Last Half Marathon of the Year!

On Sunday, November 24, I ran my last half marathon for the year at the Fall Classic Half Marathon in Strongsville, Ohio. I have been training for this and I was ready to beat my PR (personal record). 

So the night before I ate spaghetti, water for dinner and for a snack I ate some carrots and a gorilla bar.  I layer out my outfit before bed. It was my new running hat, gloves, my buffer to cute the wind on my face, a  purple wicket t-shit, Nike arm warmers, and a long sleeve wicket 3/4 zipper, the outside layer of my  new Columbia Jacket( used as a rain Jacket to cut the wind and snow), underarmed tights, black running shorts, socks, gu  (I could not find Power Gel when picking up my packet) and my bib number 231!  I had a great night sleep from 11:30 p.m.  to 6 o’clock. For breakfast I drank Sunny D,  Apple Juice and had some Frosted Flacks and a banana. After eating I checked the weather app on iphone ( I use for an iPod) to see what the weather is going to be like at 9 am when the race starts. The weather app called for snow. I was nervous about running in the snow. But when my Uncle Jim and I  arrived to the race site at the Bonnie Park Cleveland Metro parks their was not a drop of snow on the ground. We had to walk a mile  from the RTA parking lot to the start line. My Uncle did great. I Just saying! 

The race was on a cloudy day with the temperature that was the chill 20 degree with the wind 20 mph with no snow!  After stretching and going to the restroom. Then they told everyone to line up at  the start line I  was a little nerves, but I was ready, because the last two runs, I ran that that pace I wanted to run at this race and I did great. As I line up towards the back of the rows and start my iPod  with Nike run app and put my ear buds to my ear. I hear the Alicia Keys song “ Girl on fire” It is a in powering song and  it fired me up. I got my watch ready to use the stop watch mode and pushed the start as I crossed over the track pad at the start line, because my time does not start until I cross the track pad. Keeping track of my time helps me stay on target with my goal time.The course was smooth, flat and fast. At one of the water stations a gorilla even passed out  ice water. Around mile 6, I was going to pass my Uncle Jim some cloths or my Gu trash.  I told him, around an hours I should be at mile six. Well, I was on my A game and I was ahead of my target time. So as I come up to my Uncle Jim  around mile 6, he is holding his iPhone ready to take a photo. As I snuck up on Uncle Jim at mile six,  I gave my him a high five as I was running, He smiles and high fives me! I was feeling great around mile 6 and ready!

It was the first time I ran in this cold of weather because I have been running in 32 degrees weathers. 

But I have been training for this. My goal was to beat my Akron Marathon time of 2:14:45. So I used a pacer band and my old stop watch to make sure I was on pace for my goal time of 2:14:00. I stopped the watch on accident and did not notice, so I was not able to keep pace, so then I  was thinking how I can work around it and figured I started at 9 a.m. and calculated in my brain where I should be at every mile  the sync  it with my  pace band. And it worked! I rocked it! I beat my goal time and I crossed the finish line at 2:13:48 and I was 26 in my age group 30 to 34!

This was the first half marathon I felt good the whole race, I mainly focused only my breathing and checked my form through out the race. I was feeling good till the last mile. Then I was thinking to myself, “Dud that is just one lap around the the block when I am training, I got this in the bag. Just keep on running!” I did! 

After the race volunteers passed out  hot chocolate, cookies and other yummy food for the racers. I really enjoyed it and it was not that hard to run in the cold as I thought it was going to be.

 O ya! I realized I forgot my SLR camera as we are walking to the start line of the race. That is not a good thing for me! So I had to take photos  when I got home with my SLR! :( 

Wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy it with your friend and family, while eating yummy turkey and mash potatoes!

Photo credit: Jessica Genevish

Monday 6 miles run!

IMonday was many mile. Last long run of 6 miles before my last half marathon this weekend!  It was a nice fun the trees was bar and  the leafs was pilled up along the side of the road!  The tempature was 45 degrees, nice weather  for a long run and I decided to try out this power gel energy for this long  run, because I usually use  gu for my Long runns only! The power gel kind was more liquid and as thick at the gu! It worked great! I think I am going to use it on the half marathon this weekend! 

Hope everyone has a great Friday! 

Running Buddy

On November 16,  2013 I was watching my little nephew Jacob who is only 2 year old.  I want to see if he was up for a run, so I said Jacob you want to go for a run! He was like sure! So I ended up chasing him around the room and playing flash light tag.  We had a blast! I took of my fleece and not soon after that Jacob wanted to to take of his shirt. ( good thing we was inside). It was funny because we was running, then Jacob was like I will be back going to get a drink Aunt Jenny. Then I would here his little feet run down  the alway for a drink and back up to the toy room to continue running.  So we ended up running for over 8 minutes and grabbed some blue Gatorade when we was done and a photo to! It was fun! Maybe next time I will get him to run down the sidewalk! 

Towpath Marathon

Last Sunday on November 3, 2013 I ran my second half marathon.I competed Towpath Marathon at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park( it was rescheduled because of the government shut down, it was suppose to be on October 13, 2013). Due to the shutdown the race was resceduled and  the back of the shirts  stated "Can't Shut A Good Run Down". The course was great and flat with some amazing views, I wish I had took my camera!  The race started at 8:00 am, I got thair early and was able to stretch and use the restroom! I start the race with a goal of beating my Akron Half Marathon time. I started the first few mile ahead of my pace time. Then I decided to ditch my glove at around the 6 miles mark. I found Jessica Speece and her father to run with , then I had to pick up my pace to keep on target. When running I notice a lot of gloves and clothing along the course from runners getting hot! At mile 8 I looked at my pace band and my iPod and noticed I was few minutes behind. I was like I will never catch up! Crap! Then I was like keep on running, my new goal was to run the whole race without walking!  So I payed for not running for 7 days before the race, I was so tired and really pushing myself to finish the race! I could only imagine my face when I crossed the finish like! I really pushed myself the last mile, but I  tried to keep  at my steady pace. I loved the trail and would love to do it again! I finished the race at 2:20:46 and ran the whole thing! It was not my best time but I will take it! Since I did not run for 7 days because a lot was going on in life, like my Mom was in the hospital. But  Thair is one more half marathon this year and my goal is to beat my Akron Marathon time of 2:14:45. 

Monster Bash

This year  the 3rd annual holloween party was on October  26 at three o'clock  . The theme was monster bash and it was held at my sisters house! It was on a nice fall day when the leafs was turning color and excitement was in the air! The house was decorated with scary items and the table was all set for each person. My nephew Dylan  and Nathan helped me set the table! Dylan had the creative idea to place the monster rolling hand next to each plate and it really make each table setting look amazing! I must say! On the menu for the event was yummy deserts, sliders, jobs,  fruit guy, pumpkin vegetable platter, creepy cheese. One the desert bar was yogurt drops, banana bits,  Reese bits, ghost cake pops, franklinstin marshmallow pops, creepy shooters, strawberry mouse, rice Krispy mummy pops, rock candy, s'mores bar,       homemade gornola bars, strawberry licorice, sugar cookies and muddy buddy's and apple bit with carnal. The Carmel bit set up a little! I will try to improve the apple bits next year!  Everyone enjoys the deserts! The kids had a great time at the games. Some of the games was pin the eye on the monster, punch box, bean bag toss, adopt a monster and skeleton hunt, bingo, guessing game and mystery bowl! With the help of Jessica and Heidi the game went smoothly! But I was not able to get to two games the bobbing for Apple and the photo booth! The kids was able to trick or treating at six o'clock around their house, will I clean up. While I was cleaning up I see my little nephew Jacob digging in one of the glass container that has the Rice Krispy mummy pops sticking in styrophom that was in the glass container with m and m to cover it. Ok back to the story! I look over as Jacob is deternand to get a m and m that was stuck between the styrophom and the glass container. He pulled the styrophom that was glued with hot glue gun out of the  glass container just to get to all of the m and m's. I was a half dressed Mina, my sister was a robber and went around the house grabbing people's items and at the end of the party she gave it all back! It was funny everyone wanted to know what she snatched of theirs! She snatch Nathan iPod and DSI. He was very surprised!  I was able to capture some great moment! But would have liked to get a lot more photos! Maybe next year! I want to thank my Mom, Jessica and my Aunt Paula for helping me pull this party off! Also thank you Christy and Greg for letting me host the party at your house! I thing everyone had a blast! I can not wait for next year Halloween party! I always try and top last years party! And I think it was a success! 

I hope everyone had an  great Happy Halloween!