December Recap

The holidays have had me a bit behind, so here goes. As of last up date  I had run the BCS Half and was on to Houston's 12k of Christmas. I took a slight week off only running 6 miles and then hit the 12k. I made myself a tutu for the race and even added some jingle bells to the ends for an added "wanting to punch myself in the face" effect.

See all that glitter? I think it all ended up in my car after the race. 

I am thankful that these types of holiday races there are plenty of other people dressed up as assholes  (myself included) that after a few minutes you really do feel that if you  hadn't dressed up you would be the stand out. It was a 2 loop course and the weather was a bit unexpected, 70 and on the verge of a major rain storm, but all in all a good race. I even hugged Santa after I finished. I went out with no time expectation and after telling myself to settle down and slow down I was run up upon by a fellow mother runner and she and I ran the rest at a pretty steady 12m/m pace so I finished in 1:29:09 and just in time as on my way home the sky opened and the predicted rainstorm let loose. What the race did for me was put me back on track, my next big race is Jan 19th and this was the first step to bring my miles back up to where they need to be.

Free 5k. 

I managed to keep momentum going thru Christmas week and compromised out a little afternoon tempo run at Memorial Park. I logged 16.4 miles for the week. I also signed up for the Wellness Project's free 5k.  Which for a free race is timed and even had a manned (ok boyed) water stop. I ended up pacing behind an older gentleman and ran it in 33:40 which is the fastest 5k I have run this winter season, never-mind it is also the first 5k I have run since August. So I made before and after the race count towards my LSD for the week.


Now it's December 30th and I have racked up 97.34 miles for the month and a good 5 miler scheduled for the morning, my first 100 mile month.

Up next ABB 5k and Aramco Half Marathon or Houston's Marathon Weekend as they are trying to get it called in town.

BCS Half Marathon Recap

I ran the BCS Half marathon on 12-8-13. What a GREAT race for so many reasons. First off ya'll need to follow this race on the Book of Face. I have come across no other race that has such great communication with its runner as this one does. Daily, weekly, monthly, they can't be beat. First off on their end, the Dallas Marathon was cancelled because of this freak winter storm that hit northern Texas, the freeze line came down just below Bryan/College Station so things were dicey in the area so what do they decide to do, they offer deferrals on the Friday before the race so those not comfortable with traveling don't have to and then turn around and offer up those spots as well as 200 additional spots (no medal or t-shirt and just generic bibs) to runners who had just found out they were raceless 48 hours before Dallas was set to run. Why is this huge, other than the logistical reasons, there had been a no compete pack between the 2 races and last year Dallas decided to break it and move to BCS's weekend. Karma being what it is gave us beautiful weather the first weekend in December and forced Dallas to shut down on marathon weekend. For this race to do so much to accommodate these runners so that their training wasn't for nothing is AMAZING in my eyes. Even if that had not happened I still know of no other race that would be standing fast watching the weather and posting at 1:30 am or 4 am about the conditions. By the time I got to the race site at 5:30 am EVERYTHING was ready to go. Not many races even have the start arch up at that time. Parking was a dream, starting line port-a-potties were all over the place, no lines. Started right at the dot of 7am. All things that are important to me as a runner.  Did I mention it was 30 degrees out, below freezing, ice on the roads type of shit and they never faltered. The race support was first rate. From the water stops to the aid stations, the neighbors on the route who came out of their house to cheer runners on in the freezing cold, many even playing music or holding up signs of encouragement. Running thru the campus was really cool, I had never been to Texas A&M so it was beautiful seeing the buildings and the clock tower. Almost makes me want to go back and have that college experience I never had. Best part, hands down best part was running up to one of my fellow mother runners. I am usually alone and now twice during races I have come across one of these amazing woman and with this race it went from good to better. I think she felt she was keeping me from my race but honestly it was so nice to not be alone it brought a whole new meaning to running for me. She kept telling me to go on ahead but I knew she was struggling with that last mile and I am proud that I didn't leave her until we hit 13 only once we came into sight of the finish line did I go. I got my medal and then waited to give her a big hug at the end. She really made my race. Race time was good too, 2:40:39.

BCS Marathon +Half Marathon Starting balloon

So now here I am thinking about what's next. Marathon? Yes that will happen in 2015. But for 2014 I think I am going to try to become more of a social runner, I think maybe I will work on that. Month to date 42.19 miles. Coming up 12k of Christmas 12-21-13.

November recap, a look to December.

November has been a little disappointing. I had completely lost my enthusiasm for running. Not that I had stopped running but it has become a chore again. :( I had worked it out were if I kept running until the end of the month I would have reached my 100 mile month goal but Saturday morning came and it was apparent that what I really needed after all the Thanksgiving hustle and bustle was some rest. Ironically that did not include sleep. I spent the hours when I would have been running looking for races for the coming year. I think I was trying to find a reason to keep running beyond March. There were no  Black Friday race deals that were worth taking but I did finally make a decision on the 12k of Christmas and found a $10 off discount so I have that to look forward to at the end of the month. I also found out that the Blue Bell run is only $20 until the end of the year so I got in on that one for mid-April. I also signed up for the Houston Wellness Project free 5k on the last Saturday of December. I have told myself that I am going to run it all year and since this is my last chance, no time like the present. I also found that the half marathon I wanted to do in May moved to March so that leaves a hole in May, maybe I'll take May off. In the end November finished with 86.89 miles still pretty respectable, considering the eating holiday and all.

On to December...

Race week is upon me. BCS Half Marathon this coming Sunday. For some reason I am a bit unsettled this go round. I only skipped one long run. December 1st I was back on training per usual with 11 slow ass miles. I even managed 4 miles this morning, 1st slow, 2 w/speed intervals and 1 slow cool down. I feel ok but my mind game doesn't seem to be in it. I am planning on running it as a training run instead of as a race run, so maybe that'll calm my nerves some.I am not sure why I am nervous for this run. The weather is going to be horrible but I have run the past few race in either horrible rain or very cold (ok for Houston it was cols). It's not the distance, this will be my 5th half marathon for 2013. Every little pain feels weird. I woke up and my big toe ached. When I got back from my run this morning the top of my foot hurt. Something just has me quite unsettled but I am sure after the first mile or two I should ease in to some sort of calm. Next stop on this journey is the expo to pick up my packet.


3 races lefts for the year, BCS Half, 12k of Christmas and the Wellness project 5k.