Pre 5K thoughts!!!

LOVE it!! What, you ask? The feeling I feel before a race. I can't explain the excitement unless your a runner. Tomorrow is a little 5k. But not so little. 500 people really is big for a 5k. It's a great run and for a great yet realistic cause. Will I beat my 8 min mile pace from last months 5k? No I won't. Summer training has really taken a toll on my pace, but tomorrow I really don't care. I am just so excited. LOVE the feeling, challenge, atmosphere and runners coming together for another runner who at THIS time can not run. We will run for you!! Now ask me this when marathon training begins, that will be a different mentality. JAMIE DANFORD, I need you here ;)

Post race details to follow. I plan on getting lots of pics!!!

Happy Memorial Day and little tidbits

1. So happy when Friday at 5:30 came around

2.VERY happy we had 3 days of the hubs around!!

3. Friday night ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, so good but my butt burns ( sorry it's my blog) 

4. The day I don't EVER look forward too, bathing suit shopping

5. Found not one but two awesome suits and I flaunted myself for sure!!

6. I felt very comfortable in my body this summer. LOVED it!! MOTIVATION

7. Spent Saturday at the beach, which was so beautiful. Still amazed I live so close to them. 

8. Went to see iron man 3. Love Robert Downey jr.

9. Went for a killer 12.5 mile run. Haven't done that distance in a while. 

10. Sitting with the hubs watching The Glades on a Sunday night

11. The kids are almost done with school and this mama can't wait!!

12. Everyone have a safe and happy Memorial Day!!

Most important remember why we have a Memorial Day. Please don't lose sight of the men and women who have served Nd continue to serve for the great U.S.A. 

What do you think about during your runs/workout??

Of course with the weather changing I haven't been very excited to run. I love to sweat don't get me wrong but I like to sweat while the air conditioning is running or a fan in my face. Running outside with temps hovering around 70 with 80% humidity at 7:30 is hard and I can tell because my pace is around a summer time pace. Which is slow lol!! But something has changed inside me. A different perspective has shifted. So I am running a 5k June 1st. Your probably like soo what, we know you race:( I hope y'all don't though!! But this one hits so close to home. The 5k is called RunforAmanda. No it's not because we have the same name goofs!! But she was a charleston county ems and one day she got a really bad headache. Went on for 3 days I think. She finally went to the doctor and they told her she had a stroke. That her corited artery was 100% blocked. She's 33, a mother to a 2 yr old and a RUNNER!! Having surgery was to risky for her. So she has had to stop working, can't left anything over 10 pounds and they said she can't run anymore. So they are doing this 5k to help her. I think it's wonderful. But during my run this morning I thought to myself how would I react to being told I can't run anymore, that I couldn't pick up my 2 year old. But since my kids are older and I'm new to running, my mind went right to running. Running is not just to look good and tone up, it's a release, and feeling of personal achievement, so many things and to be told I could never feel those again through running would be devastating. It's a part of my life. Its made me such a stronger person, more confidence with myself and my abilities. It's helped me realize things about myself I never knew, it opened my eyes to beautiful things around me. Today I ran for Amanda. I took the selfishness out of my run and just did 6.5 miles for her. It was the best run. I thanked God deep in my soul for the ability to run and run for people that can't!! Sure was an eye opener and something I will think of during every run. It really hits close to home. Enjoy your runs, when training for a race be mindful of the person or organization you are training for because taking out your needs will be such a great run!!

Mother's Day and a hard beach run!!!

Omg so much to talk about with this run. Lets start from the beginning of this oh very exciting thought. Sitting out on the patio, I had an idea that on Mother's Day I would love to run the beach at Isle of Palms. I have a 10k coming up end of June so I thought it would be great plus I have never ran on a beach before. So Ronnie and I thought, oh how fun. He could fish and the kids could do what they wanted while I ran and he fished. Holy mother truckers, I was not expecting that run to kill me lol. Well I'm not dead but I feel like it. So Mother's Day is here and we are excited. I mean we were thrilled to get out of the house. Ronnie could do what he loves and I could do what I love. So we get to the fishing spot and I calculated that I wanted to do 10 miles being it was LRS. So I say adios and off I went. Started off great for the first 2 miles then it was " all what the hell was I thinking". I am not use to running on packed sand. It was harder than my half to be honest. I had to run a mile then walk a bit, run a mile, take pics, walk a bit then run a mile and so on. Got to mile 6 and started heading back to the gang. As I am running I am reflecting, looking around, and then I realized oh shit I forgot sunscreen. Oh yeah baby, let me tell you that was stupid. Here I thought I was all prepared. Even brought the sunscreen only to be so excited about a run. I ran out of water which was horrible, I swear the salt water looked good lol. So I'm running along and finally I just asked a family if they had an extra water. They graciously have me a bottle of h2o!! I was feeling hydrated but could feel my skin burning!! I was ready to get back and go home!! So I pushed on and did an extra mile, which is good cause I didn't think I had it in me at all. We arrive home and I take a LONG hot bath in Epsom salt, put on my compression sleeves and relax. But here are a few things I thought about during this run. 

1. If you want motivation, it's all at the beach. Let me tell you it can make you think twice about your body. 

2. DON'T FORGET SUNSCREEN

3. Bring more water

4. So glad I wore my old running shoes, almost tempted to take them off and run barefoot. One chick was

5. Beautiful scenery. How can you not love the view of the beach?

6. Wow, there's a lot of people swimming. Isn't that water cold??

7. A lot of dudes with kids, hey good idea fathers. 

8. I miss my mom

9. I miss my Memaw 

10. I need to practice running more on the beach!!!

Other than a really hard run, I've have had a wonderful Mother's Day. Lesson learned. I will do better next time!!

Post running high and races galore!!!

Coming off a running high is very hard, it's like looking for your next fix. Which I did. My new running buddy Ash and I are running the Run for Amanda 5k. No it's not about me;). It's about a N. Chas paramedic who was injured in Feb. She use to be a runner and can not run as of NOW, but she WILL. I will run for her, it is my honor to do something for someone who can't. I love to run for a cause, it drives me, motivates me. How can her story not move you to do something she can't but I CAN? So June 1st I will run another 5k then June 29 me and Ash are doing a 10k on the beach. How incredible is that? I've never ran in sand before, I hear it's a challenge, yet a challenge I can't wait to endure!!! Yet here I am soo sooo scared to challenge myself to a full marathon. I can't put my finger on what scares me, once I get the answer I will let all know!! I'm hoping its like a lightbulb moment!! So for now my running goals are coming to life, set a goal and do it. Mine is to run a race a month. I missed Feb, but I am on track to make up for it by doing 2 races in June!! So excited.. 

Three men and a little lady, post race recap

Yesterday was the Valerie Gaddy 5k here in the town I live in. Back up to May 2012. I had just finished AGAIN for the 3rd time Couch to 5k program. I had planned on running a 10k in April but we were moving that weekend to Hanahan so I had to miss it. Glad I did  because I saw this race posted and decided this was going to be my first 5k. Here I was last year May 2012..

I was so nervous, excite and scared all at the same time. I had a goal, it wasn't about pace, it wasn't about time and it wasn't about place. My goal in any race is to Just Finish. Boy you would have thought I was dying during that race. I remember thinking " OK when is this gonna be over with?Where the hell is the finish line?" But I found a chick who had a steady pace as mine and stayed with her much of the run. I remember coming up this massive hill, I mean MASSIVE hill and thought oh shit, keep going, keep going, don't stop. So up the hill I traveled and I could see that the finish was up ahead, or so I thought. I came across what I thought was the finish line, I stopped, YES I STOPPED. But it wasn't over, so I kept going and I get into the gates of the track and saw I had about 1/4 mile to go, I stopped again. I thought, no freaking way. A woman who had finished WAY earlier came out and said to me " DON'T STOP, YOUR ALMOST DONE"!!! So I picked my feet up and off I went and finishes at an incredible 27:28 for my 1st 5k.. WOW, how I was excited then.

So now present day, May 2013. The Valerie Gaddy 5k... I was so excited for so many reasons.

1. I had ran this before, second time to run for a great cause
2. I knew the route, which is important
3.I had a friend with me (Ashley)
4.I wanted to set a PR for a 5k since this would be my second time

Valerie Gaddy 5k May 2013

So here is me and Ashley getting ready to run the 5k. The weather to me was wonderful except the damn wind. It was chilly, rainy and WINDY!! I hate running in the wind. I don't know a runner who really enjoys it to be honest. So we line up and get all our stuff ready. It's amazing to me how much you have to prepare for a run/race. Get the Garmin set up, put the ear phones in and get your music going. Gish. So anyways, we position ourselves and wait for the " On your mark, get set, GO, BUT the gun didn't fire correctly so it was again " On your mark, get set, wait for it, wait for it, OK GO, and off we went. Now my plan was to stay with Ash for the 1st mile. I saw a girl beside Ashley who I thought might be a good runner and could possibly beat me. I really don't have a competitive side;) Next thing I know I took off. I see a 15 year old boy up WAY ahead, then another guy, then an 50ish male ( BTW he could run) and me. It was 3 men and a little lady trialing behind. I have no idea what was going through my head but I do remember is I cant let this "older" gentleman beat me lol.. Next thing I know I turn into a street and I pass him, yes!! I am focused, music going, breathing is great, I am feeling good. And I look around and see NO ONE I mean I had no competition next to me, which sometimes is a good thing, it can drive you to push yourself harder or it could hinder you !! My next thought was OMG I am going to place first female, oh shit.. Keep going, keep going. Omg Amanda your going to place 3rd overall. GO GO GO. So I could feel myself getting tired, looked at my watch, just curious as of pace, 8:00 min mile, shit firecrackers, I have been running 8 min miles for 3 miles, no wonder I was getting tired. That's hauling some ass right there. So I turn the corner back onto that track and I just floored it. I shaved 3:15 off my first 5k here at this same race. Last years time was 27:28, this years time 24:13 what what!!! I then was greeted by a reward and congrats, and what a great run and 3 interviews lol. I was then told by another runner that she just watched me, she said "your form was perfect", she said, "it was like you were glidding around the track".  I was so proud of myself, I have worked so hard, accomplished so much and to pull this off is once again a reminder to myself what my body can do. I then saw Ash and went out on the track and cheered my friend on!!! She was AMAZING and I had a great race with her. Maybe she will do the half and I will do the full... Just a thought Ash!! But I have to say that this pic below was my motivation!!

She got to see it all, She got to see me run for the first time. This wasn't special cause I placed first female, 3rd overall, OK it was nice). But because my daughter was there watching me do what I love. Why I train and how devoted this lifestyle is to me. She cheered me on and I loved her being there. On the way home, she said to me " I am so proud of you". How could that not be something to motivate you to do something great in front of your children. I don't care what it is, your showing them that hard work, devotion, blood, sweat and tears can make anything possible, you just have to try. You may not place first or even third, but in their eyes you did. That's all that matters. I would love to get Emily more involved in running if she wants. A lot of races have children's runs, for add. $5.00 and they get medals and things. I want to inspire my children that there is something out there for you to achieve. BUT you must work on it. Running isn't something you become good at overnight, I am still a work in progress, I improve every time I train. Weather its a bad run, hot run, windy run, rainy run, ANY kind of run, its still running!!! This is why I love it. You always have a redo, when your run is crappy, remember, I get to do this all over again and then that run will be the best!! I have lots of best runs. That's the best feeling when you have worked so hard, it shows when racing or competing, your hard work pays off!!!