Keep hoping to get past this wall

Well I signed up for the Godparent 5K which occurs this weekend. I am hoping to run the entire time and hopefully finish in under 40 minutes. I seem to be back at hitting the 2 mile wall again--like when I first began running over 2 years ago. My mile times are so slow (12-13 min)these days. I have had a dickens of a time squeezing in runs and trying to enjoy them since most runs have been on the treadmill or in the afternoon (ran this afternoon and don't like even the 75 degree heat-yuck) I may end up walking especially if I am pushing the jogging stroller with the combined weight of my 2 boys which is about 100 lbs. Needless to say these extra grief/stress pounds on me that I have gained and struggled to shed DO NOT HELP either.

Over my spring break I got to enjoy 3 morning runs---how I miss those AM runs. I like the coolness, lack of traffic---and I just have more energy in the AM. I feel better for the rest of the day when I get to run in the AM. I even got in 2 "long" runs of 4 miles. Two years ago my long runs were 8-10 miles...sigh. I am slower and I cannot wait for running to be a joy again instead of a chore. I have to keep racing or I might give up running. I have to make myself have a goal. I am vaguely toying with the idea of a half marathon in the late fall. I have got to have a challenge to keep me striving and pushing forward.

On a brighter note, my eldest son seems to like basketball. He played in a short winter session through the YMCA. If he can master getting his limbs to work together, I think he can be quite good at basketball. He and I have been getting in some play at least once a week--I am not exactly a brilliant coach or even a good player--I can somewhat dribble but I am a poor shooter---but I did attend UNC and that should count for something----success by association maybe? He is also starting to like baseball more. Last year we made it to a Cardinals' game at the beautiful Busch Stadium and this summer we are planning to catch a Braves game in Atlanta. We go to the local minor league games and now he hangs out on the right field sideline hoping to catch foul balls. He is getting a good handle on the stats associated with the game. He has a mathematical, problem solving mind which is also apparent in his improving chess strategies. I am proud of him on so many levels. He is a good kid.

Back to running - Godparent 5K

In some ways the past 5 months have seemed like both a few weeks and a few years. Thanks to a running pal, whose daughter has and will watch my boys on race days, I am getting back to running. After not really running for almost two months, I am struggling but making some progress. Today I ran in the Godparent 5K with a time that was 1.5 minutes slower than my time in this race last year. The 2008 Godparent race was the last 5K my husband saw me run in. I always enjoyed having my family come to races but they found the waiting a boring endeavor. They came out for the 10 miler last year. I do miss Andy, it is hard to think about those times - sometimes it seems so long ago.

I am still working to get in more than 9 miles running each week. If I can pick up my time, I can get in more miles. The afternoon heat is another thing I am having to work through and the weather is still fairly cool in perspective. I was looking back at my times in races from last year and I did one race in just under a 10 minute mile pace. My goal is go get back to that as I work to drop the 20 pounds I gained as I grieved by eating.

Giblet Jog

Thursday morning was quite a bit colder(22 degrees) than I had planned and actually a tad bit colder that I like for running but after the first 1/2 mile when the numbness in my fingers wore off-I rather enjoyed the experience. I ran in a local Thanksgiving day 5K which was held on a small town high school cross country course. It was not easy, but it was enjoyable. There were less than 150 people running which I liked and it was a beautiful morning on an interesting course. I enjoyed the after race chit chatting and I met some nice runners and their families.

I finished in just a few seconds past 34 minutes. I do not know my official time yet and I forgot to turn off my watch for several minutes after finishing. This finish was not a personal best or even a great time by my own standards. However, considering I had just recovered from an 48 hour intestinal virus earlier in the week and I had not been able to exercise at all for the 5 days prior, I was happy with just finishing in under 35 min. I will probably not run another race for a while now because there are not that many in the winter and to save on cash. I will continue running through the winter as I do love running best in 30-40 degree weather. I would love to do this jog again next year.

Family, healing, Thanksgiving Day race & budgeting

I have had an odd week. My husband has been very ill and I have needed to take sick leave all week to care for him and our toddler. I am thankful I have the days to take and I am praying that he is healed SOON!

I just registered for the Giblet Jog instead of the Turkey Trot. Some gals from Weight Watchers are running in the Jog and plus I did not feel like facing the hills of the trot. At this point, I am just hoping I can make it to the race since my dh is not recovering at this point. Also, I am out of the training loop with being in the house mostly. I have tried to do some workout videos but it is just not the same as running.

Also, I regret that I am going to have to end my membership in Weight Watchers due to budget constraints. My last meeting will be the one after Thanksgiving. I could not have made it thus far in my weight loss journey without my local WW unit. Our Saturday leader is the MOST wonderful teacher and a positive influence. She inspires me to continue. I love the WW e-tools (point tracker, recipe builder, etc.) Maybe sometime next year I can rejoin.