With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams...

October 2012

Previous MonthRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesThe Quiet Pirate's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewYear View
Graph View
Next Month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2009201020112012201320142015
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Hope Mills,NC,USA

Member Since:

May 12, 2009

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

78.6 miles at Hinson Lake 24 hour ultra 2013

Short-Term Running Goals:

Mike to Mike Marathon- May 2014

Hinson Lake 24 hour ultra -Fall 2014

Long-Term Running Goals:

Run till the day I die and still enjoy it

Comrades---long, long, long term

Personal:

Married

2 children

2 chickens

cat

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Mizuno Lifetime Miles: 508.40
NB Trail Lifetime Miles: 94.40
New-zuno 9's Lifetime Miles: 515.83
Pinky Gladys Gutzman Lifetime Miles: 502.11
Brooks Lifetime Miles: 517.83
New Brooks Lifetime Miles: 507.28
New Minuno Pink Lifetime Miles: 519.24
MiZuni FLAMES Lifetime Miles: 470.24
Merrell Vibrams Lifetime Miles: 20.86
Mizuno Alchemy 8 Lifetime Miles: 586.59
MIzuno Alchemy 12 Lifetime Miles: 497.80
Brooks 13 Lifetime Miles: 577.62
Brooks 12 Lifetime Miles: 410.66
Brooks 13 New Green Lifetime Miles: 440.91
Brooks 13 New Blue Lifetime Miles: 445.67
Green Machine Brooks 13 Lifetime Miles: 560.25
Shiny Blue Asics Lifetime Miles: 164.85
Dreamy New Balance Lifetime Miles: 402.57
Total Distance
176.06
MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 149.06New Brooks Miles: 27.00
Total Distance
5.01

45 min elliptical in the morning.  It was rainy outside and I couldn't will myself to get out in the rain.

So I ran in the afternoon.  Ran home from work- it was cloudy and warm, but the last couple of miles I had a nice little breeze to help cool me off.

Progressive run, but not super fast.

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 5.01
Add Comment
Total Distance
5.55

Wasn't sure how my legs would be this morning after running yesterday afternoon, but they cooperated just fine and I had a nice progressive run.  Best part was seeing the moon.  Even at half a moon, it was right above me and bright enough to light up the road. 

It was warm and super humid.  My glasses fogged up half way through.  Made it harder to see anything at all- especially since I've got that blasted eye patch blocking half my sight anyway.  AAARRRGGGHHHH!

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 5.55
Comments(3)
Total Distance
3.20

I wanted to sleep in today.  Really wanted to.  After 20 minutes I realized I wasn't going to get anymore sleep and got out of bed to put a few more miles on my running shoes.  I only had time for 3, but I got them done.  I ran at what I'd consider a "slow run."  Didn't watch the garmin, just ran the way it felt.  Plans for another few miles after work as long as the weather cooperates.

The moon was out, but the clouds were determined to block my view.  Still, I knew he was there :-)

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 3.20
Add Comment
Total Distance
11.20

Got my 10K run in this morning.  It was slower, my legs were feeling tired and I wanted to save something for a run home today.  I was worn out from an attack on the high seas yesterday and didn't get a pm run in.  Hope to get one in today.

Knee wants to be bothersome.  I wish it would take a flying leap off the plank!!

Made it home the 5 miles after work, but it was a tough run.  Took me a while to get my knee brace strapped around my knee right so it wasn't hurting, and then I had one phone call/text after another.  Because mini-me was out with the car, I kept checking my phone to make sure she wasn't having any troubles.  I was trying to run on the washed out side of the road, answer my phone, and juggle 2 water bottles at the same time.  I finally started feeling like I was running strong around mile 4.5 and considered going for 6 instead of 5, but 5 was right in front of my ship, and there's no place like home.

In my effort to eat healthy, I ate frosted shredded wheat, canned peaches, pb&j, and chips with salsa for dinner.  And half a twix.  I am really looking forward to having Friday off.

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 11.20
Comments(2)
Total Distance
13.43

Ahhh... It wasn't Saint George, but it was my own little half marathon ode to the hard core runners down in Dixie doing their thing!

I ran a couple miles and then did the knee-brace readjust & stretch thing before heading out for the rest of the run.  It actually went pretty well.  Wonderful  cool weather, and plenty of shade the first 3/4 of the run.  MR was the best waterboy/road guard ever, and I felt strong at the end and sped up the last 2.5 miles. 

We saw a dead opossum but no snakes :-(  There were so many flowers in bloom!  5 different shades of morning glory winding through the edges of the soybean fields, some little orange blooms, a few different types of yellow blooms, and believe it or not, the honeysuckle was in bloom again too.  I love running along the honeysuckle when it's in bloom and it smells so darn good!!

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 13.43
Add Comment
Total Distance
0.00

Best quote from runnersworld.com !

No matter our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.

 Dale Turner

Add Comment
Total Distance
6.15

Got out for a terrific-ly cool morning run.  Put my running sleeves on :-)  It was 50-ish degrees and just perfect!

Not sure why I chose to go down the "dog" road, but that's the road I took for my 6 mile run.  I usually don't take it because of the dogs- but my legs took me down that road.  I blame my legs because my mind really isn't functioning that early in the morning.

About 1.5 miles down the road, a car stopped and turned around in front of me.  Kind of odd, but not "scary."  Then a quarter of a mile later, the same car came up from behind me and came to a stop in the lane next to me, and rolled down their window.  I had my hand on my pepper spray and used my meanest pirate voice to demand "What can I help YOU with?" I was ready for action!!

A timid little voice comes out of the car, "Sister Harsch...I am soooo lost!"  It was one of the girls going to seminary and she'd just started driving on her own & got turned around in the dark.  Poor little thing, she was on the verge of tears.  I got her turned around and back on her way.  A while later I stopped again to call and make sure she'd gotten there okay.  She did.  I wondered to myself if that was the reason I ended up going down the dog road, so I could help her get un-lost.  Either way, glad I could help her out this morning.

After being helpful, I kept running and found the dogs.  They were out in the yard running free, and ran right into the road to try and get me.  I had my pepper spray out, but tried a new line of defense today.  I kept the spray handy and just stared screaming "NO!" at the top of my lungs over and over again. Finally someone woke up and came outside to call their dogs off me.  Mission accomplished.  If you want to let your dogs run loose and chase me in the road at 6 am, I will scream and wake you and your neighbors up.  Next time I will scream and call animal control.  I have been chased by those dogs for 3 years now, and I've had enough.

The dogs were inside when I ran back on the way home.  I actually got to run home un-interrupted.  3 stops going out, none coming home.  I enjoyed my run today.  Missed the moon because of high cloud cover, but I had enough distractions to make up for missing my friend.

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 6.15
Comments(6)
Total Distance
0.00

Had to get out early this morning and drop bucanner #1 off at the National Guard Armory to send him on his way to boot camp.  I had planned on running in the afternoon, but the hole in my heart kept me home feeling sorry for myself.

Comments(3)
Total Distance
7.10

Ran home from work.  The first 3 miles were trudgery.  I just wanted to walk.  Then something magical happened, and it started feeling wonderful.  So I ran another 2 after getting home.  They were slow miles, but I didn't care.  It was so nice to be out in the sun with a nice cool breeze and some shade to make it perfect.

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 7.10
Add Comment
Total Distance
11.00

6 miles in the morning with the waning moon and stars.  sleeves and gloves today, loved seeing my breath in the light of the headlamp.  Got some new super reflective vests from my neighbor, and I've been wearing them this week.  I've also switched to using the red light on my headlamp.  It does actually make it easier on my eyes than using the white light, but I'm not sure it's helping cars see me.  (I'm kind of hoping the bright reflective vest will do that part).

Then 5 miles home in evening after work.  3 runs in a 25 hour period, and I'm happy to say that each run was progressively easier and faster ap.  Not on purpose, but it just worked out that way.  I enjoy running in the late afternoon and getting some time with the sun and letting the stress of the day roll off me and onto the pavement.  It makes cooking dinner tricky, so we're eating later and meals are a lot less complicated- but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I was delighted today to finish my run and when I walked in the front door, I smelled home made cookies!  That little pirate girl is one awesome cookie maker!!  YUM!

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 11.00
Comments(4)
Total Distance
0.00

30 minutes elliptical to wake up and get my day started

Add Comment
Total Distance
16.00

the weather cooled off nicely here so I decided I could sleep in and get a run in today without worrying about the "heat of the day."  I knew it was going to be nice when I opened the garage door to head out, and there waiting for (like a gift from the pirate king) was this:

 

Yep, it's half a dead mole.  Boo-ya!

I got a couple mile warm up in, stopped at the house for a drink and potty break, and MR and I were off on our grand adventure for the day.  I planned on doing something between 13 and 15.  After a few miles more, I decided to take a different approach to a route I've been running, and do more of a "p" shaped loop than the "D" I've been doing.  It ended up being longer than I'd thought.   It was a good run, and the only negative was the wind that found me for a few miles of the run home.  I stopped to fuel with gu at miles 6 and 12.  I think that I perform better refueling every 5 miles rather than every 6.  I'll stick with the 5 from now on.

MR found a build a bear rollerskate for the treasure box.  It's only one, but what peg-legged pirate needs two?

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 16.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
0.00

30 min elliptical to move some muscles around in the morning and a 1 mile walk in the pm with MR.

Add Comment
Total Distance
9.00

morning came too soon today.  I got 4 miles in the hood today.  I felt let down that there was high cloud cover, so no stars shining on my shoulders.  And the inevitable finally happened- when I finished my run, it was still dark outside.  No sunrise on the horizon.  I knew it was coming, but why did it have to be on a Monday??

I almost ran into a middle school student.  he was walking along a very dark section of the road and I was wearing my red lamp, which I had pointed down at the road just then because it was so dark and I knew it was a cruddy section of asphalt.  I'm sure he saw me running, but I did not see him coming.  Luckily he was just a kid going to the bus stop, but it made me realize I would have been caught off guard by someone with more sinister plans.  I hate that running has turned into a workout balanced around fear.

A girl was attacked on her bike a couple weeks ago, Terri was "flashed," friend got hit by a car.... just too much bad stuff in such a short time.  Maybe with winter coming, the crazies will stay inside with colder weather.  Maybe.

Hope to get a run in home today as long as the weather cooperates.  I left my watch at home charging, so it should be a nice run with no worries because I can just imagine I'm going super fast :-)

Got to run 5 in the evening with Wyatt.  Super-duper good times!

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 9.00
Comments(5)
Total Distance
5.08

Morning run with Venus and the stars.  Got out a little late, so I had a glimpse of some daylight trying to crawl out from the treeline.  Beautiful.

I thought it was going to be warmer than I'd planned for and there were a few chilly wind gusts that made me wish I'd put some sleeves or gloves on.  It was encouragement for me to keep the pace up so I could stay warm!

Progressive run.  Started super slow, but cut 90 seconds off my pace from mile one to mile 5.

Saw the reflection from a pair of eyes in the soybean field as I ran by.  They followed me as I ran past them.  Neat-o...my first chupacabra sighting of the season!!  I was reading about coyotes before I went to bed last night, and I think I'd rather take my chances with a chupacabra!

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 5.08
Comments(6)
Total Distance
6.12

I'm not sure how my alarm clock got turned off, but I slept in until almost 7 am.  When I did finally get over the shock and panic of sleeping so late, I realized I felt great and loved the extra sleep.

I was going to run home from work, and when I went to change at the end of the day, I found that I'd left my shoes at home....so I went home and ran my 10K route.  Not a fan of the evening traffic and creeps that will not move over at all even when there's no one coming for at least .75 of a mile and it's a straight road and daylight outside.  Why are they so mean?

I did enjoy the view of the fields in the sunlight.  I'm so used to running that route in the dark, and I've been missing out on some pretty views.  Cotton field on the left and soybean on the right.


MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 6.12
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.05

Had a good early morning run, another progressive run and it felt good.  It was in the 40's and just right for shorts and a long sleeve shirt.

After work, I changed (glad I remembered my shoes today since I didn't have a ride home!) and ran home.  It was humid and cloudy.  I was afraid I might get caught in the rain, but after a couple miles, the sun came out and it got warm. 

First mile was a lot faster than my usual mile 1, and I was able to keep the pace for mile two, but the hill climb just before I hit mile 3 slowed me down and made me wonder if I'd run out of steam.  After I hit mile 3 (30 seconds slower than miles 1 & 2), I stopped and ate a few chewy energy sharks.  Those sharks and the end of all the hills put me back on my pace, and I was able to make miles 4 and 5 faster than miles 1 and 2. 

No running tomorrow- maybe a bike ride?

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 10.05
Add Comment
Total Distance
0.00

It had just finished raining in the morning, so I was able to ride my bike into work.  It was a little darker than I thought it would be, so I got to use my bike light for the first time ever!  I thought it would be cold out for the ride, but it wasn't - and I was over dressed.

Got 9 miles to work and then 5 home.

Add Comment
Total Distance
13.50

My new CES compression socks came in the mail last night, so I wore them to bed :-)  I was able to sleep in, do a couple errands in the morning, and get in a good run before 4 pm!  The nice weather made it all possible.

MR and I went to the Cape Fear trail to run.  It is an out and back, 4 miles each way.  MR wanted to run 6 miles, so we ran 3 out and turned around.  

After getting more water at the car, MR got on his bike and rode along with me for the next 7.5 miles.  I had a couple slow miles on the uphill parts, but overall my pace was better than the last few  long runs I've done- and those were all on flat roads.  Pat myself on the back...

At one point in my run, I saw a young guy who looked like a soldier in a wheelchair with a girl/wife and a medical help dog.  He was rolling along the trail.  I had such a wave of gratitude rush over me, and whatever it was that had been bothering me seemed to float away.  So lucky to be able to run!

I liked the compression socks.  They are great!  I kept them on all day and think they really do have some benefits.  I'll be wearing them on my future long runs :-)

After the run was over, we were walking on the boardwalk over the swampy land and saw the cutest little raccoon paw prints.


MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 13.50
Comments(4)
Total Distance
0.00

2 mile walk with MR in the hood

Add Comment
Total Distance
3.00

Not sure why I wasn't in the mood to wake up, but I wasn't.  So I didn't.

Went for a pm run with Wyatt.  I forgot my super knee brace, and she'd done 8 miles back to back Sat/Sun, so we kept it short.  3 miles wasn't nearly long enough for me to visit, but it was a good start.

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 3.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
9.57

Two runs.  10k in the morning- did some good speedy paces, and progressive as well.  Ran with my friends Orion, Venus, and Dipper.  They're such good listeners.

In the pm I ran with MR on some wicked trails.  Lots of hills and washouts on the trails.  First time on this particular trail.  It's what the army uses to train on driving humvees up and down steep uneven ground.  Wowwie-wow-wow!  It was 1.74 out, which we ran all the way- but needed a couple walk breaks on the way back so we did a little extra at the end.  3.27 miles total.

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 9.57
Add Comment
Total Distance
9.10

Running in the hood in the morning with my 3 friends again.  Took it easy.  It was progressive, but slower than yesterday.  Hoping for a run home today :-)

5.03 miles home in the afternoon.  About 80 degrees, and beautiful!

MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 9.10
Comments(3)
Total Distance
7.00

My foot was kind of sore..I'm wondering if it's my right shoe.  I had troubles with the tongue, then the top of the laces, and now the bottom of my foot.  So I found some old brooks shoes that have less than 500 miles on them and used them this morning.  They felt good on my foot.  Maybe it's time for a different brand for a while.

I just did 2 miles w/o garmin or headlamp.  Just stayed in the hood and enjoyed the stars.  I did a few fartleks the last mile. 

Going to run home in my brooks and see how those treat the footsies.

Ran home, same pace as yesterday's run home, but today my legs were tired and the last few miles, my quads were sore.  The brooks felt okay on my foot as I ran, but a few hours after running, my foot is achy again.  I think it's time for a break.  This weekend will be my week-end off from a long run.  Maybe my weekend off from all runs.  It's probably going to rain because of that silly storm, so I'm going to drink hot chocolate and bake cookies.  Or something like that.

It was nice to see my two best friends getting along with each other on my run home.  Moon & Sun - playing in the afternoon clouds together :-)

 

So the moon isn't easy to see in the photo, but it's above the long line of clouds on the right half of the photo.  I promise.  After 5 miles, I realized that the trees are starting to change colors.  I'm seeing some reds and a few yellows.  Pretty :-)

New Brooks Miles: 7.00
Comments(3)
Total Distance
8.00

Sandy was on her way to the Nation's Capitol and I decided it sounded like a good idea and went there myself...

 

Had a great run this morning with Terri.  It's nice to spend time pounding the pavement with my running buddy.  It was like old times again-what was that delicious smell on the rail trail this morning? shake & bake!

New Brooks Miles: 8.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
2.30

My plan was a short morning run and a nice afternoon run.  Did speed on the morning run. The cold wind and rain changed my afternoon plans.  So I went home and did 30 minutes on the elliptical.

New Brooks Miles: 2.30
Comments(6)
Total Distance
10.00

Went out in the rain and wind.  Neither one was too bad- it was a  40* wind chill which felt really cold, but I know it's not bad- I'm just not used to it.

Maybe run after work, maybe not.  We'll see what the weather has in store.

Afternoon run was chilly, but I had my jacket and long tights on so I didn't freeze.  There were a few strong wind gusts, but nothing sustained. I didn't have my watch for either run today.  There's something nice about just running and not worrying about time/pace.  I tried the mizunos again for my pm run and it bothered the bottom of my foot again.  I hate to quit a pair of shoes with only 300 miles, but it may be the end of the line for those shoes. 

New Brooks Miles: 5.00MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 5.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
4.70

Chilly, but dry morning.  I finally got to see the wonderful moon.  So big and full and right above my head lighing up the roads for me.  Goody goody goody!!!

New Brooks Miles: 4.70
Comments(1)
Total Distance
176.06
MIzuno Alchemy 12 Miles: 149.06New Brooks Miles: 27.00
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: