Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Geez...

After a successful run on Saturday, Monday's run was very tough. I struggled to complete two miles. Very discouraging, I was feeling so strong on Saturday. I saw photos from the race and no doubt I was pushing it to finish. My mouth was wide open in every picture. Oh well...

Tomorrow is another run day. I am hoping I will do better -- I am not giving up! I know I can run -- certainly better than I could run two months ago. The rest of December I will stick with the 30 minutes run of the final week of the Couch to 5k program. In January I am planning to start the 10k training program in preparation for the Beach Blast duathlon in April.

I have signed up to run this Saturday again another 5k... I am not planning another race until February (possibly the Mardi Gras 5k in St Andrews) then the Duathlon in April. I will probably not race again until September. Summer are too hot and I would rather use my weekends for sailing, swimming and/or photography -- fun stuff. I will continue my training runs but save the summer months for playing in the water or hanging out with my camera.

Races are a good way to push myself. The training runs do not have the adrenaline rush of the races. Lining up with the crowds waiting for the starter gun --- this gets the psyche charged for action. My runs during the week help to build my strenght and endurance. Running is so hard! I am hoping that one day, the running won't be soooo difficult. I just keep going at it, my progress is steady -- from just a few minutes at a time to 30 minutes solid...!

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Run for the Redfish

Well, I did it... ran the entire 5k without a single walk break. Wow. I ended up pacing with another runner and we talked most of the race. This did help take my mind off the actual running. Now I KNOW I can go 40 minutes without walking, that is so awesome. I am totally stoked. My goal is to now continuing uninterrupted runs but faster. I am convinced with some effort I can get better times -- 40:17 was my official time today. That's 3 minutes faster than what I did in March in the Seaside 5k. In March I had several walk breaks, so I know I can get better speed. My next run is Monday and the c25k schedule puts me in week 9 which is 30 minutes running 3x during the week. I plan to finish the month of December doing this schedule before starting the 10k program in January. Each day brings me closer to a more fit me.

Life is good...

Thursday, December 03, 2009

week 8 day 2

This morning went really well. I have to say this C25k has me impressed with my progress. Staying with the schedule and not jumping ahead has made the difference. Twice before I have attempted to complete the C25k and I jumped ahead every time and ended up not finishing the nine weeks. This time around even with a cold throwing me off one week I have stayed true to the schedule and here I am having run 28 minutes uninterrupted twice now!

Saturday is the Run for the Redfish 5k in Panama City Beach. I had hoped to be finishing the 9th week on race day. Unfortunately, I am one week off of my plan. That's ok -- I will complete the 5k Saturday, I may even have to take a short walk break. Next Week I will follow the schedule for week nine and go from there. Depending on how I feel, beginning in January I may start the "freeway to 10k" program. I haven't decided for sure yet.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Race day is getting near...


Yesterday's run went really well...even though my c25k schedule has been thrown off after my cold last week. I had hoped to be starting week nine but instead I have only started week eight. 28 minutes uninterrupted running -- amazing. The county fitness test in October I could barely manage five minutes of continuous running.

The weather forecast is not looking good for tomorrow's run -- I may have to run on treadmill, rain is one thing but deluge is another. A serious storm front has entered our area and is expected to stay with us through tomorrow. I have managed eight weeks without a single treadmill day. I am feeling much stronger than I did at the beginning of October. Yesterday's run ended up covering 2.4+ miles -- only 1/2 mile more to complete the Redfish 5k. If all goes well, I should do my best time ever!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Thursday and running

This morning I finished week 6 of the Couch to 5K program. I actually ran 25 minutes uninterrupted after a 5 minute warm-up walk. Wow! I actually ran the whole time. I admit the last couple minutes I really had to push myself to not give up. A few times I thought I might have to resort to walking but no, I did it! So cool. My Garmin forerunner saved the run this time. The total distance was 2.65 miles including my cooldown walk. My pace is improving - during the run segment I maintained under an 11:00mile pace with my best pace 9:42!!! The longer I keep training the better my times will be -- I am looking forward to the race December 5th. So far, I have not tried to jump ahead in the C25k training and that seems to be the key for me. I have not done any of my runs on a treadmill either.

My next run will be Saturday morning, this is a working weekend for me. After work on Sunday, my family is going on vacation. I have already looked at where to run during vacation. The race itself will not be on the last run of C25k as I had originally planned -- but that's ok the last run of the C25k will be two days after the race. I am really feeling stoked about my improvement as a runner.

I have already decided to go for the 10k training program after I finish the C25K --- I am thinking this slow, gradual training really works for me. I have a pretty good idea of my goals for the next year... I need to firm up these plans so I will know where I am headed day-by-day.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sunday run

This morning's run was tough... had planned to use my mp3 player but it wouldn't power up for some reason. So I ran without music, still doable but I had to pay attention to my time. I tried to remember the run/walk sequence for this run but I was wrong... the cycle I used was Walk 5 minutes warm up, then -- Run 8 minutes/ walk 3/ Run 5 minutes/ walk 3/ Run 8 minutes/ walk 5 for cool-down. However, after I got home I discovered the correct sequence was 5min walk/ 5min run/ 3min walk/ 8min run/ 3min walk/ 5min run/ 5min walk cool-down ... So I actually ran more than the program schedule. I did okay according to my Garmin forerunner. My best pace was 9:46 with my average being 13:16. I am definitely improving! Just have to stay patient and keep with the program. The program is working... I actually went over 2 miles today, nearly 2.4 miles. I am so happy with my progress.


After reading the specs & reviews, I have decided I do not need another Forerunner. All of the other models seem way too large for my wrist and the additional features I don't seem necessary. I can track my workout -- distance & speed, be it a run or a bike ride and that's what I really want. The Garmin website allows for my workouts to be posted so I can share my progress with others (if I choose to -- maybe one day I will have workouts to brag about).

Friday, November 13, 2009

Another week finished

Finished week 5 this morning, whew! The 20 minutes got really hard with the last 2-3 minutes to go. I really had to push myself to not give up. Made it all the way through it! My forerunner gave me an error while saving the run and I lost all my data... bummer. I have had the forerunner for over a year but finally sticking to my workouts and now it looks like the battery may need to be replaced. I really get into uploading my run and seeing how well I did... I can see my fastest speed (and slowest) and my total distance. Pretty cool. The forerunner 50 is the entry-level of the Garmin products and I am thinking I may upgrade to a forerunner 405 which is GPS-enabled, now that's cool! Bit of a hefty price tag (over $300!)I am not sure if the additional features of the 405 are worth it. The forerunner 50 will probably be sufficient for my needs at this time. I will try to pay attention better when I go to save my run on Sunday -- I will try to have the battery replaced before then.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

week 5 day 2

Today's run was a challenge, the weather was very windy and damp. Tropical storm Ida passed by Tuesday morning, we had a bit of rain & wind but overall not too horrible for a storm. Today was a holiday but I did not get up early and go running as I usually do. In fact, I did not get my run until almost 4pm. The winds at this time were around 17mph -- I made it all the way through the run! My legs were throbbing when I got home. The Forerunner said my best pace was 10:25min/mile -- I'll say that was the tailwind effect :-) Friday is my next run -- W5Day3 is a 20 minute continuous run... this will be hard but I know I can do it! Running is still very hard for me but I keep going forward - plodding away. Step by step - I am getting stronger and with a tailwind I am getting faster ;-)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tried something new...

Tried a new mp3 file for Week5 Day1 run yesterday -- somehow I missed the verbal cue for the walk between 1st and 2nd run so I ended up running 13 minutes!!! I really did run 13 minutes without a walk break. Tomorrow is W5D2 run - I will go back to the podrunner mp3 file and hopefully I will get the walk cue since tomorrow's run is 8 minutes runs. I really don't want to overdo it like I have in the past. At least with this run I know I am improving... I will keep slugging away. I managed to use my Garmin Forerunner to track my run -- appears my best pace was an 11min/mile (wow!) Now I must admit there was a decent breeze going and occasionally this would be a nice tailwind. If I could keep an 11min/mile pace I would ecstatic!

Friday, November 06, 2009

Moving along - in my mind

Finished week 4 of the Couch to 5k -- AND the 30 day challenge of the EA Active Wii program. A pretty successful week, I am feeling more fit than last week. There were a few moments during this morning's run that I had to tell my brain to not jump ahead... I even thought -- maybe I'll run again after work. Fortunately, I convinced myself to stay with the program.

Today I discovered www.runsource.net -- great website for more podcasts to use during training. Very cool audio files... I really like how these include verbal cues to let us know when to run or walk. The podrunner interval signals are pretty clear but I find as I am struggling to climb the incline I have difficulty focusing on the audio cues. I will try the new mp3 file during Sunday's run which is Week5Day1. Slow but steady, this is working!

Monday, November 02, 2009

Monday, Monday...

Actually, pretty good day so far. Week 4 started today instead of yesterday, lots of things did not go as planned. Poor chubby Lab did not get to go running after all. This morning was fairly cool and the sun was up early. I thought with the change back to Standard time we would be dark later... but I was wrong. Last week I running in the dark for half of the run but today it was reasonably bright before I even started and I had even left the house early.



Today's run was more challenging than Week3 but still very doable. When I did the C25k before I used the treadmill at the gym and I was able to reach the 25 minutes running without a walk break. However, I had done so much of my training on the treadmills when I tried to do the distance on the path outdoors I did very poorly. This time all of my training is being done outside and I am just now starting to feel a little bit stronger. I noticed today there was a few times I had a strong stride going in my run segments. My insecurity as a runner at times threatens my determination, fortunately, I have thus far managed to keep going for it. I feel so sloooooow and yet I know I have not been the last person to cross the finish line in any of my races. I CAN DO THIS!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Finished week 3

Yep, finished my 3rd run for week three Friday. Not too bad, I did sweat something fierce and I have decided I need to find a way to hold back my hair when I run. Having hair in my face I tend to hold my head down which affects my breathing. Running is hard enough I don't need anything to make it harder. The C25k podcasts by Robert Ullrey are terrific. Almost like having someone running with you. I would love to find a real running partner. I haven't figured how to find anyone yet but I will keep trying. I know a few people that run but they are all so much further ahead in their running abilities. The slow, steady progress seems to be working so far... it is difficult to not jump ahead and on every workout I have to tell myself to stay with the program.

Finally went to HG Harders park, been wanting to check out this park -- turns out the walking path is pretty cool. Total of 2 miles with a good portion of the path is NOT paved. This should be much better for my knees. Today I start week 4 and I will take the overweight Lab with me. While the dog & I are running, my best friend is going to have her camera. The path goes around a pond and the birds are migrating! During our visit yesterday we saw a kingfisher, several wooodpeckers, bluebirds, warblers, gnatcatcher, anhingas and hawks. A pretty neat place to be...

Looking forward to today's run - I think the dog is going to enjoy the path too. She loves being with us and when she can be with us and be outdoors she is in heaven!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Week Three...

Yesterday was 'week 3 day 1' of the couch to 5k program. The run wasn't too bad. I am forcing myself to not jump ahead. My mind tells me "you've got this - go on to another week - maybe week 5", BUT I paid the price in August for pushing it too hard. If I am to become a runner, I must take my time and build up to it. I have been working out too and it is paying off. Two years ago, we bought a Wii console for the adults :-) and the Wii Fit balance board. I liked the idea of what the Wii Fit program promised, however, I found the yoga moves were just too hard for me. I had hoped to develop a consistent yoga program using the Wii Fit. This just didn't work for me - guess, I am not even up to 'beginner' status. Recently, we purchased the Wii Active program and this one is working for me. I am doing the 30 day challenge - currently, I am in the last week of the challenge. This is the closest I have come to completing all the workouts. The weekends can be difficult as we tend to do all sorts of outdoor activities from dawn to dusk. I tend to be exhausted or it is very late when we finally return home. I can put in my 'journal' the other activities but still lose the scheduled workouts. I know consistency is the key to fitness, with the 30 day challenge and the couch t0 5k running simultaneously I seem to be developing a good fitness 'habit'. I have lost nearly five (5) pounds, my clothes are starting to loosen a bit and I am getting stronger. Today is a rest day - a good day to organize my nutrition plan to add to my fitness success.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Let's hike...


Saturday we spent hiking the trails by Camel Lake recreation area in the Appalachicola National forset. The trails were really wet from the heavy rains the night before... we started a little late for a 9 mile trail so we only got a portion of the trail before heading back to the trailhead. We managed two miles out and two miles back so a total of 4 miles. Sam got the opportunity to play with her new camera lens. She's got a Sigma 50-150m telephoto lens which is awesome but there is a bit of a learning curve to using the lens well. Perhaps I will get a lens like this one day. Felt good to be outside, saw lots of woodpeckers (all too far for my camera) and that was cool... the forest has numerous mature long leaf pines that the woodpeckers prefer.

The Camel Lake recreation area is close to the Florida Trail -- the camping section by Camel Lake includes shower facilities and I bet if I was hiking the FL trail I would make a stop here to at least have a shower. The trail is over 1,000 miles long and showers are one of the greatest gifts to civilization. I would love to hike the trail in sections -- Actually, I would love to hike the big trail - the Appalachian trail (from Georgia to Maine). Section hikes seem doable to me.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Week Two...

Sunday morning's run was "Week Two - Day one" of the Couch to 5k program. Not a bad way to start a week. I actually slept-in a bit, didn't get out until nearly 8 am. The dog (slightly heavy Lab) ran with me and she LOVED it! She did not understand why we circled the same 1/2 mile pat 3 times... She kept looking up at me as if to say, "uh, we've been here already - why are we here again?" Unfortunately, too many loose dogs in the neighborhood. Perhaps I can take the dog to nearby hiking trails a little ways from here. I don't worry about my dog but the strange dogs... I don't know how they might react to the pair of us.

Doing a quick internet search, I have discovered there is a county park that is supposed to have a cross-country trail. I must check this out! If this is an unpaved trail I will be thrilled (easier on the knees) and if I can bring the dog (on a leash) I will be ecstatic!

Friday, October 09, 2009

Starting over


Last Tuesday I attempted the 1.5 mile fitness test without any recent training. Of course, I bombed. So now I have decided to start over again with the Couch-to-5k run/walk training program. I have even downloaded the Podrunner Intervals mp3 files for musical encouragement. The Couch-to-5k program is 9 weeks long -- I will stick to it this time and not jump ahead. I am pretty sure my knee was injured due to over-training this summer.

Today's run was day 3 of week 1 -- Actually, went pretty well. I am forcing myself to stay with the program and not jump ahead. It is so easy for me to think "ok, I am doing so well - so I can go ahead and skip a week or two." Not good thinking -- I need to stick with the slow, progress of the the program AND make sure I stretch! Also, this time I am running outside and not on the treadmills... treadmills are not the same as the track. This morning I used the path at Cain-Griffin park near the house. I need to find out how long that path is -- I am pretty certain it is longer a quarter-mile. At least my legs tell me the path was longer ;-]

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Shopping...


Not really, but I have been noticing other rides lately. Several motorcycles, scooters and bicycles have caught my eye. I am actually considering getting new bicycle to replace my current ones -- I am thinking perhaps a touring-style bicycle can replace both my road bike and my commuter. I haven't made up my mind yet. The Trek 520 has what I need -- my favorite bike shop is a Trek dealer so ordering the 520 won't be too difficult. Hmmm... decision time.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Beach Blast --- not this time...


Due to a knee injury keeping me out of training for several weeks, I am not participating in the Beach Blast II triathlon September 12th. I have just recently re-started my training but I am far from the condition I need to be for a race in 9 days. Bummer...

The injury really messed up my motivation to continue with the training. I have shifted gears and after re-evaluating my goals - I still want to complete a sprint triathlon (or duathlon) -- the next Beach Blast will be in April 2010. I will try for a couple 5k runs this fall & winter. I love the challenge but I have to find a way to keep my knee happy.

I gave up coffee this week and I have passed the headache stage. Since my coffee always had cream & sugar I was adding more than a few empty calories. This morning the scale said I have lost 1.5 pounds!!! Wow! Btwn the coffee and the snacking at night my weight never seemed to improve. Maybe, I am finally on the right path to getting fit.

Monday, July 13, 2009

A day scoots by...

Motor-scooter day, weather looked perfect this morning. Perhaps I should pay closer attention to weather forecast. Storm slammed in at lunchtime, cleared out and then started getting threatening as I returned home from work. Made it into my driveway with just a few sprinkles the last 500 feet or so. I do love riding on two-wheels, I plan an early bike ride tomorrow but have to pick up some items after work so I will drive to/from work in a car! (shudder)

The morning run went pretty well considering I did not run at all last week. Between the poison ivy event and my mother's surgery, I had too many distractions (excuses) to keep myself from running.

This Sunday Sam & I were out on about on our scooters when a woman started talking with us and asked if we would be interested in participating in the "Thunder Angels" organization. Women motorcycle enthusiasts who enjoy fellowship and raise money for breast cancer awareness. We thought she was kidding but as we talked with her some more, I really believe she was serious. I have sent her an email about the next club meeting in August. We shall see if this is to be... Thunder Angels - the scooter wing.

Livestrong!

Sunday, July 05, 2009

69 days and counting

The race is 69 days away (or 2 months and 7 days)

The soreness in my knee worries me. Too soon to have this much trouble. How will I be ready if 10 weeks and my knee is giving me a hard time? I do not know what's wrong. My left knee hurts when I get up from a sitting position or when I first get out of bed. The past couple days we stayed in a house with the bedroom at the top of some steep stairs... all this stair-climbing was a challenge. I have not run in 3 days now, I will need to run either tonight or definitely in the morning. This crazy weather is not helping either. I woke up this Sunday morning at 7:30AM with temps of 86F with heat index of 97! The weather prediction calls for the top heat index today of 105F -- that is HOT even for this Florida girl. I am going to spend a little time on the internet this morning and find a fuel belt or something to carry my water. I do not like running while carrying the water bottle in my hand, swapping from hand to hand doesn't help either. I am just trying to find my stride and the water bottle thing is throwing me off.

Such a silly thing to bother me so... but with these temps I don't dare go out without liquids. My favorite is actually diluted Gatorade - 1/2 and 1/2 seems to be the mix I like best. I use this when on the bike too. Water is good but my body seems to want a little more but not full strength Gatorade. On the bike I always have two water bottles - one all water and one with the diluted sports drink. Gatorade is not as sweet as the others. I may try the "vitamin waters" soon -- some people like those too.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Sweating in the morning

Went for my run this morning just after 6am... not too bad at first but by the time I had finished my first mile I was pouring copious amounts of sweat. Gracious. My knee is a bit sore now, not sure what I did but I am certain I did not drink enough before I started running. Had a diluted bottle of Gatorade with me for the run, need to get a fuel belt or something, I definitely do not like running holding a bottle. I am trying to stay focused on the race in September. This is a holiday weekend but I work on Sunday... my turn for the weekend. We are planning to go out of town for couple days and I tend to not push myself out the door when away from home. Tonight I will take a Tylenol PM and hopefully my knee will be all better tomorrow.

Fortunately, the friends were are seeing this weekend understand the fitness bug. Stan has really turned himself around and he is getting in really good shape. He was a runner in college but let it go for years and years the last couple years he has returned to running and now runs almost every day. He finished a 15k earlier this year in Jacksonville - the Gate River run... awesome. We are all very proud of him. I am happy to finish a 5k right now but by September I need to be able to run 1.2 then bike 15 then finish with a 5k running. I can do this! I will do this! I will finish Strong!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Always have a camera

This is something I am learning... I carry a Canon Power shot with me whenever I am on two wheels. A small camera but takes great photos and even has a decent zoom. I really love the art of Photography and recently purchased a Nikon D60 digital SLR camera. Sam & I now both have digital SLRs and we have taken to doing photo safaris whenever possible. Our skills are minimal but we are trying... we just keep taking pictures. The only way to learn is by doing - fortunately, with digital cameras it is fairly easy to tell if a photo might turn out ok.

Couple weeks ago we visited Sam's sister in her place in Alachua, this is a 4 1/2 hour drive but we took the scenic route and took our time. We stopped at several parks to practice using our cameras. The results were mixed -- we took lots of pictures but only a few were worthwhile. Eventually, we will get better and take more useful shots and fewer out-of-focus ones.


We discovered a number of parks we had not heard of... we will return and explore each park more completely.
One park in particular was truly amazing. We entered one of the Big Bend Wildlife management area and headed to the Hickory Mound Impoundment. We drove down this dirt road that seemed to go forever. We began to wonder if the drive off the highway was going to be worth it. Then we turned a bend and discover the impoundment, wow! A huge marsh area that is a birder's paradise! In a short amount of time we saw numerous birds. Totally Awesome! We are looking forward to coming back throughout the year, this area is part of a migration path for many species especially in the winter cycle.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Going for it!

Ok, I am really going for it now. Put in my Beach Blast II registration for "local athlete - sprint duathlon" -- hmmm, local athlete sounds weird I am trying to get fit but I don't 'feel' like an athlete yet. My mind is starting its shift to Training, Training, Training followed by Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. Daily mantras for me to remember. Focusing on the moment, giving "the Date" its due, but not getting too ahead of myself. Also, not falling for the trap of 'it's only one cookie or one piece of chocolate" "there's plenty of time left to get ready"... but --- if I get sidetracked just a little then race day will be here and I won't be ready.

The race is just under 3 months away, I know I can finish in my current state of fitness but I want to do well not just finish -- gasping across the finish line - begging for mercy. I want to finish strong, feeling powerful as I run, feeling strength as I pedal forward, and crossing the finish line knowing I did it! I am a strong woman -- hear me roar! Yep, that is the moment I seek, my moment as one "tuff chick" Ta Ta-Dah!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

11 weeks and 6 days


Tick, tock - the clock is ticking along... Just under 12 weeks until the Beach Blast II -- I am signing up for the sprint duathlon. Fortunately, this is enough time to get ready. But - My training really needs to kick into gear. I took this week off from the gym -- I had 3 days with working during the day and then teaching at night. I am done with the teaching contract until late August. I can focus on getting legs under me, so to speak -- for the run and bike ride. I am doing better with my diet lately, not so many sweets... I love chocolate!!

Keeping hydrated is essential, the summer temps are brutal. Now that I am done with the night classes, I can get back to riding my bike to work... the only really difficult part of bike commuting is the ride home in the afternoon. The heat at 5pm is unbelievable! Asphalt is wicked as you stand there waiting for the lights to change... I have felt blistering heat climb up my legs and worried that soles of my shoes were melting. Currently, we have been scorching under an intense heat wave with temps reaching 100º with heat index going 105º & better. I am going to take my runs to the path early in the mornings Mon/Wed/Fri and commute 2x via bike and then Saturdays do long ride in the mornings. I know I can finish the race with my current conditioning but I really want to do well. My goal has been one sprint triathlon race this year, I am happy with a duathlon.

Next year will be a triathlon... a sprint for now. Finding a way to fit in swimming training is going to be tough, I am allergic to chlorine - so pools are out, I have to train in open water unless I can find a saline pool or something similar. Swimming lessons might not be a bad idea either, mainly lessons to build a 'decent' freestyle stroke. Fast is not as important as consistent with some endurance. Ah, my mind wanders... getting fit is so important to me and I think I have finally found the mindset to "stick to it" that when I find myself dripping in sweat I can keep pushing forward to finish it out. Livestrong!

Sunday, June 07, 2009

June weekend

This first weekend of June has been very pleasant. A wedding in the family brought many of us together to celebrate the start of a new chapter in the lives of two families. The ceremony was done in the Episcopal church the groom grew up with, the bride was beautiful of course and at the couple's request, the festivities were kept low-key without much pomp & circumstances... it was nice.

We used this event as an excuse to explore the countryside.
We took our sweet time driving into town, traveled a new route. I have a new camera, a Nikon D60 DSLR and I was excited at the prospect to try it out. I love taking pictures, capturing a moment in time and seeing the unique beauty of the moment. Photography is an art form -- I am a fledgling student of the craft. We saw numerous birds (which I have discovered are VERY hard to capture in the camera) and we have found this new route is a pleasant drive. We even realized at least 4 new locations to put in our canoes/kayaks that we have not tried yet.

Although summer has not officially begun, in Southern Georgia it seems the Summer season is in full swing. At one of our stops, we discovered an enormous field of wild blackberries. Gorgeous! Georgia Blackberries
Seeing these berries brought back memories of childhood, picking buckets of the berries (eating twice as many as made it to Grandma's kitchen) and watching blackberry "doobie" made by grandma and Ma-Ma (my great-grandmother) basically a cooked down fruit with rolled dough cooked in the fruit -- a cobbler without crust. Yummmmm! One of those dishes I never did learn how to make. I may ask Mom if she remembers how so I can take a stab at re-creating a childhood memory. :-)

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Smoke-free


My smoke-free anniversary is drawing near, after nine years it is difficult to remember smoking. My current lifestyle is so different from ten years ago. I find cigarette and cigar smoke so offensive now. Meeting someone and smelling cigarettes has really become a huge turn-off. After watching my dad struggle with his emphysema and having my lungs also affected I have developed a strong distate for the smoking habit. It is possible to quit - it is hard but if anyone really wants to quit they can do it. I smoked for nearly 25 years and quit 'cold-turkey' as no other method worked for me. Getting healthy and fit became a priority and I put all my efforts in this direction.

Fitness and exercise have become a major part of my daily life, so much so that I get 'squirrely' if I miss too my workouts more than 3 days in a row. If all goes well, I should do my first duathlon in September - I do not expect to be fast, I just want to not be last. :-)

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Sunday Sunset


A working weekend ends quietly... the library was quiet Saturday but nicely steady throughout the Sunday shift. After work, my best friend and I rode our motorscooters
to the edge of the bay to catch the sunset with our cameras. Turned out a nice end to the day...unfortunately, our spot was not the best angle for the sunset but the colors were really nice. My camera is a little Cannon power shot SD1100 that fits perfectly in the top pocket of my motorcycle vest so I can reach it quickly when I'm just scooting around. Digital cameras are so great -- no waiting for development and being disappointed. Being able to stop and shoot and immediately knowing if I got a good shot or not is so cool!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sunday morning

A quiet morning thus far... weather forecast says 60% chance of rain today. Doesn't look like I can expect any outdoor adventure. Oh well. Reality bites -- my laundry awaits and there are chores that have been left undone too long. Life has its humdrum moments. There is something magical about when we have our times outdoors. Feeling the sun on my face, the air free and clear of auto exhaust and the awesome beauty found in nature just rocks my world.

We have been discussing what to do for vacation and we have narrowed it down to renting a cabin near the Smoky mountains. There are lots of really nice places in North Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. We are hoping to primarily chill out, soak in what nature has to offer and RELAX! This will be so great. The primary issue right now is when, with our crazy schedules it is proving difficult trying to find a workable date to getaway. Either late summer or early Fall is how it is shaping up.

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Forgotten Coast -- almost

Yesterday we spent a little time 'on the road' - We headed toward the "Forgotten Coast" of Franklin County.
We managed to get as far as Port St Joe area and the St. Joseph pennisula state park. Beautiful scenery -- amazing images to be found if you look at the right time. Wildlife sightings include deer, great herons, pelicans, osprey, green heron, and some huge field rats near our stop for ice cream. The day was topped by a gorgeous sunset. Another sucessful day...

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Friday the 24th

Splash, splash… pause and listen.

Peace & Quiet --- Serene… Splash, splash -- my kayak paddle dips into the water and again - gentle splashing causing soft ripples as we glide along. In the distance on the other side of “East Bay” I see a few power boats moving through the channel. Our kayaks are silently sliding across shallow waters no motor-powered vessel would dare travel. Yes, only canoes or kayaks here --- perfect. Also this is a week day paddle -- no weekenders to disturb us -- again, perfect. Just the two us on our kayaks moving without any hurries or worries.

Just us & the critters… let’s see - what did we see? An eagle, an osprey, couple pelicans, a very large heron -- oh yes, some seagulls and also some Least Terns. And as we headed back to our put-in spot -- one baby alligator estimate 2 to 2 ½ feet long. (There were several larger ‘slides’ in the reeds so I suspect there were other gators we did not see.)


Flickr photos

A successful day on the water, can’t wait to do it again.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

So freaking weird...

I am on week2 day2 of my 'first day to 5k" program -- went to the park where fitness test is held. Something so weird -- On Monday at the gym on the treadmill I got through the 2 miles without any problems but at the park I ended up fighting the side-stitch over and over... WTF!!!

Obviously my running is very different on the treadmill compared to my running outdoors on the solid ground of the road or track... somehow, I have got to figure this one out. I will keep working on this and hopefully I can find the answers.


Last week's Podrunner intervals program alternated running 60 seconds with 90 seconds walking -- this week has 90 seconds running with 2 minutes walking. I looked ahead and I see next week will include 90 seconds running / 90 seconds walking then 3 minutes run followed by 3 minutes walk... I am trying to not get impatient. Everytime I have tried these programs I tend to jump ahead and skip weeks trying to reach the "30 minutes continuous run" goal without following all the steps. I believe if I stick to the program I can at last "get there." I just have to hang in there -- and in 10 weeks I should reach the goal of 30 minutes without a walk break. Yeah - that will be so awesome!


This morning I went to the gym but spent 30 minutes on the recumbent bike instead of the treadmill. I had already planned to go running after work so I split up my day's exercise. I feel pretty good about my commitment to exercise, now I need to kick it up with my nutritional commitment. Woe is me, I love my chocolate. There are a few other junk foods I tend to give into those cravings... like potato chips and onion dip - I can eat half family bag of chips and whole can (yes, processed pop-top can!) of the dip... I know the calories & fat in this is outrageous but every so often I just go nuts and have it anyway! But if I am ever to achieve a decent level of fitness these kind of binges have to become extremely rare events.






Monday, April 20, 2009

Starting Over

After my seven seconds shortfall... I decided to start my training all over again - "First day to 5k" in 10 weeks. I am now on week 2 - day 1 --- today was on a treadmill in the gym. Wednesday's workout will be on the actual trail used for the fitness test. I am also working towards the Beach Blast II race in September. My goal is the sprint duathlon of 1.2 mile run + 15mile bike + 3.1 mile run... I CAN DO IT!!! I know I can. AND I WILL pass that @#%! fitness test too. The race is in Mexico Beach the first weekend in September and the fitness test will be after the 30th - probably the first week in October. 'They' say it is important to have goals when working on a fitness program -- there we go, my immediate goal is to keep up with the 5k training program.

I am using Podrunner's Intervals mp3 downloads for my running workouts. (http://www.djsteveboy.com) So far, all the audio files I have gotten from Podrunner have really helped me to stay focused. There are also two other programs on the website -- "gateway to 8k" and "freeway to 10k" . Each week of the programs have sound tracks that are designed to have you alternat running with walking to build up to 30 minutes continuous running. The 8k & 10k programs get you to the finish line using the 30 minute run combined with walk breaks to complete the necessary distance.
The longest I have every 'run' has been 25 minutes on a treadmill... I will keep at it - alternating the treadmill with trails in the parks around town. Hopefully, if I can stay patient and not push it too hard. I really need to "build my base" to reach the consistent 30 minutes of continuous running... from there there are no limits!!!

Every so often I get the idea of going for a marathon... that will take time I know. So -- baby steps -- first a 5k running most of the way. I know I can do this if I train consistently. The 5k distance is doable as a run/walk (mostly walk so far has been my experience) -- I want to do this type of race as a run with minimal if any walking. So I am working on my consistency --- last week I stayed on task -- this week has started pretty well, tomorrow is a non-run day but cross-train day. Need to work the abs --- ever seeking the flat belly. :-)

Thursday, April 16, 2009

B.O.W. revisited


Just received photo from Kayaking instructor at B.O.W. (Becoming an Outdoor Woman) in Ocala ... She sent everyone copies of photos from the canoe/kayak workshop. I really learned a lot in this class. I have been paddling wrong all these years -- now I find the kayak really easy to easy. Thanks to Barbara's training I now understand the mechanics of paddling the kayak. I also learned how to back-up a trailer for a boat AND I know how to steer a canoe single-handedly.... WOW! Definitely a worthwhile workshop. Can't wait for BOW in Tallahassee this fall, who knows who might be there. Maybe more kayak time? I also received a photo of our group --- we really lucked out with 4 workshop attendees and 4 instructors, one-on-one sessions!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Morrison Springs

Saturday -- five days after two solid days of thunderstorms we took our canoe to Morrison Springs in Walton county. It was a lovely day. The river was still very high... the park had taken on 5 feet above the walkways! All the creeks and rivers had gone well above flood stage from the storms this week.... thus the spring waters were not clear. We will go back again in a month or so after the rivers return to normal. The quiet was fantastic! No one else was on the water for most of the day. The river was way too fast for us, we didn't stay there long -- just puttered about on the springs and the run to the river. We kept hearing this woodpecker but couldn't locate it. Saw a hawk go overhead early in the day. Pretty quiet day for the 'critters' but still a pleasant day on the water.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Seven Seconds

Seven seconds short.... that's how much time that kept me from passing the fitness test!!!
My number one problem is breathing, I find myself struggling to catch my breath and not get a side stitch. I need to start my training all over again and focus on my breathing. The next test is six months away... I will do it, I will pass this freaking test. Breath in - Breath out : sounds so simple but for whatever reason I am not doing this well at all.

I was bummed when I went home yesterday - had a big choclolate-mocha shake to drown my sorrows. My stomach was miserable for several hours. But I am now motivated again to kick my butt in gear and get to it... I really think if I start over and FOCUS on my breathing with my running stride I can get it right. Wierdness, my breathing seems ok on the treadmill but put me on road, track or path and I seem to lose it and my breathing gets all ragged.

So here we go one foot in front of the other... one at a time and BREATHE!

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Some days are so close to perfect...


Went sailing today on Hobie Cat -- light winds 5-9 mph just right for a nice pleasant sail. We were puttering about and the wind just stopped... Sam was fussing abit trying to find the wind when suddenly I realized there was an eagle skimming the water just a short distance away... We watched him take two passes over the water then he went airborne and we saw he wasn't alone they skimmed the water once more before moving out -- then I remembered my camera! Almost missed this moment... So Cool! This is one of those moments I relish when I can get outside away from the madness of modern society's TV, Telephones, etc... just the sounds of nature -- with an occasional jet-ski and power boat to annoy me now & then. My next jaunt is to be a kayak trip to Morrison Springs hopefully next weekend. There will be no jet-skiers there!
No run today -- tomorrow morning will come early enough and my plan is possibly 3 miles in the morning before weather gets yucky again. So nice to see the sun after the horrendous rain this past week.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

B.O.W. -- Ocala, FL


Sponsored by FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Comission --- Becoming an Outdoor Woman is 3 days of outdoor related workshops - from wilderness survival to knot tying, boating basics to canoeing / kayaking even firearms & archery basics. This was great fun -- I am so glad I went. Several friends were there as well. Actually created a photo album of some of the fun we had http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/570756057HeyCMK?vhost=outdoors -- definitely recommend this to any woman who wants the outdoor experience but has been afraid to give it a try.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Race photos & other thoughts

Race Photos…

Received via email a link to a photo of my friend Stan running in the Gate River run last Saturday. This is one huge race, nearly 20,000 people! Unbelievable! The photo is a good picture of Stan – he looks fit and working hard.

I remember how excited I was to be able to send everyone a link for the photos from the Seaside race. The race photos are typically sorted – using the runners’ bib numbers with a “lost & found” area for photos where the bib numbers are not visible. I think it is fabulous to have professional photographers on the scene at these events. These men & women take some really nice shots. I have only one complaint – The pictures are expensive ($). The cheapest product I could find was $14.99 for a single 5X7 photo. If just 10% of the racers have photos ordered @ 15.00 each for the Seaside race there would be $4000 charged. The Jacksonville race is 10X larger than so the math says there is somebody making some money? Hmm… could be neat way to earn a living.

Having personal photos taken by friends and/or family is special. These photos mean someone cares about you enough to be there for you in the wee hours of the morning. [it is much easier to run in the early morning temps than in the sweltering heat of the day here in Florida] There is something invigorating about seeing and/or hearing someone you know (or not know) rooting for you. Such power in simple phrases…”You can do it!” “Way to go!” “Almost there – Keeping going!” To hear the clapping, whistling and cheering is FABULOUS! For me, running is so hard! Trying to dig a little deeper is tough especially towards the end of the race. I can see the finish line, I know I am almost there – but trying to find the “big push” forward is so hard; hearing the cheering just gives me a little boost – just enough momentum to surge forward across the finish line strong and triumphant!!!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Gate River Run


Just received an email from a friend who just completed the Gate River Run 15k! He had 2 goals for the race: 1.) finish the race 2.) Not end up in the ambulance -- Both goals were acheived. Kudos to Stan! He did well with a 1:22:41 time - He managed an 8:37 pace for 9.6 miles. I am impressed. I am fortunate to manage a 12 minute mile pace. Now Stan was a runner earlier in life unlike a newbie like me. He has recently returned to the sport and his health has improved dramatically.


Of Course I want to run faster... However, I am still working on the basics. So far my best 'run' has been 20 minutes interrupted -- my average is 5 minutes running with 1 minute walk for 35 minutes. I really want to be able to run 30 minutes without breaking to walk -- once I reach this goal I know I can build up some speed and distance. Just keep going one foot in front of the other...

Monday, March 09, 2009

Not running alone

This was a new experience, running with someone. A co-worker decided to run with me after work... we are the same age and both very slowwww runners. I usually do my runs early in the morning but the county fitness test is always done in the afternoon - thus I need to run some later in the day. Pat & I paced each other pretty well. We talked along the way, I am not used to conversation while running... time went by rather well. We both developed a decent sweat - we only covered 2 miles but a nice start for the two of us. I did like the run but I not the kind of run I would do every time - I think I prefer the solitutde aspect of running. Getting to know my body and pushing myself forward one step at a time is part of the process that keeps me going -- as I improve my motivation stays stronger. I am a runner even if it is at a turtle's pace.

Friday, March 06, 2009

Running is Hard...

That's what my legs say every day. Feeling so heavy, almost like stone my legs struggle through the beginning of every run. Usually takes at least 10 minutes for my legs to accept the notion of running. It is such a huge mental effort for me -- everytime pushing myself to convince my body to keep going forward. I have heard of people 'zoning' when they run - I wonder when this will happen for me?

When I finish my runs - there is an enormous sense of accomplishment. "I Did It!" I will keep plugging away - One of these days I believe I will find this elusive place, the "zone". I know I am stronger and faster than when I first started this journey towards becoming a 'runner'. I guess what I seek is the feeling of being a runner while running!

Currently it is still a battle to keep moving one foot in front of the other over and over until I reach the finish line or return to my front door. And so it goes...

Livestrong.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Wednesday workout

Today's workout went really well, I think my body is finally forgiving me after Sunday's challenge at Seaside. My next goal is to pass county fitness test and run 1 1/2 miles in 19:30!
The test is in early April so the month of March is all I have left to get it together. Last fall I came just short of the goal and I know I am stronger now but I plan to focus my energies on this one goal!

As soon as I complete the fitness test my next goal will be the Sundancer Adventure Race on May 16th. This race has been cancelled twice in the past - once due to a hurricane and the second cancellation I am not sure the reason... hopefully, this time (being the third) will happen. I have signed up for the sprint biathlon of 3miles on bike (off-road) and 5k running (with last 1/2 mile on the beach) -- I know I can do this I want to do really well (feeling competitive perhaps?) in my age group at least.

Livestrong.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Seaside Half Marathon & 5k

March 1st 2009 -- coldest AND windest ever! We started @ 39 degrees cold! with 24mph wind!
Of course, I only ran the 5k but I do believe the half will be do-able possibly next year? This was a brutal race to me... so cold that I ran 2 miles before warming up, my feet stayed cold the whole time. Guess I need different socks :-)

My official time was 43:43 -- not fabulous but better than I expected given the conditions. I have been training pretty hard, glad to see that the extra workouts did indeed help. This is definitely a T-shirt that I truly EARNED. Interesting note: one of the rewards for completing the 5k or half-marathon was a Vera Bradley tote bag... I was not aware of this until a friend tried to sign up to run with me and the race was full. These bags are very popular. 750 people were signed up for the 5k with over 2,000 registered for the half-marathon. Being a 'newbie' I was not aware of how this race is such a big deal. I am glad I did it, proves to me I CAN DO it if I just stick with it one foot in front of the other over and over again....

(Additional note: I had planned to use my mp3 player to help me through the race, however I failed to check the status of the battery and thus I did the whole race without the tunes in my ears -- so again I have found I CAN do this without the distraction of the earbuds plugged in...)


Livestrong!