Catch Up time

Things are starting to get back to normal. I'm back to work, survived my first club meeting as well as the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon! Whew! The meeting was well attended, about 25 members so that was a record I think. That followed with a great turn-out for the Saturday group run. We are definitely making a lot of headway in encouraging all level of runners to come out. Work is going okay and fortunately it's not really too busy right now so I haven't had to do too many back to back (no pun intended) massages. My pinky is still tender but everyday it gets better. The Half Marathon was a struggle and I certainly learned that I'm not in all that great shape. I still have a tendency to think that going out to run 15, 20 or even 30 miles is no big deal but it is when you haven't done it for a long time. I'm having difficulty figuring out where to focus. I'd like to get a little faster, thus run some road races and do speed work but then I think about how much I enjoy trail running and long days spent in the woods and think I should just do that. I'm sure that there is a way to have the best of both worlds and I just need to work that out. Lots of possible races on my races for 2009 but none have really grabbed me as THE ONE to focus on for a good race. I'm signed up to do the Umstead Trail Marathon on March 7 and am certainly not ready to run a marathon, especially that one. I think I will still do it but find a way to turn it into a 20 miler or something. There is a 6 hour cutoff and to be honest I'm not sure I could do 26.2 in under 6! It'll just be another "training run"!
I'm also wanting to get in really good (at least good for a 58 year old) and I know I need to do resistance training for that. I've decided to try P90X which is an extreme workout training that's claim to fame is "muscle confusion". I've started doing it and am enjoying it. It does mix everything up. The thing I'm not clear about is how to fit running and other workouts in. I'll just play it by ear I guess. Today I did Plymetrics and then arms and shoulders and felt great although I didn't get a run in. Tomorrow I will run and do the P90X Yoga!

I started a swim class last night and i think it will be fun. A couple of the Striders are in the class. I didn't know that anyone I knew was signed up but it was nice to see a couple of familiar faces. Hopefully it'll get me ready for the Woodlake Tri in May! It's such a close-knit community here that you can't really go anywhere or do anything without seeing someone you know. I really love that about this area. It feels so friendly and welcoming although most are must acquaintances.

I've got to get back to working on the club stuff. I have to write up the minutes from the meeting as well as order the new shirts. Once that is done, I need to schedule an officers meetings and get ready for the next club meeting. That will be here before we know it. I haven't firmed up a guest speaker yet but have a couple of suggestions. I also think I'll start a blog for the club. I think it will be a lot easier that to constantly send emails to the webmaster to update the website and also a lot more user friendly that a newsletter. That reminds be, I also need to remove non-paid members from our Yahoo group. Power!

Gotta Run!

Another setback

Geez, it's been almost a year since I've been painfree/injury-free! What is going on? I haven't even writen about my broken pinky and now I broke (well, okay injured my back!) First things first, I broke and dislocated my pinky and sprained the ring finger of my right hand. Being a massage therapist, this was not a good thing although two weeks of an unscheduled vacation was not all bad. At least I could continue to run run but spinning, yoga and weights were pretty much out of the question. I'm planning on going back to work next Monday and my finger is much better although still pretty stiff. So, I've been running and yesterday decided to take a day off from running (it snowed again) and resume my weight training. I even lowered my weights figuring I had lost some strength but managed to pull something in my back and bamm I was done! I could barely walk and it's still pretty sore. I went to the chiro today and apparantly strained my lower back muscles and it will take up to a week to heal. Problem is I don't really have a week so I'm hoping to get a long slow run in Sunday. We'll see. The Myrtle Beach Half Marathon is the following week and I'd like to at least have a respectable time and more important, is the Umstead Trail Marathon coming up on March 7 that Elsa decided to run with me. Now the pressure is on to do that one. Frank won't be doing it as he's still having problems but it just didn't dawn on me that perhaps I should pass on it as well as I haven't been training and it's hilly and was the beginning of my hamstring problems last year. Do we runners ever learn? Elsa and I have vowed to run/walk it as a training run but Elsa just qualified for Boston at the Disney Marathon so she's faster and in better shape than I. Oh well, I hope she is serious about run/walking the race and just having fun. We'll see.
I've been running a lot more lately (well until my recent setback) with a women Ellen that I met and Elsa so it's been really fun. We're all in our 50s so have really bonded. I was beginning to feel either younger or older than most that I met and hadn't met anyone that I could run with and now I've met two people! We meet at 9:00 and run 6 almost daily so it's very cool and I relly look forward to it!
Tonight is the running club meeting, the first one that I will be chairing. I've been working really hard and think it should go well. I have lots of ideas for 2009 and most will be thrilled but the core group may not be as thrilled as I'm not so sure that they want to the club to grow. They're pretty happy with the click that they're established. I guess we'll just be a club of various clicks! Probably based on pace!
I've spent a lot of time recreating the website and I'm very happy with it although I'm sure we'll be making changes throughout the year. Check it out. www.sandhillsstriders.org.
Looks like we're going to go to Florida in March to hook up with Tate and his family. He'll be much better than going to Ohio! It'll be even warmer than here although it isn't too bad here. Much better than the NE.
Better get ready for the meeting! Wish me luck!!!!:)

 

 

My second job!

Now that I've started working and taken over the running club, it's like I have 2 jobs! I'm so busy trying to get all of the club info transitioned to the new officers as well as update the website to a more user friendly version. I just finished a revision to the first two pages of the website and once that is done, I'll work on revising the Activities Page to include upcoming races and I also want to add a page for race results. I'm not sure how happy the webmaster will be. Time will tell.
We had a couple (about 4 actually) inches of snow this morning. Everything came to a standstill, even us! I'm attaching some pics to show just how deep it was and also how much fun Chico had. What a winter surprise.
There's still tons to catch up on but for now, I need a break from the keyboard. I've been working on the running club updates for the past 3 hours.

New Year's Resolutions and Goals

It's a little past New Year's but I've finally decided to work on my resolutions and goals for 2009. As most people, my main resolution is to lose weight although I suppose it's actually a goal. My resolution should be that I resolve to get serious about my eating habits and get back to eating more of a healthy and balanced diet. It's so easy to fill up on unhealthy foods and snacks not to mention that it tastes good and makes us feel good at least in the short term. In the long run, it makes us feel bad, physically as well as emotionally, at least it does me. My goal is to remind myself of my commitment to better nutrition and habits before I eat poorly not after. It's very easy to reaffirm after I eat something that is not so good for me. To help me reach my goals, I decided to join the Weight Watchers online again. It seems to be the easiest way to track my foods as well as to encourage some type of obligation to stay on track. It's simple and that's what I need. I had thought of various other tools or programs but decided that for now simple is best. We'll see how it goes.
My goals for 2009 besides losing weight is to get fit, really fit. It seems that with all of the running I do, I don't seem to be all that fit. My goal is to do more cross-training and be more consistent with my weight (resistance) training. I'm even thinking about doing a triathlon this spring to mix it up. I'm in the process of developing my "race" plans) but have not completed it yet but it looks like I may actually attempt a road marathon this year! What? Say it's not true. Yes, it seems that I may need some "shorter" distance events ( I can't believe that I think of a marathon as a shorter distance) to help me get back some of the "speed" and fitness level that I enjoyed pre-ultras. I(hey everthing is relative!) do plan on continuing with ultras but they will take a back seat and if I do them they will be shorter ones (50K tops) and they will be to develop my endurance and leg strength. I will be posting my 2009 list of races that I plan to do as soon as I've had a chance to do a little more research into what fits into our schedule. Currently I'm planning on running the Uhwarrie 20 mile trail run on Feb 7 and then the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon on Feb 14 and after that the Umstead Trail Marathon on March 7. Gee, I didn't realize that I had such a demanding schedule. So much for cross-training. Just kidding, I do plan on lots of cross-training even it's just WII training! (if we can ever get the WII Fit) My cross-training plan includes lots of spinning and swimming as well as the running. I'm hoping that work at the spa will slowdown a little so that I won't be too tired for a second workout of the day after I finish work. I've been trying to do that and so far the only success I had was to sit in the jacuzzi after work! How about a swim first??? I'm trying and my intention is there. Now it's just the follow through. Okay, I've spent the last 60 minutes signing up for WW and now posting my intentions so I'd best be off and get my resistance training in before I run out of time.

I am scheduled for a bone density test this afternoon so I want to get my resistance training and a spin class in before the test. I'm not scheduled with any clients this afternoon so it may be an easy day. We can hope but I'll be surprised if it stays that way.
Happy New Year.

The New Year!

Somehow Christmas has come and gone. It was a quiet but nice Christmas. We spent the day at Erin's with her, Josh and Steve and Colleen as well as their mother and hew husband. A little stressful but nothing that a couple of Mimosa's can't take care of. I guess I just decided to let the past be the past and move on or at least do the best I can.

Running is okay. I had a great run on Saturday and felt terrific. (only about 5 miles) I was thrilled. It was fun! But then I went out again yesterday (Sunday) and had a terrible run! The weather was very warm and humid so I'm sure that that was a factor, but still, I didn't expect to feel that poorly! Thank God for tomorrows!!!! Me and Scarlett!

I went to the doctors today for my physical and everything looks pretty good but I am low on Vit D and the doctor thinks I have a low thyroid. This would account for several of the ailments that seem to be plaguing me right down to my recent bout with Vertigo. He recomended supplements and caltrate to see if that helps. I go back in 3 months to get retested and if it's still slow, he'll give me drugs. Apparently one of the symptoms is weight gain and difficulty with weight loss so that would explain my problems with that. (although my diet has not been very good lately! I'm also going to take the 2 week carbohydrate intolerage test again. It's funny cause I was planning on doing that at the first of the year anyway and now it's a recommendation for my symptoms! I guess it was meant to be.

I've been busy with work at the Spa as well as with running club stuff. There is so much I'd like to do with the club although I'm not exactly sure why. I don't even run with them cause I'm so slow. Hopefully the club will grow and I'll have members to run with as well as improving my running. Lots of goals for the new year and that will be my next post. As much as I love the holidays, it's always nice to have them behind us and get on with our goals and routines! Speaking of routine, I"m off to the dentist!!!