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Over 100 posts, that is! I had no idea I hit that number. This post makes 102. It seems I am counting up; but I remember not too long ago counting DOWN! Down to Ironman USA that is. Now so many on my team are counting down to Ironman Florida, which is on Saturday, November 7. Since I cannot attend in person like I'd hoped, I am looking forward to tracking them throughout the day.Anyway, so much for walking. I was so tired last night I did NOT walk. And tonight we are going out to dinner for my younger son's birthday, which is actually tomorrow but he is going to his high school's last home football game of the season. Speaking of football and my son, he is going to the Navy game on Saturday! I'm excited - this will be his first attendance at a college game. Then on November 21 he is going to South Bend, Indiana to see Notre Dame take on UConn...lucky! Anyway, maybe I'll walk on Friday after work...and who knows, maybe again over the weekend. Maybe even outside instead of the treadmill.... But I think I need more sleep. I am just so tired. *yawn*
...sidelined! I am back up and at 'em, so to speak, after my lovely sinus surgery. Not lovely, really, but so glad I finally did this. 'It' was a bit worse than expected and I'm told I'll finally feel like 'myself' (if I can remember what I should feel like) in about 6 weeks post-op. So, I'm going to take a workout break till then. I don't have any races on the radar screen anyway, except for that Turkey Trot I wanted to do...so that day I'll just cheer on my son, instead. My procedure went very well but I've already been to about four post-op visits with him. Let's just say that...I'd rather go to the dentist!! OMG does it ever HURT...really, really painful. Last Sunday I did go on a 3.1 mile walk for charity. I did the Maryland Race for the Cure with my cousins and my aunt and other family and friends. My aunt is a 3+ year survivor. Yay! It was kind of a chilly and damp day - I even saw SNOW on some cars - but I could not tell how many people stayed away because of the weather. I walked the entire way and really enjoyed it. Lots of survivors and family/friends out there. Pretty impressive and inspiring. Wow... I hope / plan to go again next year and see who else I can recruit. We want to do TEAM shirts, too. So much fun!! It is not too late to donate. Click here if you are interested!Cheers!
Sunday, October 4 was the 25th Anniversary Army Ten Miler. I will start with the day before, because I went down to packet pick-up fairly early in the morning. The location was new to me, but then again, this was only my third ATM. This year packet pick-up was at the DC Armory. It was a long Metro ride for me, but all on one line, so that was nice. The walk to the Armory once I got off the train was short. I was in an our of there in a flash it seemed. I headed back home to try to head to my son's cross country meet. However, I got home and found a message from him stating that he'd run in the first event of the morning and there was no need to go...so I touched base with my friend that I was having lunch with to determine what time we were meeting.
This is my dear friend, Nanette, that I met over 20 years ago my first day at a new job. She was hired about 3 months before and she was always so nice...and still is. It is amazing we've known each other so long, and our kids are friends, too. We even worked together for 9 years! We met up at her house a little before 1:00 PM and decided we were going to go to Moe's nearby. We had a leisurely lunch and caught up on as much as possible. It was so much fun! Then back to her house for some more catching up. Soon it was time for me to go...seems there's never enough time. Oh well...
Back at home I got ready for the next days' race, and the day which would start bright and early. Actually it was still dark out...I got up at 5:00 AM and was out the door before 6:00AM. I caught a nearly emptry train at Metro and headed in to the race start. I was there in about 20 minutes. I had time to wander around, go through security to use the port-a-potty, then back out so I could wait for a few Team Z people I was trying to meet up with. We used the same meeting area as last year. They found me right on time and the sun was starting to rise. It was so pretty out.
The ATM starts with a lot of great festivities: there were the Golden Knights parachuting, then there was a Blackhawk fly-by, then the National Anthem. Then the cannon (I think, or guns?) go off for the first wave of runners. There were 30,000 runners registered, I'm not sure how many made it to the starting line. I went in the second wave with Carol and Jason; Harriet was spectating. It took about 20 minutes to reach the starting line, which I thought was pretty speedy for that many people. I ran with Carol for about 2 minutes but knew with my lack of training I would not be able to keep up. I was just out there for a nice long run.
The course is pretty neat, because you start in Virginia, near the Pentagon, then head into Washington, DC where you get to go by lots of landmarks. There are quite a few spectators out here as well. The last couple miles are kind of boring because there is not much to look at - besides lots of other runners - from just past mile 8 to the finish. The finish however is crazy with all the people!
And it was a great day for a run! I ran at a slow but steady pace the entire time, only stopping for water and/or Gatorade at the designated stops. It got a bit warm but for the most part was just really nice. I ran into Johanna from Team Z while running - she looked great, just coming off of Savageman. I had a gel right before the third water stop, right after I passed the band playing at mile marker 6 - kids from Paul the VI High School. I love that! In fact, I love the music at all the mile markers - there were military bands (or parts of) playing near mile 2, mile 4, and mile 8. I just LOVE military and patriotic music!
About half way past the 8 mile marker we started the journey across the bridge back into Virginia. I guess it was the slant of the road, which went down on the right, but at this point my knees really started hurting. I was determined not to walk though, so I did not. Probably stupid, but I was not running fast, so... My knees feel fine today! Funny, this same thing happened towards the end of the Cherry Blossom 10 miler as well and I'm pretty certain it was the road slant as well because I've certainly gone distances much greater than 10 miles THIS year and never had that problem in training... Or in other races for that matter.
Heading towards the finish the crowds along the finish chute were awesome to see as you come around the last corner. I got through the finish and headed down into the masses. I had to wind along a bit so I could get to the section to get my finisher's coin. This one is similar to the other two that I have with the exception that is it MUCH larger! I'm guessing this is for the 25th anniversary. Very nice coin! After I picked up my coin I got into the food line and there I saw another Team Z'er - Kerry! It was great to run into her as well. She'd had a great race!
I hope to sign up for next years race but I have a bad feeling it is the weekend before the Marine Corps Marathon...which I am supposed to do next year. If all goes as planned with MCM I will not be doing the ATM...but there is always the year after.
My Race Stats:
Gun - 2:11:50
Chip - 1:53:24 11:20/mi
Overall - 17471/21289
Sex - 7121/9566
Div - 650/921
Not my best ever, but it sure was fun! The ATM is such a great event! Crowded, but really awesome. In my opinion. I think I just love all the military stuff. My best 10 mile time ever was my first, in 2001 where I ran just under 1:30. So my goal always will to try to get under 1:30. Who knows...maybe one day I will!
I've joined the Komen Maryland Race for the Cure, that is. On Sunday, October 18th I am walking with my cousins, my aunt, and other family members, along with about 30,000 others, in the 2009 Komen Maryland Race for the Cure held in Hunt Valley, Maryland. My aunt is a 3+ year survivor!!
Click here to visit my personal web page and help me if my efforts to support Susam G. Komen - Maryland Affiliate.
Your participation will help support the Komen promise of saving lives and ending breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality for all and energizing science to find the cures.
Because early detection is the best protection for breast cancer, Komen Maryland sponsors grants that increase the number of women who have annual mammograms and clinical breast exam screenings. Komen grants also target the entire range of breast health services from transportation to appointments and financial support to clinical trials and national research to find a cure.
All you need to do is follow the link above to my personal webpage to make a donation or to register as a race participant! It's that easy!
For more information visit www.komenmd.org.
Last night was Back-to-School Night at my younger son's school, Annandale High School AHS). He is a junior this year so now I only have one more BTS Night left. Kind of sad... Anyway, it was a fun night all in all. I started out by getting there on time and joined the PTSA and looked to see if there was anything else I needed to do. There was not, so I wandered the halls of the school to find one of the 12th English teachers there. She was in her room anxiously awaiting all the parents that would be coming in later. The cool thing she is MY old 11th grade English teacher... Now I did not go to my son's school - in fact his school was my old school's biggest rival. But my school (Thomas Jefferson High School, more affectionately known as TJ) kind of 'closed' when the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) opened. TJHSST is a magnet school which requires students to apply and go through a rigorous entrance process including testing and what not. So a lot of the teachers and students of course moved a few miles down the road to AHS. My son does (and his older brother did) sports and I have never in my life had so much RED - the school's primary color - in the laundry! Nor did I ever imagine I would be cheering for the Annandale Atoms! Anyway, back to my teacher. I visited with her for a while and it was so nice to see her. I let her know that I hoped she would be around for at least another year so my son could have her for English like I did. She was by far my most favorite teacher and I've kept up with her over the years...and it has been a lot of years! She had the biggest impact on my life during that time and I probably would not have made it through without her guidance. After my visit it was off to the gym for the welcome by the Principal, this was after the performance of the Men's Choir. Apparently it is tradition for them to perform at BTS Night and I enjoyed this year's performance as much as last year's. Finally they released all the parents out into the halls to navigate their way to the various classes. We we allocated 10 minutes in each class with 5 minutes in between to find the next class. I have to say that I am quite thankful the provide maps to the parents (and they do for the students as well) as AHS is the most confusing building I have ever been in. I think it has at least one hospital beat...(I'm referring to INOVA Fairfax if you've ever wandered around there before - nutty). First though...on my way to the first period I ran into my former Master's swim coach who teaches history there.The most interesting part of the class meetings was my son's first period teacher (first period on odd days, of course as they are on block scheduling). His teacher is my former TJ classmate that I graduated with 27 years ago... how crazy is that? He did not know my son was MY son (we have different last names) but he knows now! Most of the rest of his teachers seemed fine. His marketing teacher, who he had last year as well, even gave out candy! The only teacher I did not meet was his Physics teacher - because there technically isn't one and they've had a sub in who was getting assistance from the other Physics teachers. However the Assistant Principal was in the classroom last night and acknowledged that they'd hired one who would hopefully start next week. *Fingers Crossed* Finally, at the end of the last class of the night a 2 minute video was broadcast for the parents which was a documentary about being at the school from a student's perspective. It was quite motivating and I am quite pround that my sons have both gone there!One final note: I live in the same area I grew up in. There are many people in this area that I went to school with and have know (or known of) more or less for many, many years. It is great fun to run into someone from back then and realize that they too have a child at the high school. My kids get a kick out of it every time I find out about someone else.
I ran 3 miles last night. Whew! Was it ever hard. I totally ignored my heart rate, well keeping it in Zone 2 that is. I watched it climb as I tried to keep an 11:05 pace, as per the training schedule. Yes, that is how pathetic it is now since I have not been maintaining. Oh well, I finished, so there. My time for 3.02 miles was 31 minutes and change...can't remember. So that was actually under 11:05s. I'll take it. The schedule has me off tonight - which is good because I have Back-to-School Night, my second to last ever Back-to-School Night. Wow. Then for Thursday the schedule calls for (omg) speed work. If the 3 mile easy(?) run last night was hard speed work is going to be really hard. I think I will just do another easy run. No sense hurting myself before the sinus surgery...
I say not catching up because I have not done much of anything, workout wise since my last post. I found out why my sinus infection has not gone away since January...my right maxillary sinus is completely clogged. Completely. Joy! But a nice doctor is going to take care of it on October 8th. That is in two weeks and two days. Yikes! However, this is the same doctor that took care of my son's broken nose about a year and a half ago. We really liked him and Patrick came through just fine. So I think I trust him! Meanwhile, the Army Ten Miler is getting closer. And I have not run. Not much anyway. I am heading out to run very soon. I hope I can go three miles. My schedule says two miles, so maybe that is all I will do. I am still looking at a 5K PR schedule, but with the impending sinus surgery I am not too worried about trying to meet this goal at the Virginia Run Turkey Trot. I do plan to run it though. I will just focus on another race after that. And so on. I also decided that since I have not done much swimming I am going to just hold off on that till after the sinus surgery. Once I'm given the OK to workout I will get back into the swim of things. On a positive note I rode 42 miles with Carol and Pam and a couple other folks (Nancy and Roland) this past Sunday. It was a perfect day for a ride! And even though I had not ridden since my last ride (with Carol and Marlene) my legs felt pretty good afterwards. I even 'ran' for 10 minutes right afterwards as I've decided after every long ride I am going to run - even if just for a little bit. Like 10 minutes. Got to get my legs used to that feeling, you know? Especially since I'm doing Sprints and Olys next season! Cheers!!
