Runnin' & Walkin'

I didn't run the entire time but I did run the first mile without walking, the second mile was some of both. Even though I'm not a morning person I like the feeling of getting out in the fresh air and letting it fill my lungs.

Seven a.m.

7 a.m. comes super early, especially on Saturdays. But that's when the NoBo group meets. I think I'll go, I think I'll go.

My friend M wants me to run without stopping tomorrow. I always end up taking some walk periods. She says I need to set my mind to it and then just do it. We'll see. I'm not convinced.

Can I do this? Do I want to do this???

Back in the saddle

Ah, its been awhile since I posted. The last NoBo group finished up with a fantastic run at the Crawdads 5K.

Then, I took the summer off. Life got busy and I lost some motivation...

But I'm back! Ran about 2 miles Saturday with the NoBo group training for the Sugan G. Komen 5K. That was my very first 5K last year so it'll be fun to see the difference (hope there is some) between then and this years.

I'm going to try and put my running shoes on more consistently!

CRBR

Cooper River Bridge Run was an experience not to be forgotten! Over 40,000 people crossed the start/finish line on Saturday. Amazing! My official time was 1:22:12 (my first 10K was 1:22:05). Guess you could say I'm consistently slow. ;-) But I had an absolute blast!!! I loved the excitement that surrounded us! Music along the course was fun and the water stations came in handy. I think I doused my head with water at every station. Not sure why but it felt good and refreshing.

Charleston does a fantastic job of hosting the event! We felt welcomed everywhere we went and directions were clear. Besides, we found some delicious seafood... OMG I could go back for more! The city itself has so much to offer - we didn't even scratch the surface.

Running the bridge was... tough! 4% incline doesn't sound too bad until you're steadily going uphill for 1+ mile. Then it feels like the top will never ever come. But it does and you can run downhill for at least another mile. I loved entering the downtown district! I was zoned in on running but catching sight of the buildings and having so many people on the sidelines was fun. In fact, when I saw mile marker 5 I suddenly had a burst of energy. My running friend was like "Why are you running so fast?" "Because we just passed mile 5 I said." My answer didn't make much sense but I knew we were getting closer to the finish line. Oh, I love to start some enthusiasm so I started hollering, running with my hands in the air, etc. My friend was trying to shut me up but I was having a good time. Then my energy burst was gone and it was back to zoning in until we found the finish line.

I could go on, but instead I'll say that April 2, 2011 we have plans to be in Charleston again for the CRBR! And if you want to have a good time come run or walk it too!

NoBo is off and running!

It's been a few weeks since I posted so I'll bring you up to speed. We had several group runs canceled due to snow, but its melted and the sun is shining again. Woo-hoo! The group is doing great! Today we ran about 2.5 miles and they did extremely well.

Morgan and I are still trying to get in some extra mileage since we have a 10K in just 4 short weeks. We did 2.5 miles before the group run this morning so got in 5 miles. Speaking of Morgan, she talked me into going to the gym last night. What did we discover? Our legs are much stronger than our arms. Time to work on toning those up - more cross training is in order.

Overall, I feel great and love the feeling of a good cold run to start my Saturday off!

Thanks for reading. ;-)

NoBo is back!

It was a wet cold night with drizzling rain when the work day ended. M and I ran about a mile together before meeting up for the newest No Boundaries training group. There was an awesome turnout! Final count was 30+ people ready to train for a 5K together. A few runners, a couple walkers, and a lot of run/walkers.

This is my 3rd program through Fleet Feet and I'm always impressed with the organization, coaches, and staff. Tonight's new group had a great run in spite of the weather. I think they're committed already for showing up the first night in rainy weather.

Stay tuned, lots of group runs coming up over the next 12 weeks.

Running the Bridge RUN!

Tuesday marks the beginning of another No-Boundaries program. I'm anxious to get back on a regular running schedule. The weather lately hasn't been conducive to running outdoors. Ice, snow, sleet, and slush just do not make for clear sidewalks. Hopefully it will be clear for the first group run.

Morgan and I have decided to run another 10K in March. We're heading to Charleston SC for the Cooper River Bridge Run. We are super hyped!!! We booked our hotel and registered - now we need to keep up our mileage so we can finish strong on 3-27. My friend, Joyce S., said "be ready for a different type of race experience." The event is capped @ 40,000 participants. I can't wait!

Shoes are a key part of running gear. M and I hadn't been fitted for shoes until this week. Now we're both sporting new fitted running shoes! I like mine already and can't wait to find out how they feel on a run. I chose a pair of Pearl Izumi Syncrofloats while she purchased a new pair of Brook's.