Camille's Dead Freakin' Last Run - SIGN UP TODAY!!

THE BLOG IS BACK!! Looks like I can now publish posts to the blog so over the next few weeks I'll get caught up and upload information and pictures of the big event!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

#14

I'm syncing up my titles with the number of states I've run versus the number of races. This way it will be easy to tell how many races I've completed as part of my 50 by 50 in 50 goal.

Today was Texas, and my fingers are still cold! I almost didn't get here due to a big winter storm that blanketed much of the South. I made it to Baltimore but whether or not I was going to make it to Dallas was a bit iffy when I left Durham. Ended up making it into Dallas but the plane didn't make the scheduled stop in Little Rock, AK due to ice at that airport. I didn't mind the direct flight but the people that were trying to get to Little Rock weren't given the "parachute option" so had to wait until today, Saturday, to try and fly in.

I'm staying in Dallas with Amy A. the sister of my good friend Sarah T. The hospitality is much appreciated and I have the added bonus of being very close to the airport and the race site. Though she didn't order up good weather for me. We were chatting last night and I happened to looked out the window and see snow falling! Dallas wasn't supposed to get the white stuff! Luckily it didn't stick so when I got up this morning the roads were clear.

The race was done in connection with the Texas Half, a half marathon warm up for the Texas Marathon held later in the year. The course was flat and should have produced a fast time but I ended up at 32:47. I was disappointed but so it goes. The course was around White Rock Lake and the wind coming off the water was miserable. At one point my face became so numb I truly could not feel it. I did have on my new tights and appreciated the warmth. I forgot a hat so only had a small headband that covered most of my ears. Luckily Amy lent me some gloves or I don't think I would have made it. The announcer at the end said you'll always remember your coldest race - and so far this is it!!

Next weekend is the Krispy Kreme Challenge. I was telling the workers in the Starbucks store I stopped in after the race and they admitted it was crazy but sounded like fun. I'm going to concentrate on the running part of that race - see if I can get a fast two miles at the start.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Texas Training

I've been rather faithful to my training schedule these past two weeks. Except for horrible lower back pain, things are going well. Today I spent time on the elliptical, treadmill and stationary bike as well as resistance training for my arms and core. Tomorrow is my "hair salon" run. A quick 1.5 miles while mom is getting her hair done. I may run the route backwards, just to mix it up a bit. (Clarify, I'm going to reverse the route, not run facing backwards!)

I just checked last years results for the Texas race and if I ran at the same pace I did in Arizona, I would have placed second in my division in that race. I know, I know, I know, this is not about winning it is about staying committed to an exercise plan. But I can't help myself! Maybe Hank M. was right and I need to shoot for 8 minute miles! At this point that just doesn't seem possible but if I can consistently hit 31 minutes for the next few races - I'm going to start working toward breaking 30 minutes and who knows what will be next.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Race #14

“Flat and fast” have become key words for me when reading race descriptions. I know that I started this craziness with the declaration “time doesn’t matter.” Well, I’m excited to say that I am just seconds away from running 10 minute miles. My official time was 31:10 or 10:02 per mile. So close and yet so far!!! And to make this even better I was second of fourteen in my division!! This is truly the best finish yet!

I came prepared to run with my fancy-dancy new running tights but the temperature was nearly 50 degrees so opted for shorts. When the race organizer yelled “GO” to start the race, I took off at a nice pace but not crazy. I hit the one mile mark at 9:57 but hit the mile 2 marker at 21:07. I got bummed at that point and almost decided to give up the 31:00 quest however I picked up the pace instead. About this time one of the two long-legged girls I’d chased in the first mile and passed in the second mile, passed me. I knew I had to pass her again so really pushed it to get past her. I finally did and as I ran passed told her that she shouldn’t let some slow 48 year-old woman beat her! My foot literally hit the 3 mile marker at 30:00! I was so excited and the finish line was in sight so I really tried to give it everything I had but came up 10 seconds short. Oh well, another PR so I’m going to enjoy it and use it to motivate me to run another fast one in Texas.

I got into Phoenix Saturday while the entire east coast, including Florida, was in the midst of a terrible cold snap. I took advantage of the seventy degree temps and did a three mile trail walk at one of the parks that rim the Phoenix valley just to get my legs moving after the cross country flight. For those who have not been to Phoenix it is in a rather large, very flat, treeless valley with mountains surrounding it. The city, and all the various bedroom communities/cities, (Glendale, Mesa, Tempe, etc.) are laid out in an almost perfect grid of east/west and north/south streets. Easy to get around it but definitely left a bit to be desired from an aesthetic standpoint. Lots of strip malls.

After the race on Sunday I took a quick nap then headed to a Native American Arts Festival. The warm temperature and clear blue sky made it a perfect day for wandering through the artist booths and watching the performers. I did find a sculpture by a stone and bronze sculptor, Upton Ethelbah www.greyshoes.com that I so desperately wanted. The price was high but he was willing to negotiate. I walked away and hoped for a sign as to whether or not I should go back and try to find an agreeable price. As I was walking through the other displays there was a lot of turquoise jewelry and all that kept running through my head was a line from a John Prine song – “we’ll be wearing turquoise jewelry and standing in soup lines!” There was my sign, economic times just aren’t quite right to be spending big money on art. However, after I looked more closely at his brochure I saw that his studio is in Albuquerque, NM the site of one of my upcoming races!! Hmmmmm……….

Back in Florida and got to take a walk on the beach yesterday. Is 48 too old to still have a crush on a Lido Beach lifeguard? Just wondering as he’s gorgeous – electric blue eyes and wavy grey hair.