Long Run Mammoth Park

My friend, Sara, and I headed to Mammoth Cave National Park yesterday for a nice little run through the woods.  We were on a gravel (ouch) bike trail for 12 miles.  My legs were throbbing at the end and I struggled with the ups and downs of the trail, not to mention the large gravel that bruised my feet.  But I got it done and feel good about Nashville.  I should be ok.  I'm going to enjoy it even if I'm not. :)

Boston Marathon Race Meal

I'm watching via Twitter the leaders and following my friends paces.  They are doing great!  And I'm enjoying this:  Egg burrito with tomatoes, cheddar, avocado and salsa.... YUM!  Yes, I feel a little guilty, but I know they are living the dream right now... and I'm eating it.

New Best Friend

Finally, after months of thinking I should, I ordered the foam roller.  But it took a strength training session to put it into use.  Ouch!  I can tell this is going to do great things for me and my dreaded IT Bands.  :)

On my mind....

I haven't been able to work hard the last few weeks like I'd hoped, but I'm still looking forward to the Country Music 1/2 Marathon.  My friends will be there running too, some from Nashville, some from Atlanta, and some from Bowling Green.  Plus my brother and his girlfriend are coming up from Florida and I've never met her, and she's running with me!   It's going to be fun no matter my time.  I love Nashville.  I run without an ipod because I just love the atmosphere.  I love the bands, the fans, the other runners.  It's just fun.  I can't wait to go to the concert after, and celebrate with all the other runners and my friends.  So looking forward to all of it.

I have two friends, Caryn (see her blog here) and Brian that are running Boston a week from yesterday.  I'm so excited for them both!!  Can't wait to follow the whole race!!!

Track Workout...

Beautiful day.  Get the kids ready.  Grab snacks, drinks, sunscreen, giant bouncy ball.  Drive to a local High School track.  Locked.  Drive across town to another High School Track.  Open.  Gold!  We get out.  Drinks, check.  Snacks, check.  Sunscreen, check.  Big ball to entertain kids, check.  No one around, check.  GOLD!!  Explanation to stay together and play nicely and try not to bug mommy too much.  Ahhh, this is gonna work.  They are happy to be playing with their big ball on a manicured football field while I jog a warm-up mile.  Last lap of the warmup... "He won't play with me!"  Fine.  Lecture on being nice and playing together.  "I need to go to the bathroom!"  Oh, no.  This could be disaster.  "No, I can hold it, mom."  Ok.  I take off on my first mile.  I'm suppose to do 3 repeats with 800 jogs.  I run the first mile in 7:29.  "Mom, I really gotta go."  (Everything is locked up as far as bathrooms around because of Spring Break and the schools being closed).  And we load up and head home.  Finished the other two miles on the treadmill.  I tried.  Fail.

Tough

So Tuesday the boys and I went to stay at my parents while the hubby traveled. This gave us a nice visit and allowed me the chance to get out and run!  They live in a very hilly neighborhood.  I ran only 4 miles, but pushed it. The second mile had 4 hills totaling .31, .16, .14, and .05 length hills and very steep... Like straight up. Houses on this road have driveways straight up or straight down. When I was training for Ragnar I tried running it unsuccessfully. I would have to walk a bit after I got to the top of the hills. But Tuesday I killed those hills and it felt great. It was hard, but I am tougher than I thought I was. I kept my shoulders back and my head up, and zoomed right up. Today I'm gonna try to get to a track with my boys for a speed workout. We'll see how much they let me do!

Slacker Days

So I missed my runs all week.  I battled the cold, and survived.  Still hanging on a bit, but I think it's at least under control.  More than that, I survived my oldest boy's birthday party Saturday.  We had company all weekend and worked all day in the yard today.  I moved huge rocks, lifting with my legs of course - which was a great total body workout.  I took a nap out on the patio by the koi pond.  It was a warm, windy, sunny day.  Loved it.  I made homemade gumbo and homemade tomato pie (amazing), and we had our first fire in the outdoor fireplace Tony built.  It was an amazing day, and let me not leave out that my oldest finally tried to ride his bike, and mastered it in a matter of minutes.  But back to running, I will get back on track this week.  Though its spring break and many miles will be on the treadmill, I'm looking forward to pushing through and getting ready for Nashville.