I was happy with my splits:

Mile 1: 11:10

Mile 2: 11:09
Mile 3: 11:27
Mile 4: 11:35
Mile 5: 11:56
Mile 6: 11:49

A little after passing mile 6, we came to a huge balloon arch and after glancing down at my watch, I figured out this was the half way point.  After a few seconds of courage building, I finally decided to look at my over all time.  Holy Crap!! I was at 1:14!!!  Perfectly on target!!  I pulled my phone out sent a quick text to Marci and kept chugging.  In all honesty, I really wanted to send a tweet but decided against it.

Mile 7 went by well with an 11:28 pace.  Holding strong.  And that's when it went downhill....

Update: Thine answer is FUEL!

Yesterday, I set out on a 7 mile run and decided to give Gu another shot.  Took one about 10 minutes before my run and then a Gu Roctane at mile 4.  Only some very slight tummy rumbles but nothing that I even needed to slow down for.  At this point, I'm going to assume the issues I had on Monday were a result of the gummy shrimp.  If you missed my inital post on testing race fuel, check it out here: To Fuel or Not To Fuel?

I'm still planning on experimenting with some other fuels but with less than 4 weeks until Rock n Roll San Antonio, I'm glad to have found something that will work.

Happy Hump Day Everyone!!

To Fuel or Not To Fuel? That is the question

In my last few weeks of training, I've been experimenting with different race fuels.  Currently, I usually take one just before I start the run and then at 4 miles and at 8 miles which works out to about every 40-45 minutes.  During the Rock n Roll San Antonio Half, I'll probably take the last one around mile 11 so I'll get a good boost just before the finish line.

For my first test, I did a 10 mile run and used 3 different flavors of Gu. The run went well and actually felt like I had received a boost from it.

For my second test, I tried Power Gel for a 7 mile run. It was pretty clear after I took the second one at mile 4 that this was not the fuel for me. I ended up walking a lot of miles 6 and 7 due to a severe case of bubble guts.

Yesterday, I set out on a 10 mile run to test Gu again but only made it through 3.5 miles until I had to call my hubby to come get me. I will admit, I'm not sure if it's the Gu that made me sick or the gummy boiled shrimp I had at Hooters on Sunday night. Needless to say, that shrimp has been permanently added to "Don't eat if your life depends on it" list but I'll give Gu another shot.

I still have to test Cliff Blocks, Gu Chomps and Honey Stingers Chews.

Hopefully, I will find something that will won't upset me too bad before San Antonio. If I don't I've already ran one without fuel and; can run another without until I can find one that definitely works for me. 

What do you use?  I love getting feedback so please let me know if there is something you use that I haven't mentioned.

Point of no return?

Tuesday night, I decided to mix up my cardio a little and head to Turbo Kick at the gym. What I remember of this class is it's an hour of gut wrenching all out cardio.

Two important lessons were learned in class. One: I love what running is doing for my body. Two: I may have reached a point of no return.

Standing in front of the mirrors that line the walls, I suddenly realized I looked (or felt) pulled together. Not pulled together in a fashion sense but just at peace with where everything was. This made me realize (again) that I need to focus less on the number that appears on my scale and more on overall fitness and health. For months my primary form of cardio has been running, either treadmill or road miles. As a result, legs are slimming, calves are streamlining & hips feel like they are coming into shape. All of this in time for fall jean season!!

Up to now, I've been able to get some benefit out of a cardio class at my gym. Once class started, I knew I had made a mistake. Everyone was starting to huff & I'm only mildly breathing. All I can think about is wanting to go jump on a treadmill. I've never *wanted* to run 8 miles before but was feeling a longing to get on the road. I stood there going through the motions and started to think about how there really was no way to go backwards in this journey.

This feels like a new chapter & I'm thrilled! And scared out of my mind at the same time. Can I do this? Will my body hold up? Only time will tell but along the way I will give it my all and love every step as long as God will let me be part of it.

Rahr & Sons Oktoberfest 5k - Race Recap

This past Saturday, I ran the Rahr & Sons Oktoberfest 5k with a friend from graduate school and her husband. There were two primary reasons for running this particular race: Marci agreed to do this one with me & free beer afterwards. How can you beat a beautiful Saturday morning, a good friend, running and free beer? For me, that's a perfect start to my weekend.

It's been a couple of months since I've done anything but training runs, mainly due to the unbelievable heat we had this summer. I was excited and a little nervous at the same time. For about a year, I've really been wanting to finish a 5k in under 30 minutes. Up to this point, the closest I came was a 30:15 finish. Although, I should have been happy with that time, the course was mainly downhill and I was certain I would finish under 30 minutes. I was crushed.

Anyway..back to this race. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Sunshine, slight breeze and a cool 75 degrees at the start of the race. Going into this race, I had decided to take it easy. Just enjoy the miles and be satisfied with how I finished. Last Tuesday, on a 6 mile training run, something loudly popped in my left knee and sent searing pain up the back of my leg. It seriously felt like someone stabbed me in the knee and sliced up the back of my leg. After taking the rest of the week off, I was just going to finish the 5k and see how my knee felt.

Once I actually got to the race, my plans changed. I decided to see how hard I could push until the knee pain started again. First mile went great, except for the hooker fellow runner who crowded me into a cone causing me to jump over it. At this point, I felt kind of like an action move star, which just helped fuel my race.

The rest of the race felt strong and it was different than any race I have ever done before. Breathing wasn't overly labored, legs felt strong and my whole body felt at peace. This was actually fun! Never once did I ever feel like I was near death, which usually happens at least once during a race.

Coming around a corner, a race volunteer was cheering that we had "only a half mile left." I started to run faster, watching my total time and getting more excited as I came closer to the finish. That's when I realized the volunteer lied (or at least I think she did) because around the next corner was a huge hill. Even after finishing the hill, my legs felt good. Downside of that hill? A photographer. Yes, the race positioned the first photographer about a half mile from the finish after the biggest hill. I quickly sucked in my gut and smiled for a second. That's the shot I hope she got. Guess we will see when the race photos come out on Tuesday.

Once the brewery was back in sight, I was in a dead sprint. Realizing where I was, I knew the finish like was just ahead. I checked my watch and was at just over 28 mintes.

My official finishing time was 29:30! I have never been this excited post race...EVER!

I don't know about you but I think a PR deserves a new running top. Don't you?

Monsters, shadows and training..oh my!!

Over the last week I've had some great training runs and learned a few things along the way.

Biggest lesson learned: Jason from the Friday the 13th movies doesn't hide in the trees of my neighborhood. 

I'll admit, I know he doesn't really exist but for over a week, I faithfully set my alarm and then turned it off.  Each morning, I was too scared to actually get out of bed and run in the dark.  Finally, last Thursday, I decided to actually get up and run.  About half way through the first mile, I started settling in to a good rhythm and was feeling great about getting up and out of the house.  This is when I started to hear a rustling in the leaves to my right.  Scared out my wits, I look over to see someone running along in the pasture beside me!  After a second quick look, I realize that what I'm seeing is my own shadow in the glow of the moon. Yes, I'm apparently one of those people who is scared of their own shadow.  After that, it turned out to be a beautiful run and I was decently happy with my splits.  That morning, I finished 5 miles in 1:00:54.

Yesterday, my training partner and I took off on a 6 mile run.  For me this is the longest mid week run I've done.  I'm not one who usually feels great during a run.  I love the thought of the run before we start, I love the feeling I have when we are finished but during the run my thoughts are usually anything but joyous.  Yesterday's run was different.  After mile 1, I started to feel like something came over me; truly a feeling of "I can do this!"  Mile 2 and 3 are up some nice hills and I felt good running up both.  The hill at mile 3 is long and tough and I usually take at least one break while running up it but didn't feel the need at all.  It was the strongest I've felt on a run ever! It was glorious!!

Each run leaves me a little more confident that I can conquer the course in San Antonio and do well.  The excitement is swelling and I can't wait for November 13!

What do you mean there's only 9 weeks until race day?!

Ok, it's time to get serious! With 9 weeks remaining before my second half marathon, I don't feel like I'm anywhere near where I should be. At this point, can I finish? Yes. Could I do as well as I hope? No. I feel there's still enough time left to be in decent shape & make a good showing.

On my way home today, I stopped by GNC to grab some much needed supplies.

First: My diet is out of control. Breakfast is non-existent most mornings, lunch is what ever I can grab & dinner is usually the only decent meal I have. Starting Monday, I'm going to get back on my morning shakes & make sure I pack a good lunch & a few snacks.

Second: I have lived on multi-vitamins most of my life. On top of the great energy boost, they have always helped me stay far away from the doctors office. Why would I want to pay a doctor 3 times (or more) what it costs me to buy vitamins?!

Third: It's time to start testing some race fuel. Up to this point, I've only used water during my runs. Even during my first half marathon, I only drank the water provided at the stations. Normally, I have guts of steel but during training runs or races that goes down the drain. This will be an interesting experiment.

Fourth: This is a small adjustment & hopefully temporary. The small bottle is melatonin to help me sleep. I've been on a Z pack for a few days & not getting any sleep.

With all these combined, I plan on having a great race in November & can't wait until it gets here!

Half of a Dog

Yesterday, as I was walking into the garage, I saw this out the window.

We were working on cleaning out the garage and Sam could hear us and wanted to see what we were up to. When I walked out of the garage, Shawn's laughing and says "Look at your silly dog."

Silly, Silly Samson.

Project: Place mats

Since it was too hot to do much of anything yesterday, I decided to start making my place mats. All the charm pack squares have been sewn together and I've started assembling those to the center border. Hopefully this week I will be able to make some better progress.

What do y'all think??

My New Pool

I have such a wonderful dog that he has attempted multiple times to dig us a pool! The only way this could be better is if all his attempts were in the same hole but instead we now have multiple large, ankle breaking, holes dug in our back yard.

Since all his digging is apparently very hard work, Sam decided to lounge in the yard and chew some sticks. I don't know why I continue to buy dog toys; he seems to love sticks just as much.

Remnants of My 1st Pattern

A few months back I was so excited to order my first pattern. It was for curtains and pillows and all sorts of fun stuff I was going to make. Then, I came home a few weeks ago and found this...

Samson was apparently upset I had sewn all night and decided to show me what he thought...

I was so mad that I tried to spank him with what was left and well...that's like spanking him with tissue paper and he didn't really care.

One curtain had already been successfully made with the pattern so I figured it wouldn't be that hard to make the rest without the pattern. It's just a curtain; what could go wrong? Well, when your just starting out sewing you end up with a curtain that's not wide enough for your window by a good two inches. Samson was spanked again but this time with fabric. Again, he didn't really care.

Next time I more carefully took the measurements and successfully made the second of three curtains. I'll add some pictures, once I convince Shawn to hang them.

Welcome!

Welcome Everyone! This is going to be a new adventure in all aspects. I have never blogged, nor have I every sewn. Check back occasionally for updates on new projects and feel free to let me know what you think!