This outfit brought to you by...

Fit Chic Headbands and Skinny Runner

All the ladies out there know how important the marathon outfit is! I spend a lot of my running time thinking about it. I knew I wanted it to be fun, say something about me and NOT be GREEN! It is a St. Patrick's Day run and I do not want to look like everyone else. I have loved zebra print since I was in college and googled zebra stuff and ran across the headbands and was excited to see arm bands to match. I have always wanted to try arm bands since I am super cold when I start running but get hot during the run. I like the thought of taking them off and tucking them in my running belt. I am going to try them out this weekend. The shirt is from Skinny Runner and has a cupcake on it! I ordered it within minutes of her posting shirts. Good thing because she is SOLD OUT! So right now this is my outfit. But it is very likely to change. First I have to see how the arm bands work out and then I am going to have to keep on eye on the weather as time gets closer. I might end up in a sleeveless something if it is going to be 50's or higher.

Anyone else out there obsess about their race day outfit?

Too Many Possible Titles!

Wow the end of this week has been crazy! I could have titled this post "20 miles where?"; "You are insane" (a direct quote from Monica); "My 1st Ice Bath"; "Does crying burn calories"; or okay you get the point...

Thursday morning my grandfather passed away which was sad yet very relieving. He has been sick since November and suffering in the nursing home for about 3 months. I left work early to be with family and make arrangements. The weather was completely awful at the end of the week but Saturday was going to be gorgeous. Great running weather but I knew I would be with the family all day Saturday. So I laid out my stuck to hit the rod bright and early Friday (I took the day off) so I could be done early morning to be with family for the rest of the day. BUT I awoke to the sound of 30 mph wind and sleet. I was not willing to run in that type of weather so I did the unthinkable....

I hopped on the treadmill with the intentions of running 20 miles. I was going to set it a 6.0 mph and roll with it. That would be 3 hours and 20 minutes. I will spare you some dramatic climax... I nailed it! Watched an episode of survivor, hopped off to check internet (thought something had happened to Charlie Sheene due to a random facebook post), watched a second episode of Survivor, watched some Days of Our Lives, talked to my Dad about funeral stuff, called mom. Guess what???? Treadmills cut off at 100 minutes. So I Gued, found some water and set off for 10 more miles. Decided to go ahead and have my moment about Granddaddy so I turned the iPod to old gospel church music and had a good cry for about 3 miles. Called mom at 15 miles and told her I would call her when I was done. Last 5 miles were rough but I made it!

Then I went upstairs to try this for the first time....

I think it helped but I only stayed in about 6 minutes. I even wore socks and my tights so I could stand it. All in all the 20 mile treadmill run was not that bad. However, I do think I will do another one before than marathon because I do not feel like this one helped that much. I was a little sore from it but the compression socks and chiropractor helped a lot. Good news is I can wear compression socks as much as I want!

Now I am left to run off all the comfort I consumed on Saturday at the visitation/church dinner. We had a potluck dinner at my childhood church and if you are from a Southern Baptist church then you know what kind of food I am talking about! I think banana croquettes sums it up! I bet someone has to google it : ) Trust me they are good!

I even managed a 6.2 mile run outside in shorts on Sunday! So I did a marathon this weekend! Here is to a better week, better eating and getting in all the last training runs.

Long Overdue

So I had my 18 mile long run last weekend and you would think I would be all excited to write about it but I have been busy and in a funk.

First, lets start with the run. The run was great. I met my friend Crystal's husband Jeremy for 8 miles to start the long run. We were able to keep close to a 9:00 minute average with a few slips close to 9:20 BUT I will say I was running a different course than usual so there was lots of turning and deciding where to go. Jeremy and I are also talkers so that could factor in as well. After our 8 miles we met up with Monica who was ready to tackle 10 miles with me. Jeremy stuck with us for 2 and turned around to get in 12 miles for himself. Monica and I had a good run. It was slower than a 10:00 average for the most part but I was struggling since I had had one puny run after my bout with the stomach bug. My stomach for the first time in a long time gave me some issues a few miles from being done. I am going to try a new food this week instead of my blocks in case it was a case of too much Gu. Came home and wore my compression socks all afternoon and my legs felt great! I will be wearing those for recovery all the time.

** Question: Is there a rule on how long you can wear compression socks for recovery?

I have not been in a blogging mood or a computer mood for the most part. My son is at a super fun age right now and I just love being with him! So my funk is a good funk. I just want to watch TV with Parker and lay in the floor and play cars with him. ALSO last week I was trying to fit in a run while he was still awake and he accidently threw a toy behind my treadmill. He has always been super good about staying away from the treadmill but he really wanted to get the toy for the dog and he went to get it. So I hear this "Mommy" and turn around to my child pinned between the moving belt and the wall. Luckily it was rubbing just his leg and he had a carpet burn like mark on his leg in 2 little places. I am so glad it didn't get him worse. No more running with the little guy up : ( He is 90 mph right now! Such a fun age.

This week I have been able to get in good treadmill workouts. Recovery on Sunday, speed work on Monday (FINALLY broke 24 mins on a 5K) and 6 miles on Wednesday. Tuesday are still a forced rest day since I have class all night after I get off work. I tried to come home and hit the treadmill at 9:30 pm and I just did not have it in me.

This weekend I have 20 fun filled miles to look forward to and it looks like I will be flying solo. Which is honestly good for me. I enjoy the time to myself and use it for a lot of reflection and just planning. Most importantly I have been planning my marathon outfit. I am trying not to spend a lot so I am thinking about a fun new accessory to go with a simple black running outfit. I can promise you it will have ZERO green since the other 24,000 people will be decked out in green since it is a St. Patrick's Day theme.

The next time I blog I will be telling if I survived my 20 miler : ) and if I feel real good I might go for 22 and call it taper time!

Good to Bad!

So came off a great weekend feeling on top of the world!

Knocked out 16 miles like it was my job and spent a lot of time with the family and had great Valentine's stuff! Here comes to bad....

woke up Sunday middle of the night with stomach pains that felt about as mad as my labor when the epidural wore off.... then spent a few hours dry heaving. Went to the doctor for some drugs and that sorta helped.

Spent most of the day Monday feeling awful and obviously did not work. Tuesday woke up with a fever and more rounds of dry heaving. So this means I had two days of NO running!

Then on Wednesday I come home and think I will run on the treadmill and work on my speed because one day I will qualify for Boston. Well then I hop on the internet and see that everyone is talking about the requirements to get in. 5 minutes faster not THAT big of deal. I mean I might be able to pull off a 3:40 before then. BUT! even IF I get a 3:40 I still won't be "fast" enough. Because the ridiculously fast people get to register first. THANKS BOSTON! Thanks a lot! Guess I will go eat a cupcake and not run tonight. Okay not really but it seriously sucks. So much that I actually typed out the word sucks instead of censoring it like I usually do. I actually hate the word sucks and can't stand to hear people say it but tonight the word just sorta fits. Don't deliver bad news to a person who has been living on saltines and Sierra Mist!!

:) I will be over it soon enough but knew I could vent to you other running obsessed people! Sorry I have been a little MIA on commenting on your blogs but I didn't want to yak on the keyboard! I would have been in a really bad mood if I had to buy a new laptop. MacBooks don't come cheap and I am going to have to have spend all my extra money buying myself a spot into Boston... oops I started talking about it again!

Happy Valentine's Day

1. Handmade gifts? Love or dislike? I love the idea of a homemade gift! I am not creative enough to do it myself but would never be offended by something that was made instead of bought.

2. Gift cards? Love or tacky? All about a gift card! I am all the time wanting to go shopping and having "free money" is great. Plus my husband knows I can be hard to please so I don't mind if he gets a gift card so I can get myself something I am wanting.

3. What type of theater do you frequent (like Cinemark, etc)? I think we have a Regal?? Who knows the answer to this! That may be because I go the movies about once a year and sometimes it is longer than. I HATE sitting in the movies.

4. Coffee? addict, like, can't stand? Starbucks, home, other? Can not stand it all all. I don't see myself ever becoming a coffee drinker. I do like to smell it though.

5. Do you read? Books you've been wanting to read? Type of books you like? I am waiting on the new Sookie Stackhouse to come out in May. I love to read Mary Higgins Clark, Nicholas Sparks and Patricia Cornwell. In the summer I typically read 20 books while I am not working. If someone tells me it is good I will read it. I mostly recently read "The Hunger Game" series.

6. 3 Favorite running accessories: Garmin, compression (tights, capris) and Clif Bloks?? I don't run with a lot of stuff. I prefer to keep it simple and would not run with a Garmin except I like to be able to run wherever I want and get my miles in.

7. Kids? Ages? 1 son who is age 2

8. Pets? TOO many; Weimaraner (Milly) Pug (Rancher) and 2 cats (Libby and Zoey)

9. 3 things you can't leave home without: Besides the obvious kid, keys and purse : ) Bottle of water, cell phone and I usually have my camera in case Parker does something cute

10. 3 Favorite magazines. I have never had a magazine suscription until recently I started getting Runner's World and Taste of Home

11. When you are in a running slump, what motivates you? new gear, making a new goal and the food I eat!

12. Complete the sentence, "My favorite thing about running/exercise is ______" feeling accomplished

13. Shoe size/t shirt size:shoe size 7 1/2 and shirt size XS or Small depending on where it is from

14. 3 Favorite Valentine's candies: If it is chocolate I will eat it! But I am a sucker for chocolate covered strawberries that tend to show up around Valentine's Day. But seriously if you have ever read my blog then you know I live off of junk food.

Habits of a Runner

Bobbie from Journey In Running asked about running routines and I most definitely have them. I am a creature of habit in all aspects of my life. I can "fly by the seat of my pants" for shorter runs but when I get into anything longer than 13 miles I start making sure I have my ducks in a row. I am lucky that I can eat whatever I want the night before a run (minus milk products and alcohol) so that is not an issue. But I have to get certain things laid out. I always lay out my clothes after I check the weather; last night it was tights, wind break pants, thorlo socks, shoes, sport bra tank (the warm one), long sleeve shirt, zip up jacket, hat and headband. Then in the living room by the keys I lay out; granola bar, water, pre-run gu (caffeine one), go belt with 1 gu, cliff blocks, iPod and ID, gloves and Garmin. Post run I always call my mom and here lately have been going to get a victory cupcake!

Pam from the cake shopped made Pink Velvet for me this Saturday since she didn't have it last week! It was so funny when I ordered I got the last one and I heard Pam in the back say "No, you can't sell that one I saw Twila out running!" The girl quickly told her it was for me and Pam came out to make sure. When I saw her driving by while I was running I waved real big so she would know I was coming her way. If you are ever in Danville you have to stop by Twisted Sifter for their yummy cupcakes.

Run Recap:

16 miles in 2 hours 28 minutes at a 9:18 pace

Started off cold (19 degrees) but ended nice and sunny

Looks like I will be signing up for Virginia. My brother will be off the ship and I have done okay with getting in my long runs. 3 more weekends of long runs, 1 taper weekend then Marathon weekend!

Screaming to get out!

In my case it is the opposite! Somewhere inside me there is a FAT woman screaming to get out. But I can usually shut her up with a good run. But sometimes she makes me do stupid stuff like:

Buy this stuff at the grocery store! I buy sweets and say things like "I will just eat a little handful to stop the craving" or "trail mix is healthy" YEAH if you don't sit and pick the M&Ms out and eat just the M&Ms. I don't know if it is the cold weather but I am eating like a squirrel preparing for hibernation. EVERY time I walk in the kitchen I find my hand in one of these bags. I even ate some of the trail mix (aka M&Ms) and chocolate chips when I took this picture.

Does anyone else have this problem??? In the past 5 years I have quit smoking with zero effort, gave up cokes without thinking about and cut back on drinking without a second though so why can I not quit eating sweets? Let me give you a run thru an average day for me:

Breakfast: fiber one pop tart or bar

7:30 arrive at school

See my kids acting like hoodlums; eat a piece of a chocolate

8:00-9:00 Teach Math

9:05 go get a mini chocolate bar because my kids didn't know Math

9:05-9:55 Teach Math again

9:56 eat more chocolate because those kids forgot everything I taught yesterday

10:00-11:45 Teach Reading and Writing while eating chocolate because they forgot too

12:00-12:15 Healthy Lunch followed by more chocolate

12:15-12:45 Recess Detention with previously mentioned hoodlums

12:45-1:40 Planning; while eating more chocolate

1:40-2:40 Teach

One last piece of chocolate before I go home

HOME! to eat a healthy supper but have no fear I usually split some gummies with Parker and then eat chocolate as a reward for doing my run.

See the fat woman screaming to get out??? She is like FEED ME! FEED ME! I need a support group for real. I mean who stops in the middle of a 14 mile run to order cupcakes???

Mantra Bust!

So here I am ready for 14 miles, right?? After 2 weeks of not hitting 14 miles you think I would be pumped but not so much. It was rainy and a little chilly and I just had that "lets stay home feeling". I even contemplated running all 14 on the treadmill so I could run the whole thing at a guaranteed 8:34 pace. I also wanted to finish last week's Biggest Loser but my husband reminded me that would be boring and I would probably quit before I got 14 in so I got dressed at left the house. Also, my husband checked the weather and said there was no wind so that helped make me think it would be an okay run. WELL guess what the wind showed up in the form of 37 mph gust! NOT FUN. It was so wet and windy I had no voice by the time my run was over. UGH!

Earlier in the week I received a little motivation; the Twisted Sifter (cake shopped) cupcake flavor list for the week. PINK VELVET was finally back on the menu. I have not been "allowed" to go until Pink Velvet was there. My whole run I was like "pink velvet, pink velvet". So at 11 miles I went in to order and get a little bounce back in my step for the last 3 miles. Guess what? NO pink velvet. I was super bummed but went ahead and ordered a Margarita cupcake plus 1 for the hubs and the kid.