Holiday travel and shoe give-away

I have been traveling like a mad woman. I have been on the road every week since Septwmber. Most of the travel has been for work with a couple of personal trips thrown in. It has been an immensely busy, hard-working year and it's high time that I put those 100,000 Delta Skymiles I've earned to good use. I'm going to take the second half of December off to visit friends and family and recharge my soul. My office is actually closed from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day (I already have a work trip scheduled on January 2) so I'm taking off the week before, giving me December 16 - January 1 to relax, relate, release.

My first stop will in Atlanta to see my Redskins play the Falcons at the Georgia Dome, adding another stadium to my NFL Bucket List.  I booked a flight to arrive in  ATL at 10 am and leave later that same evening at 7:30. 

The next day, I'll hop on a flight to my hometown Charleston, South Carolina. I'm looking forward to spending quality time with my mom, hanging out with my best friend, his wife and my God baby. 

Who can resist that little face?! Hello, Sunshine.

After a few days in Charleston, I'll make my way to San Antonio, Texas to spend Christmas week with my twin, his wife and family. 

Debie and Lamar. 

Later that week, my mom and sister plus my sister-in-law's family will join the party at their brand new home. Usually, I'd shutter at the thought of so many people, but I am taking on a positive outlook and am going to embrace it. 

This should be fun. I need something to look forward to and a release from my crazy schedule.

In the spirit of the holiday season, I am giving away a pair of shoes. Full disclosure: I bought these shoes to do speed workouts and shorter, faster runs. Turns out they aren't good for my running style. I'm a mild to moderate pronator and these shoes are for a neutral runner.

Brooks Pure Flow 2

I've only worn them a few times (maybe 5). I stopped after a five mile run made my feet hurt. Then a Brooks rep told me these weren't the shoes for me. Look at my bowlegged, flat footed gait ...

If you wear  a size 9.5 (or know someone) and can tell me how you will run happy in these shoes, you can have them. Leave your story in the comments. Once I pick a winner, I'll contact you for a mailing address. 

What are your holiday travel plans? And hit me up if you are going to be in any of those cities when I'm in town. 

-Run

Obey the rules of the road

It was a beautiful day today. The weather was 75 degrees, sunny and no palpable humidity. There is no better day than this to get out for a run. So I did. The original plan was to run this morning, but that didn't work out so well when my alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. I kind of knew this would happen when I was still wide awake at 11:30. Anywho ...

As the temperatures drop and we slowly say goodbye to summer, there are more and more runners and walkers out on the trails. You know its fall when ... there are 5 times more people out on your regular trail. I am always happy to see people getting outside in an effort to be healthier. I applaud you all. I am not one of those gym rats who complains at the start of every new year because the gym is full with the resolution-ers. I root for all of them and hope that by February and March, I still see most of them sticking to their fitness goals. Back to today ...

Although, I am happy to see the increased number of people out on the trails, it is inevitable that the newbies will disobey the rules of the road. I nearly ran into 5 people today who would not obey the rules of the road; specifically, the cardinal rule: Run/Walk/Bike/Roller blade/etc. in the same manner and on the same side of the road as you would in a car. I played chicken with 5 people (they all lost) who refused to get on their side. Move it people or I will Terry Tate you!

"If you kill the Joe, you make some mo!"

Other rules of the road:

• No smoking. I understand that you want to enjoy the great outdoors and perhaps get a little exercise, but it is counterintuitive to do so while smoking. Also, you are spewing your filth to those of us who are already breathing heavily, increasing our inhilation. If you are smoking over a baby stroller or with kids near by, see also Terry Tate.
• No walking more than two abreast. The two of you should be no more than a shoulder's width a part. Don't take up the entire trail with your leisurely stroll. I want to appreciate your efforts, but it is hard to care on mile 10+ when I have to run harder (and into oncoming trail traffic) to go around you.
• Always look before you snot rocket. If even a hint of snot lands on me, I'm sending Terry Tate to kick you in the shins.
• No playing music on an external speaker. Seriously? Look Radio Raheem, I should not be able to hear your music over my ear buds. Do us all a favor and buy headphones.
• Be nice. If a fellow runner/walker/passerby says hello or waves good morning, don't be a Scrooge. Return the sentiment. The world will be a better place for it.

So what are your rules of the road? Any of these get on your nerves?


-Run


PS. I ran 5.6 miles

Rock & Roll

I toe the line for my first marathon in 129 days at the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon. My training begins this week via a modified 16-week Hal Higdon intermediate marathon training program. I am both excited and nervous about training and running this race. I have always said that I am not crazy enough to run a a full marathon. Well, 2012 is the year I go crazy. With rumors of a zombie apocalypse and the world's end upon us (not that I believe any of it) I decided I'm going to get a little crazy too and a do a few things I have never done before (sky diving, rock climbing and parasailing included).   

Join me on this crazy journey of running and self discovery.

-Run.

Runner's World Shoe Finder - Spring 2012



http://www.runnersworld.com/images/march-2012-shoe-guide-intro.pdf



1,000

... and I will run 1,000 more.

Chicago 13.1

On Sunday, September 11, 2011 I will celebrate my 31st birthday (which is on actually on 9/13) by running the 15th Annual Chicago Half Marathon.

I am determined to break the 2 hour barrier.
I will run a consistent 9:00 min/mile pace to meet my goal finish time of 1:57:59.

Pace	5K	5 Mi	10K	10 Mi	1/2 Mar	Mar
9:00	27:58	45:00	55:55	1:30:00	1:57:59	3:55:58

Hold me accountable.

-Or-

Join me.

Let's do this together.

-Run

Runner's Dilemma

I ran my second half marathon last Saturday at the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon. My time was 2:10:56, eight minutes faster than my first marathon two years prior. I am proud of the PR, but not exactly proud of my time. I know I could have run faster. I know I could have done better. My goal for this race was to run sub 2 hours. I trained hard, wtih exception of a near two-week hiatus during March Madness. I planned everything down to final detail. I made sure to get enough sleep two nights before. I went went to dinner and a movie with my girls the night before to calm my nerves and keep me from pacing in my apartment sick with nervousness. It was all perfect. For the first ten miles we kept a consistent 9:30 - 9:45 pace. At mile 10, she started to fade. Who, you ask? My running buddy. I ran this race with a co-worker who isn't really a runner, but wanted to run this race. I created a training plan (courtesy of our esteemed running coach Hal Higdon). We both kept to it for the most part, except she didn't do the speed workouts and her longest run was 10 miles - even though the training plan included a twelve-miler.

Back to the race... at mile 10 she started to fade and I stuck with her. I kept the promise I made before we started, to run together all 13.1 miles. I helped push her through mile 10 as our pace dipped to just over 10 minute mile pace, but at mile 11 the pace got much slower. Determined to be a woman of my word, I made sure to stay with her and help push her through. At this point it starts to rain, but I am feeling great - fully prepared after having practiced my race day strategies the week before with a 15 miler in the rain. I was ready to catch my second wind and dig deep for the last two miles. There was something about seeing mile 11 that made me so excited. Only two miles to go... but my running buddy couldn't hang. So we ran together through the finish line at 2hrs 10 minutes and 2hrs 11 minutes, respectively.

In one sense, I am glad that I kept my word; but as a runner, I feel like I did myself a disservice. I feel like I should have followed my insticts and kicked up my pace at mile 10 and especially at mile 11 when my body was ready to sprint towards the finish line.  I know I did the right thing, but I can't help but feel like this time, maybe I shouldn't have...

My favorite quote I heard after the race. [Man on the street talking to a runner on his way to his car]: "Did you win?" [Runner/Finisher]: "We all won."

Indeed, Sir. Indeed.

-Run