#9: Run a 5k

In July 2008, I found a 5k I wanted to run.  Now finding a 5k to run and running a 5k or even training to run a 5k as you know are not the same thing.  They don't even look like the same thing.  One's all talk, the other is ACTION!  For the last 3 Januarys, I've made a new year's resolution to run a 5k.  What took me so long?  I've never liked to run.  Ever.  Not even when chased.  On the playground, I preferred to just say, "Okay okay! You caught me!"  Seriously.  LOL  I never ran all the way through the mile in school.  I just didn't like to run.

But back in 2008, Losangelista & 1969 ran a marathon and a 5k respectively.  And I was like now wait a minute.  I DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT OUT!  And I felt like if Liz can run for 26 miles, I can run for 3, right?  I'm already in great shape so it shouldn't be too big of a leap!  Then I went to grad school.  And not only did I not run, I barely worked out.  Twas bad.  I knew when I created my 30 Before 30 list, running a 5k absolutely had to be on there.  It was one of my easiest additions.

Once again I found a race, I even hired a trainer (then fired her when I found out she wasn't a runner) and hired a new one who runs marathons to get me in shape to run.  Then 7 weeks ago, I started the Couch to 5k (C25K) running plan.  The general idea is that through interval training you build up to be able to run 30 minutes or a 5k.  I was hooked from the first week!  In week one, I felt very capable.  Week 2 was a bit harder, but still cool.  Each week I felt more and more proud of myself as I hit new milestones.  Then I registered for my first 5k.

I decided to run the Oyster Festival 5k at Ocean Isle Beach partly because my family used to vacation down there but mostly because you got free entry to the Oyster Festival!!!!  Do y'all know how much I love oysters?  I love them as much as Bubba loved shrimp!  I'll eat them however you'll serve them. Raw, steamed, broiled, fried, in stew, with toppings, with only a bit of lemon and some horseradish, with cocktail sauce, just gimme the oysters!!  So I trained and trained but before the race, I'd only ever run about 1.6 miles, which is about half of the 3.1 miles required for a 5k.  That made me a little nervous but I figured if I ran for the 22 minutes I was scheduled to run for Week 6, Day 3 of C25K, I could probably go a little further and if I needed to walk, I could do that, too.  But I also knew if I stopped running, it would be harder to start up again.  I went ahead and set a goal of 45 minutes.

Rashan and I spent the night in the city where my dad was born and raised (more on that later) and took this picture at nearby South of the Border so we'd only have to drive about an hour and 45 minutes as opposed to 5 hours before my race.  I had oatmeal, a banana and water on the drive down. We picked up my race packet which included a shirt, a wristband for the festival and chapstick and I was ready to go... but there was still over an hour until the race started. 

The ocean object of our ogling

I wasn't nervous, just READY!  It was kind of cold when we got there but I knew it would warm up even without me running since the high was 78 that day.  We ogled the ocean for a little bit then sat in the car, then watched the kids run the one-mile fun run, then I paced.  Can we get started yet???  Please???

The horn sounded at 8:30 and we were off!  Now I wish I could say I had photos of me running but the start and finish were at the same location and the official photographer was apparently only at the start and took sporadic pictures.  That means I have 0 pics of me racing until the end.  No matter.

I had carefully prepared my playlist so that I would be pumped and ready to go and keep going.  I didn't have a watch but I hoped there would be some sort of timing system.  Couldn't use my shuffle because it has no screen!  But I knew most of my songs were about three minutes so that was my way of pushing myself through.

I'm wearing lipstick because I couldn't find my lip gloss. 

I breezed through the first 10 minutes but then I see these two guys barreling toward me (one of whom I later found out finished the 10k in 32 minutes!!!).  Part of the course looped back for both the 5k and simultaneous 10k so I got to see allllll of the people who were passing me about to hit the one-mile mark.  That was a bit demoralizing.  I immediately wanted to know how many people were behind me but I decided to just wait until I hit the loop to peep that.  It turns out I was the slowest of the people continually running but there were a good 30 or so people behind me so I was cool with that.  I was just so excited to be out there I really didn't care at this point!  I was waving and smiling at all of the course-directing race officials.  I did a little cheer for myself at the one-mile mark and said, "All right! Let's keep going!"  I was sailing along smoothly here and feeling fine!  I kind of lost count of where I was on time but I knew I was around 26 or 27 minutes.  I did a big cheer when I hit 2 miles.  That's both further and longer than I'd ever run!  I felt like a rockstar!!! 

I also realized that while some songs are fun and work for other workouts, they are not so much for me when running.  One of those songs is Ciara's "Bang It Up."  Love it for other workouts.  Blech for my run.  Outkast's "Bombs Over Baghdad" and "Pump It" by Black Eyed Peas?  Got me dancing on the course.  That's right!  I was running and dancing!  Lol.  I was having a ball!  And it helped that there were people standing on the decks of their beach houses cheering us on!  Somewhere after mile two the inside of my ankle started hurting and I couldn't shake it out.  Usually I can shake it, mid-stride and fix it but that wasn't working.  Then the outside started acting up but I really didn't want to stop.  Once I hit two miles I figured I might as well run the whole thing in. 

Why do running & walking look the same???

At about this time I got to the water station where they did a great job of cheering me along!  It is there that I discovered I need to practice running and drinking because I almost choked myself.  Wait.  I choked myself but managed to get it under control.  That was scary, but then I went back to being my excited, self-motivating self.  I knew I was getting close but I couldn't tell how close.  A lady speedwalking said, "Almost there" as she passed me and I replied, "THANK GOD!!!"  LOL  Shortly after I passed the three-mile marker, gasped and cheered and looked ahead and wondered why in the WORLD was .1 miles so long???  I saw Rashan and smiled and waved, then looked at the back of the encouraging speedwalker and decided she wasn't gonna speedwalk and beat me across the finish line when I ran the whole thing.  I kicked it into high gear and crossed at 44:12.  Woohoooo!!   I beat my goal!!!  I was PUMPED!!  And shocked!  I kept saying, "I did it! I did it!"  I guess it's a compliment that Rashan wasn't surprised that I ran the whole thing under my goal but I wanted him to be amazed with me!

Look! A medal!

My brother via text told me he was so proud he's gonna tell everybody his sister runs marathons.  LOL.  That is absolutely not my goal at this point in my life.  I want to run my next 5k either at Thanksgiving in Savannah or a "Mistletoe" run locally in under 40 minutes.  I'll do a few more 5ks, then do the Bridge to 10k, then run a few 10ks and see how I feel.  I do need to stretch better after races and cool down.  But overall, the race was very exciting!

Seafood Bog

The festival?  A complete fail.  It's an OYSTER festival, right?  So why did the majority of the vendors serve 0 oysters?  It was typical fair food!  There were tons of beach-specific vendors which also included things I don't care anything about but the food was the reason we traveled that far for a 5k.  We wandered over to the festival around 10 and many people were just setting up.  We did a (disappointing lap) and saw $20 plates of fried oysters or steamed oysters you have to shuck yourself.  I don't know how to shuck and do you know how many oysters I can get for $20 elsewhere?  I just couldn't bring myself to do that. 
There were some oyster gumbos and stews but the non-oyster food far outweighed it.  AND NO RAW OYSTERS!!!!!!  This murdered my poor little heart.  I got a seafood bog that had shrimp, fish & oysters with a tomato, onion & celery seafood broth and rice.  It was quite good but I was stuck on the lack of oysters.  We left after less than an hour and I fell into a deep sleep in the car.  Then the next day I slept for 12 hours!!  Phew!  I RAN MY FIRST 5K!!!!!!!!!!

Running Update

It's been a while since I talked about my running. I'm still getting in my weekly runs but I'm going through a rough patch where sometimes it's hard to get myself out of the door. Runner's World magazine posted a mantra that I have to encourage myself with, "Some day I won't be able to run. Today is not that day." I love it!

I still have a lot of goals, of course. I was hoping for personal records (PRs) at 5K, 10K and half-marathon but the 5K I really wanted to do is on the same day as my half. Boooo! That one was free. Those are way too hard to come by! There's a move underfoot in the running community away from the outrageous fees races charge. Yes, you get a t-shirt, a medal, police protection on the course and food (usually just snacks like fruit, bagels & water) but does that make it okay for you to charge $150+ for your race? I've purposely avoided some of the more popular race series (Disney, Run Like A Diva, Rock N Roll, ZOOMA) because of their outrageous costs. Coupled with the fact that none of them are close enough for me to make it a day trip, when you include travel and food, there's no way to get out of spending upwards of $250 AT A MINIMUM. On a race. And I'm being generous. Pretty ridiculous.

Enough on that soap box. My 10K PR should be pretty easily beaten. My fourth 10K is next Saturday and the one year anniversary of my first 10K... awwww! At the very least, I'll be able to smash my course PR. Yay!

Next up is my 2nd half marathon on April 6th. The course looks quite challenging according to the elevation chart including ending on a large incline.

 
EVIL!! If I can PR by even a minute, I'll be thrilled. LOL Pacing will be essential to succeeding on this course and I'm ready to give it my all! Then I'll see about getting another 5K under my belt. June will mark one year since my last 5K. Crazy, right?? I just remembered BGR! Conference & Race Weekend in September. I absolutely LOVE running in Charlotte. It's so flat compared to here that I always feel like I'm FLYING! I'll be doing the 5K then. Yay! Races for all!

30 Before 30 #15: Run A 10k

If you had told me a year ago I'd be running a 10k, I would've been SHOCKED!! Running a 5k had been on my yearly goals for a good three years before I even started Couch to 5k. No I don't know what took me so long! LOL After my first 5k I definitely knew I'd want to do a 10K and eventually a half-marathon. I am still currently completely disinterested in a marathon. I rule nothing out for the future but for now... yeah...

To the 10K! Friday night I picked up my race packet with my number, the shirt you see to the right (ain't it cute?? Of course I don't like the orange on it but since I'm a Florida Gator I happened to have some orange ribbon) and gobs of advertisements and coupons from sponsors. My favorite? Free Chick-fil-a Chik-n-minis!!!!! That place has my favorite fast food breakfast. Those buttery biscuits! Yes, Lord! Evidence of your will and your way!

When I walked in to pick up my packet just 15 minutes after packet pick-up started, the line was wrapped around the gym. INSANE! Then someone said that was the 5k line and the 10k line was over there... aka the table with one person in line. Yes! I felt so proud walking over there! But when I left, despite there being well over 100 people in and around the school, not one person greeted me, or said hello. The sign out front says all welcome, this is a Catholic school and my participation directly helps your cause. OPEN YOUR MOUTH. People not speaking to me is my BIGGEST pet peeve when I'm spending my money. And most of all, this is my fourth race. I'm used to the excitement from volunteers. It's usually a very festive atmosphere. This was not. But I chalked it up in part to chaos and kept it moving as I got my race gear together. I laid out my outfit including the green socks with the shamrocks you can't see and reviewed my race morning preps.

Me and my sister!

I'm always crazy amped the day before a race and have a terrible time sleeping for more than a few hours at a time so I skimped on sleep a little the night before to make myself more tired. I know that's probably bad but... IT WORKED! I actually slept! The next morning I got dressed and my sister was here!!!! Yay! It was her first time seeing me run and we were both excited about it! Rashan was much less excited. He's been to all of my races and hates waking up early (I feel him on that) to do it and standing around waiting for me to return (he should always be happy to wait for me!!!). He was quite salty about it. Side eye to that dude.

This race actually had food available before it started and INDOOR BATHROOMS!!! I'm delighted to never have experienced a race without actual bathrooms! I realize that as I enter larger races this will change but I will rest on my porta potty-free running laurels for a while. Back to the food. I couldn't finish my oatmeal that morning because it made me feel queasy. So I was glad to note there was a ton of food there! I had a bagel portion (probably 1/5), an orange slice and some (intentionally) watery coffee. I need that to enter my pre-race fuel list. I felt AWESOME during the race!

I planned to pace myself for at least the first half, then push for the last half and almost sprint for the last mile or so. I paced myself pretty well. The course was an out and back AGAIN (every race I've been in now) so I got to see all of the early people pass me. I also got to see who was behind me. I had passed two women around mile two. They were behind me, a couple and that's it. A man SPEED WALKING with walking sticks passed me around mile two. My goal remained during this race NOT to let him beat me. Now I could tell early on my Runkeeper app was about .3 of a mile off but I did not estimate how much that distance discrepancy would throw off my pacing.

I originally wanted to come in under 1:19:00 but as long as I came in under 1:23 (my previous longest 6.2-mile run while training), I decided that would be okay. While I was excited about this race, I felt like my training period was off, I didn't know enough about the 10k distance. And my former running partner, who though I need a break from training with, I like racing with, told me three days before the race that she wasn't doing the race anymore. ????? I blamed both of us for that poor training but really more myself. It's my responsibility to prepare myself to run the race I want to run. I'm still upset about it. I thought I was over this race but writing about it is bringing it all back.

The whole race I was smiling and waving at people as I passed them. It made it really fun to race! Unlike the people at the front of the pack. They were so focused they looked angry. Please make me stop running when it stops being fun. I understand being focused. I can be focused for free. I race because it's fun. Around 4.5 miles in, the cutest little girls came out of their house cheering and offered me water! So cute! They buoyed me up! Especially since this was where I saw a guy who stone-faced me. A COURSE VOLUNTEER did not smile, wave or in any way acknowledge me. He was one of multiple. Y'all. These were HANDS DOWN the worst course volunteers I've ever encountered. There were some great ones. The lady right after mile five was AWESOME! My favorite all day! The timekeepers were great. There were others. But I passed multiple people who looked annoyed to be there. YOU'RE A VOLUNTEER!! I DIDN'T MAKE YOU COME OUT HERE!! Twas bad.

Around mile five, I caught back up with walking man. He was always in view but I just closed the gap in mile four. When we hit the five-mile mark, I passed him. It was awesome! I almost thanked him for pacing me but thought that might come off as rude. At this point I was sprinting. My version of sprinting. I felt GREAT! When I got near the 6 mile mark, there were lots of people cheering so that was cool. But then there were others who turned their backs as I passed. I kid you not. HORRIBLE PEOPLE!!!! But right after them, I passed another woman. I felt a little bit bad about that because I could tell she was struggling and I knew it would only make her feel worse. I started to say something but thought it would sound bad. IDK.

After that I saw Rashan, my sister and her friend. They were cheering me on so that was fun! I love seeing my people at the race! Then I saw I the finish line clock was getting close to 1:21:00. UGH!! But I felt great so I was actually kind of okay. I just wanted to get under 1:21:00 so I pushed even more. I was pretty sure I made it so I was cool when I crossed the finish. I walked to get my legs back (your legs feel SO WEIRD after long runs) then got some food. All the Krispy Kreme doughnuts were gone by this time. Jameil wept.

Then I looked at my Runkeeper. Y'all. Why did this app have me thinking I was averaging 12:28/mile when I was actually averaging 13:04/mile!?!?!? I didn't even realize it until I saw the times posted online. I knew I felt great for the first 5 miles and that I was obviously holding back and pacing myself but 13:04?!!? I wanted to cry. With the way I felt at the end of the race? I bet I could've shaved off 2 minutes, maybe more. And my unofficial time was 1:21:01. UGH!!!!!!!!!! I consoled myself thinking the official time would be different because I didn't start right when the gun went off. You let the fastest people get at the front. So I hung back a little. EXCEPT it was a gun start. Everybody gets the same start time marked as the time the gun went off. AND NO ONE TOLD US. What!? Can you tell me the point of having chip timing (tracking my finish time) if everyone gets the same starting time???? How does that create official timing??? I can't describe to you how annoyed I am by that. I need every future race to be specific. It's so OBVIOUS that I wouldn't have even thought to question it.

Post-race, I like to hear the fastest runners. Most races announce the three fastest male and female. This race announced the fastest three males and females in every age group from 10 to 70+. In multiples of five. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!? It took AT LEAST 45 minutes. The only reason I stayed was for the door prizes which they said you had to be present to receive. There were some FANTASTIC prizes. $100 gift certificates to running stores and expensive restaurants, travel vouchers. It was great. But then the woman drawing decided to look at a list of names and pick the first one that her eye landed on. Then they announced that because so few people stuck around, if you knew someone you could get their prize for them. A group of women got 4 prizes for people they knew. TOTAL CRAP. Of course I won nothing. I was so annoyed by the overall experience that I wrote a letter to the organizers. They offered me free registration for next year's race. I'll accept it, already praying in advance I'm not here this time next year and will kindly hope to never see any of those people again.

To shake off that awful, awful experience, I almost immediately found another race. My next 10K is April 10th in Cary, NC near my sister. I WILL come in under 1:18:00. I've done a lot of research. I will get what I want. Here are some things I learned from researching and from my own experience.

1. I feel great when I get a tiny bit of food in me within 30 minutes of the race. I'm sticking with a piece of bagel and an orange.
2. Gummy worms don't work for me. Just one spiked me WAY too much in a bad way.
3. 10Ks are hard to pace because there's so little room for error if you start out too slow.
4. I MUST write down my projected times for each mile. My app won't be an issue if I have my hits worked out ahead of time.
5. Most importantly: get in the game. Train the way I want to to be READY, willing and able to race.

Is That Information???????

UF sent me some stuff!!! YAY!!!!!!! I got information about orientation so I can rest easy that they know I'm coming. Oh yeah!



Would you like to know the things I've accomplished so far??

Those giant stacks of shoes to your left represent all but one pair of Nine West shoes I've bought in the 3 years I've been in Pittsburgh. ALL BUT ONE!! And I've bought shoes other than Nine West. Can you say obsession? Can you? Can your mouth form those words? Insanity.




This picture of me is me STANDING next to the giant tower of power. Yes, it's more than 5 feet tall... wow... So I've thrown out most of those boxes since they don't have shoes in them half of the year. Now how do I store the out of season shoes? In those clear under-the-bed boxes? I know I could look it up on the net but why do that when my bloggers can just tell me?


I've found the 5k I want to run. Did I tell you I was running a 5k? I was inspired by 1969, who ran her first this year, and Liz who's training for a MARATHON!! A marathon!! Amazing! I have no desire to ever do that. 26 miles? I'll pass. Everyone who knows me is amazed I'm running a 5k. I've never been athletic outside of dancing and I don't run... not even when being chased. A 5k is 3.1 miles. I'm running one on October 19th in Gainesville so if you want to come cheer me on, I'd love it!


Ser.ena Williams has an interval training workout and mix on iTunes that I totally want to buy. Interval training is how you build up your power. Apparently one track is 30 minutes of her telling you when to run faster. THAT'S WHAT I WANT!! And I will thank her in my acceptance speech when I finish in the top half of the pack! For the record, I may be fit but I am NOT a runner, so this will indeed be a challenge. I had to stop my first attempt at interval training on Wednesday very close to the beginning because my heart was trying to crawl out of my throat and my calf was cramping. It sucked. But I'm not giving up!


I have my immunization form and just need to make the doctor's appointment now even though I think all I may need to get is the information from Hampton. I don't know. I'll just call a doctor when I pick one so they can tell me what I need to do. I also went to the dentist and made another doctor's appointment. Going to that one next week. I also have to get my car checked out as I have three big trips coming up-- including my moves to Florida.


I've cancelled the automatic withdrawal for the cable and need to do that for my car as well. I actually just thought of that right now. When I get to Florida I will have to decide whether I want to stay with my current bank or switch to the one that's on campus. Both have locations in Gainesville but the latter has 15+ compared to one. Yeah... I'll likely switch after I get my last direct deposit from the job. THE JOB!! Only 3 more Fridays!! 3 MORE!! Did I ever tell you how much I can't stand Fridays. Oh yeah I did. Yeah... It's almost over kids! Al.most. over!!! I know what you're saying to yourself, "Self, does Jameil HATE Pittsburgh and her job?" No, self. Jameil is retsta go. Excuse me. Let me put on my professional voice. "Jameil is ready to vacate the premises." I've been here 3 years as of July 8th and that was absolutely my limit. August 3rd I'm rolling out like Luda.


I've also joined the Black G.rad Students Organization, the UF S.GRhos (my sorority) and D.ocumentary Institute (my program) groups on f.acebook. That's why I joined. To further my cyberstalking. For networking purposes. I met a girl who's in the program, too and gave me some pointers on the roommate search and choosing a thesis partner. Cool!

My dad and I went to see H.ancock Wednesday for Daddy-Daughter day. The one about the drunk screw up superhero. The action parts were good, and hilarious at the beginning. The love story was weird to me and the plot had some big holes which you know as a journalist and filmmaker (lol) irritates me. You need to properly advance a story. Get it together, please.

Okay this is devolving especially because my dad and I are watching W.imbledon. Let me go before I just start telling you about all my sports bfs like tennis' James B.lake... drool.

Race Recap: St. Leo's 10K 2013

I hadn't previously written this recap because there was no way to do it justice without telling you I'm pregnant! 12 weeks today! So at the time of this race, I was almost 10 weeks. I'd had a few rough runs leading up to the race. Some days I felt tired or out of breath. Some days I felt great. WHEN I could get myself out of the house. At 4 weeks, I did a 10-mile run wherein I wanted to stop at mile 6 or 8 (or both). Afterwards, of course I'm wondering if I did the right thing by continuing. But I susequently felt as pregnant as ever and logged 6- and 8-mile runs in the weeks preceding the March 16th race. I also had an ultrasound at 8 weeks that was AMAZING!! Heard the heartbeat! SWOON! My obstetrician cleared me to continue running so run I shall.

I'd been having to wake up to go to the bathroom every three hours or so for the weeks before the race but with all-day exhaustion, I had 0 problems going to sleep! LOL I'm usually too excited to sleep before a race. Yeah right. I fell asleep quite easily. Woke up to go to the bathroom and went right back to sleep! I may have also had a middle of the night meal but whatever. I'm feeding a child who is always hungry! And demanding! MrsCount nicknamed the baby Big Earl and it has stuck for when I'm hungry.

At 5:30, I got up feeling the most rested I EVER have before a race. It was pretty amazing. Almost no jitters. I'm always excited on race day but I was also the calmest I've ever been pre-race. I knew it was unlikely that I would PR so I was hoping to best my previous course PR of 1:20:xx. That morning, I had oatmeal with raisins and molasses, got dressed and headed out to the race with Rashan. Within minutes someone pulled me aside, "Are you expecting?" "Why? Do I look like it?" "No but I could just see it in your face in that picture you took yesterday." I hate lying. "(sigh) Yes." For real? Why would you ask someone that? That will rarely go well. And even though I am pregnant, I didn't want to tell her yet and certainly not in that moment with literally dozens of people who DON'T know milling around. I'm like, "Don't say ANYTHING." "I won't." But it's been bothering me for weeks. Why couldn't you wait until I told you? Anyway... back to the race.

Rashan spotted a pregnant person so I chatted her up. Turns out despite her teeny bump, she was 33 weeks! AWESOME!!! I told her I was pregnant and she gave me some tips including prepare to slow down. LOL Done. Spoiler alert: This chick made me eat her dust! If she runs this fast that pregnant, she is a KILLER without a baby on board! Very inspiring!

The 5K was scheduled to start 45 minutes before the 10K because of some rumor going around that they wanted people to do both races. Really? In theory, that actually seems like a cool idea to me but I'd heard nothing about it prior to that and I read a lot of stuff about the race in different places. In practice, I don't think many did both races. It also did not work well at all to have the 10K starting as so many were finishing the 5K and in the same location. They had to delay the 10K to clear the roads some. That was not fun.

Luckily I had eaten when the 5K started since they always have a nice spread of pre-race food. Unluckily, I hadn't gone to the bathroom because I thought I didn't have time. And then the race started late and I actually would've had time but now it was too late. Basically I ran a 10K needing to go to the bathroom the entire time!! But I didn't show it!

LOL @ that picture! I decided that since I wasn't really sure how this race would go, I would try to enjoy it. Or at least look like I was! Y'all. I wanted to stop at every mile. Around mile 3, I saw where the 5K headed back in and I soooo wanted to go that way! I looked forlornly at it. LOL But there was lots of encouragement on the course. The hardest thing was watching people I'm normally faster than pull ahead of me. I knew I needed to not push it too much so I didn't.

Me on the left! LOL I tried to bring out a new pose at each picture! I won the posing game that day! I decided I'd like to be done in 1:15 so around mile 5, I chose a few people to pass and picked it up a bit. I passed some people, rounded a few corners. I've run this route in part or in its entirety at least a dozen times in long runs so I'm very very familiar with the route. I knew exactly what to expect. That was a big help in pacing. In the last half mile or so, I picked it up a little more and kept seeing people interspersed along the route that I knew. That was awesome!

That's me at the last turn! As I pulled into the last straightaway, I got excited again. Then just before the finish line, I heard even more cheers and saw Rashan's face and got a huge smile! The clock showed 1:17:xx and it still couldn't get me down. I beat my course PR and I had just run my first pregnant race! Without walking! I felt invincible! And overjoyed! And really proud! Because of those things, it was in my top two races ever. Hands down!

After the race, I WENT TO THE BATHROOM(!!), got some food, stayed around for some awards, cheered in the rest of the runners and had to bounce. Last year I stayed for the door prizes. I couldn't take it this year. I was ready to go. In part because I had the genius idea to get on the road to Mississippi to see my grandma immediately after the race. I knew my mom and sister were driving and I usually have no problem sleeping in cars. I am also usually not pregnant. I couldn't get comfortable, my back was aching, I had to stop to go to the bathroom every 1.5 hours. ON A 12-HOUR TRIP!! MISERABLE!! That was literally the worst decision I have made in years.

But I had a good time at the race! I don't think I'll do it again, though. There's another annual 10K about a month later that I'd like to try my hand at. No matter where I go in W-S, I'll have a lot of racing buddies so I can't lose! We had at least 70 from my running group! I had a half marathon for this weekend but with my inability to get in a run over 8 miles in the last month, I downgraded to the 8K. It's my first time racing at that distance so automatic PR! Woot woot!

2011 Goals

One of my fb friends said, "Face it, you're likely just gonna end up doing the same things in 2011 that you did in 2010...and 2009...and 2008...etc...."  Y'all.  Don't accept that attitude in your lives.  You CAN achieve whatever you want!  Said person then added a (lame) disclaimer, "Make those changes every day."  Womp. Womp.  Look, if you want to get all goal-oriented in January, who am I to stop or discourage you?  Start when it makes sense to you!  Start in March!  Start in July!  November!  Just make some real changes in your life.  We all need change and I believe you can do it.  Put your back into it.  Setting goals is the only way I get anything accomplished.  December?  I wrecked shop!  (I updated that post.)  I can and will just sit in the house and watch tv and read about your lives on the internet if I don't set goals.  Let's make 2011 one to remember.  Rashan and my mom don't get my goals but SO WHAT?  Goals, resolutions, whatever you want to call them, OH LET'S DO IT.

1) Complete at least 12 30 for 30 goals.  These goals encompass many of the changes I want to make in my life.  That's why I this list will be shorter than last year's.  I only completed 4 so obviously have quite a bit left to accomplish.  Definites are read the entire Bible (almost halfway there!), go whitewater rafting, ride a mechanical bull, make and keep a budget, take a dance class, workout 3xs a week, tour a vineyard in NC wine country, use my passport and yes, RUN A 5K!!  I did my first self-directed 5k run-walk over Christmas break and it was great!!  I felt really powerful!
2) Read 40 books this year.  I used to read every single night before bed.  Then there were some breaks in college.  Now I want to get back to reading.  Fiction, non-fiction, doesn't matter.  I want to read some great books!  I read The Help to get me back in the swing of things and loved it!
3) Try at least 100 new recipes.  Y'all know I love cooking!  I've lost a bit of my mojo with my crazy schedule but I think I can get it back in 2011!
4) Get a full-time teaching position in a great program.  This will be awesome. 
5) Work out more.  This will help me with my 5k goal and the lifetime fitness goal.
6) Make sartorial magic.  I shocked myself a little this year with unexpected combinations of the clothes in my closet.  It's really fun to do that and I strive to do that more and more and further develop my personal style.  I also want to find a tailor to make me some clothing.  Working out is making my body type more and more difficult to fit, particularly on the bottom.  I will feel much more pleased if someone makes my clothes instead of having huge waistlines.

October Goals

September Goals
1) Read 4 books.  At least one teaching book and make progress on two film and/or journalism books.
Surpassed!  I read an additional book.  It was a great month for reading and I'm so glad this is a part of my daily life again!
2) Read an additional 60 chapters of the bible to reach 1155.  
Surpassed!  I got to 1157 and only have 32 chapters of the bible remaining!!!!!!  SO EXCITING!!
3) Watch at least 4 AFI movies.  
Surpassed!  I watched six and have only 8 left.  Hmm...
4) Cook at least 15 new recipes.  
Surpassed!  I will smash my goal of trying 100 new recipes this year and my cooking and baking mojo remains.
5) Complete at least two 30 before 30 goals. 
Erm... I got nothing.  I made more progress but it's frustrating to have so many long-term or fiscally or geographically impossible things on this list.
6) Work out at least three times per week. 
Done! 5k training is still awesome and I'm definitely getting my three workouts in per week.
7) Make progress on the job search daily.  
Done!  Daily may be a bit extreme but close enough for me to feel comfortable with my progress.  Submitted two applications and found several other positions with various start dates.
8) Complete at least two syllabi for future courses. 
Wow... this was a crazy and semi-unrealistic goal.  I've made enough progress on two books that this goal might be worthwhile next month.

October Goals
1) Read 4 books.  This will include completing the film/journalism books.
2) FINISH THE BIBLE!!!  Once I finish, I'll move to daily readings of My Utmost for His Highest.
3) Visit 4 local churches
4) Watch at least 5 AFI movies.  I have only 8 left but they are long and/or challenging films to watch so I don't want to tax the brain too much.  So far I've already watched A Clockwork Orange which is enough to make anyone not want to watch any more movies again.  Ever.  Also one is on long wait on Netflix so I don't know when it will be available.
4) Cook at least 15 new recipes.  I'm quite certain I can do this again.  I need another food-related goal.  Any ideas?
5) Complete at least two 30 before 30 goals.  I have 7 completed, 7 in progress and 16 outstanding... in a little over a year.  I have registered for a 5k this month and I'll finish the Bible.  I'll try to add another in there as well.
6) Work out at least four times per week.  That includes three days per week of 5k training and one day of cross training.
7) Make progress on the job search at least five times per week.  This includes searching, writing letters and resumes and CVs, etc.  I want to apply for at least 4 more positions near and far.
8) Complete at least one syllabus for a future course.  I want to be ready when I get my next teaching position.  Even if I don't get hired teaching these courses, the more practice I get making syllabi, the easier it will be for me to create them.

Race Prep

*whispers* OBSESSION...

I'm always thinking about running but it's even worse heading into a race. Going into a race, my obsession reaches heights known only to the crazy (aka other runners). A few weeks (yes WEEKS) before every race, my obsession begins to ramp up. What will I wear/eat/do/pace/eat for every mile of my run. (LOL Don't you love that eat is on there twice subconsciously?? Leaving it! I mean I do need to think about pre- and mid-race food!) I go back and forth on my expected pace and what I believe I can do. I've still only raced at two distances, 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles), despite training for a half-marathon (13.1 miles). My last 5K was so long ago that I definitely need a tune-up.

Saturday I was running with some faster ladies in my group, chatting away with my pace notification intentionally off so I could test my speed (I use the Runkeeper app on my phone) but keeping an ear out for overall time at each mile marker. I was sooo excited that we were averaging under a 9:40/mile pace for the first 3 miles. HOW COOL IS THAT?!! Especially considering how conservatively we went out! We won't talk about how painful the last 3.6 miles were as a result (well just a little... I had to talk myself out of walking for a good mile and a half... it didn't help that the woods had my app off by ALMOST AN ENTIRE MILE!!! 0.9 miles off is HORRID!!) but that means I definitely want to shoot for a 30-minute 5K the next time I run one.

Pacing for a 10K is notoriously tricky because it's a longer distance so you don't want to go out TOO fast and burn out before the end, but it's short enough (compared to a half-marathon or marathon) that if you go out super slow, you can't make up that time. I know this under-pacing too well from my first 10K. I'm always afraid of going out too fast and not having anything left at the end. In that race, I had WAY too much left at the end. Since I was aiming for a half-marathon (that didn't happen), I've been running way over 6.2 and haven't actually practiced at 10K.

One of a million many schools of thought is that your long runs should be slow. At least 1-2 minutes per mile than race pace. I follow this almost to the letter... then forget to pick up the pace during a race. UGH!! This is part of why many training plans have you do what are called tempo runs. Basically for a few miles in the middle of your long run or in a longer (but not necessarily your longest) run, you run at the tempo you expect to race for several miles (more miles the longer your goal distance). I tried turning off the pace notification for an 11-mile run with the faster ladies a couple of weeks ago and ended up running about 2 minutes PER MILE faster than long runs with my former running partner (we still run together very occasionally) and a minute per mile faster than alone. HUGE confidence booster! So  that 11-miler was essentially a long tempo run. (And awesome!) If I ran 11 miles at one pace, could I conceivably run 6.2 one minute faster per mile?? I'm betting on doing that.

Pretty much everyone agrees that running over distance (longer than the length of your goal race) makes you faster at that distance so I have that working for me. But not practicing 6.2 has still made me a little uneasy. Nevertheless, I've set my goals -- a) PR i.e. faster than 1:13:46, b) faster than 1:11:00, c) faster than 1:09. Because I haven't run 6 miles much in the last few months, I have no idea if I'm aiming too low. I have a feeling I might be but only time will tell.

After feeling pretty proud of my pacing and strategy for my 2nd 10K, I know I absolutely MUST have a plan for where I want to be at each mile. I've played with a few different ideas for this race but my final strategy? I STILL DON'T KNOW!! The one I'm most leaning toward is to go out a little fast but not at top pace to use the first mile as a warm-up of sorts, then kick it up for mile 2 OR 3, go all out from 2 or 3 on and try to hold on to my fastest possible pace. I want to KNOW I left it all on the pavement. What do I have to lose? I'm confident that my training has prepared me to PR. If I botch this race, it will be another thing I learned from. But the plan is to conquer!

Do you see all of the stuff running through my head??? No wonder I sleep horribly before races! I don't know if any more than 3 people who read this cared about this post but if you read it, I thank you anyway! :)

5k Comparisons

After running two 5ks, I'm definitely hooked on racing! I love the camaraderie, the energy and trying to hit a new personal record in some goal or another!  So let's do a side-by-side review of this race and the first one.

Location
My first 5k was at the beach and therefore absolutely BEAUTIFUL! We didn't run on the actual beach, but rather along it and the intercoastal waterway. I couldn't see the beach during the run but I could smell it and enjoyed it before and after.
Result: Draw

Size & Atmosphere
Race one had about 350 people competing in a 5k and a 10k. Race two had about 3500!! Amazing to jump tenfold!! It was so cool seeing so many runners out and about.  It was also a holiday-themed race and I saw Mrs. Claus AND an elf!  At race number one, there was certainly a greater feeling of camaraderie even though I was running with people I knew at race two. The small size and friendliness of the volunteers at race one really helped.
Advantage: Race 2

Post-Race
Race one had free massages and delicious fresh bagels! There were lots of excited people around so that was fun! But I was most excited about the oyster festival. Unfortunately it was a horrible bust with limited oysters. WACK. The times were posted as people were coming in so it was cool to see your times as you came in and unwound. Plus it was my first race so I was SUPER excited!

Race two had lots of food but because of the crowd, there were way too many people in long lines trying to get to it. There were yummy Panera bagels and hot chicken and rice soup. Delicious. But there were no race times and no info on where to find it. What? Why? This was so incredibly frustrating. Even more so because we started at different times.
Result: Draw


Course
Race one was FLAT which was wonderful! I didn't even realize how wonderful until I started training on hills in the weeks after the race! And though it was at the beach, the course was pretty boring.  It looped back before the first mile so I got to see all of these way who were way faster pass me in the first 10 minutes. Pretty demoralizing. But I quickly got over it.

Race two was hilly but near my normal route so I'd run it a few times. It was cool! And really pretty! I enjoyed it! It looped back later in the race so that was easier to take! Plus the last part of the route was mostly downhill which helps you really fly in the home stretch.
Advantage: Race 2


Swag
At race one, I got a medal. Who cares about the rest of it? I'm not running any more races without a medal.
Advantage: Race 1


Organization
This was the single biggest factor in my race. Race one went off without a hitch. It was on time. It was fun. I was ready to run! Race two? It started 30 minutes late without sufficient explanation. I found out later it was because they didn't shut down pre-race registration when they said they would and there were hundreds of runners still registering when the race was supposed to start. Thirty minutes doesn't sound like much but I got there at 7:25 for a race that was supposed to start at 8:35. It was 40 degrees outside and you see what I was wearing. It was fine for me to start running but not for me to be standing out there for an hour and a half. I couldn't feel my toes for the first 3/4 of a mile. That is not cool. I had also planned my food and water for an 8:35 start so by the time I started I didn't feel appropriately fueled or hydrated. So not cool. This category was a no-brainer.
Advantage: Race 1

Overall
While I loved the size and Christmasness of race 2, the organization killed it for me. I like things to be decent and in order. I'm feeling about done with 5ks. For a while at least. (Unless you know of a free local one...) I'm ready for my first 10k in March!
Advantage: Race 1

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 134

1) Cough drops are disgusting. I hate the smell of them even more than the taste.
2) I saw The King and I for the first time this weekend. Not a fan. The songs were overwhelmingly meh. The story was boring. I usually love musicals. Not this time.
3) It is official. I am a stan for pasta. I don't even need meat in it anymore. Mmmmm
4) Ran my 3rd 5k on Saturday! It was very small but quite festive! There was a dj and I learned how to do the Wobble! The race course? There was a BRUTAL incline at the end. I was hoping for more but I shaved 3:18 off of my December 5k time. I wish it was more but I'm starting to need to change my training schedule. My mind and body are getting bored. And my hips are starting to hurt. That said... I LOVE RACING!! My first 10k is next week. The week after that, things change.
5) I can be so bratty. I boycotted a post-race "brunch" in part because it was misnamed. There's NO breakfast food on Saturday at this place. I mentioned that for people who might be looking for breakfast food, it's not brunch, it's lunch. Response: It's at 11 so we're calling it brunch. I'm like, really? Do you know what brunch means? What the "br" is for? If I'm eating out in the morning, I need my eggs. ESPECIALLY after a race. Plus this place cooks a lot of things I'm very good at cooking at my own house. The menu doesn't excite me. In lieu of going there, Rashan and I tried this hole in the wall and had an awesome breakfast for two for what would have been the price for one of us at the "brunch" place. Win-win!
6) Project Runway All-Stars might have killed the entire show for me. I can't stand the judges. ESPECIALLY THE HOST. And I don't even care who wins anymore.
7) I went to a ladies brunch with the girls from my old program yesterday. It was delightful! More please!
8) Remember how last week I wanted some info? I got some IMMEDIATELY on one of the jobs. It was a no. And I felt and still feel quite zen about it. No New Hampshire? I'm cool with that. I'm making follow-up calls on the other outstanding ones today. Wheeeee!
9) Whenever I blog about being in a horrible sleeping pattern, I sleep better that night. Is it that I need the release? IDK but leggo! (I really think I fixed it by running. I always collapse after races. I'm also amused that I've done enough races to have an "I always" to go with them!)
10) I want to go dancing! Hmmmm! Ooh! I know someone who's always looking for someone to go to salsa with her. Yes! I'm on it!
11) One of my smoking neighbors moved out after just a few months over there. Let's all pray we get new non-smoking quieter neighbors no time soon. Aaaaand go!

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 158

1) I'm having the hardest time caring about blogging so I decided to just go with it. I still like reading other people's blogs but things have been quiet here as far as conversations between me and commenters for about a year now so I just haven't really seen a reason to post. 2013 may be different but we shall see.
2) I also decided to stop writing my thoughts on every film I see. I've been doing that since 2009and my goodness! 4 straight years of writing thoughts on every single film has finally becoming exhausting to the point that I've skipped the last 10-20 films I've seen. Liberating!
3) Rashan has the instant Netfix queue, I have the DVD one. The split is most annoying when I can't ever find out when a movie I want to see is coming to instant. So I'lll get a DVD and it's on instant a week later. Even checking his account doesn't help because there's no list telling you 'coming soon' on instant.
4) Speaking of Netflix. They are on my LIST!! I haven't regularly gotten two-day turnaround (one day there, one day back) on my DVDs since SEPTEMBER!! Two calls yielded nothing. You can't email headquarters or fax or call so I had to write a letter. I hope they didn't think that would stop me. This thing has escalated so much that nothing short of free service for at least the length of time my DVDs have been late will make me happy.
5) Rashan and I are chillin at el cribo for NYE. We haven't done anything on NYE in a few years. Maybe next year? My mom is on her 3rd year of a party with my aunt and her friends in Hilton Head. I see you, old people! My aunt is many years retired and living THE LIFE! Lots of travel, 20-30 minutes from the beach. I so need this!
6) I registered for my next half marathon!!!! It's in April! :) I also have a 10K in March and a 5K in April. The half was super cheap, the 10K and 5K are FREE! POW!
7) Christmas was AWESOME! For breakfast, my extended family always gathers at someone's house. I saw lots of cousins, including one I haven't seen in a decade or more. Really cool! Then my mom and I cooked dinner (ribs, bbq baked beans, brussels sprouts), we all watched Christmas movies (I argued (and won) that "When Harry Met Sally" is a Christmas movie because they celebrate it 3xs... LOL), then Rashan and I came home.
8) I think I want some meatloaf. I'm constantly putting a new meatloaf recipe into the mix. That and a new burger recipe. And I don't discriminate on burger meat. I've tried turkey, chicken, pork, lamb, shrimp & salmon. All magnificent! Not every recipe of course, but every meat has had a delicious variation. Chicken was the driest. Rashan LOVED the shrimp burger.
9) I'm not ready to take down my Christmas decorations! Happens every year but I'm still never ready!
10) I haven't settled on my 2013 goals but you know they're coming!
11) Jameil fact: I'm so future-focused that I always write the next year for most of December. I've been writing 2013 on stuff for weeks. And I don't usually have issues writing the previous year until maybe February. WEIRDO.

Happy New Year!

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 115

1) Y'all. My sister ain't right in the head.  She said, "I just re-read the 'I Have A Dream' speech, in my MLK voice. When I finished I got chills."  You gave yourself chills??? In your MLK voice??? I can't.
2) It's well-documented that I don't love chocolate.  But I reeeeeally don't like white chocolate.  I refuse to eat that cocoa butter product.  If I'm gonna eat chocolate, I want real chocolate.
3) Hey guess what!  This is like the 90th incarnation of BasketballWives (nope, don't watch it) so you really don't have to say EVERY TIME, "But they're not wives."  That isn't new information.  Move on.
4) Whyyyyy are you providing your unsolicited relationship "advice" daily when according to you, you've yet to be in a functional one?  Please stop.
5) The phrase 'needless to say' grates on my nerves.  If you don't need to say it... don't.
6) We're going to another internet wedding (they met on the web, too!) in Atlanta THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE SOooooooo EXCITED!!!!!!
7) I'm cooking up a storm!  I halfway wish I had someone other than Rashan to share it with.  Sometimes I feel like he's bored with my cooking.  Not bored but used to it.  Maybe he needs to eat some bad food w/o me so he can love me again.
8) I'm starting to need spices in my food.  My taste buds are increasingly rarely excited by just salt and pepper.
9) Guess who's started 5k training??? I loved my first run!  I felt so accomplished at the end of it!  I'm doing the Couch to 5k program.  Wheeeeee!
10) I loooooove these teaching books!!  I'm like a little baby whose head is wide open, ready to be filled with knowledge!!  I feel so inspired!  And ready to go change the world!!
11) Did you look out for the cook out?  Because nobody told me where the cookout is today!!!  For shame!!  For those of you who are actually reading on Monday DESPITE not being at work, HAPPY LABOR DAY!!  And to Nicole, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
[12) Avert your eyes, K. Rock! I'm just really, really excited by life this week!]

One Fat PUPpy

You, sir, need a diet.

There's just no other way to put it. People call you "Big Snack"? Good grief. Normally I wouldn't talk about you you know as you play for a team I could care less about and are overweight. But you're paid MILLIONS of dollars each year to just show up and tackle people. Instead... you get played by your coach and everyone else and put on the physically u.nable to p.erform list aka PUP. Or as I call it the Packing on Unnecessary Pounds list. It's usually reserved for those with injuries, not ginormous bellies.

And the g that your coach is, he says, "I don't send messages. I just take action." G!!! Okay that is SO about to be my motto.

The run test he failed involved running the entire length of a football field eight times in an allotted time. So my crazy coworkers (who I helped come up with phrases like, Snacking on S.nickers, Hefty H.ampton, Hint: Fork to Mouth Doesn't Count as a Bicep Curl, Buffet-Bound, and Hungry? I Never Wait.) decided to set up our own little run test in the newsroom. One of the engineers set up cones marking off 50 yards and me and two of my coworkers ran it-- in heels! Eat our dust, PUPpy!! Hahahaha!! I was cracking up! We are SO in better shape than you!

And then I went to the gym... WHY did I decide it was time to get back to work training for the 5k? Because it's been so long? I thought since I did so great on the bike (9 miles Saturday and 6.77 an earlier time) I thought I could do a measly 3.2 on the elliptical. The length of the 5k, right? Yeah... about that... The bike is WAY easier than the elliptical. After 1.5 miles I wondered what exactly I'd gotten myself into. After 2.4 I was reasonably certain I was a masochist. At 2.7 I was thisclose to giving up for fear of my imminent death. I did .10 mile countdowns for the last mile. AND I MADE IT! Now we've got to work up to the track. But regardless... I'm still in better shape than the PUPpy and I don't get paid to do it.

I had to turn off my instant messages-- all 3 of them-- because I cannot stand to answer any more questions about my move. I do it all day long. I need a mental break from that. BUT there are 2 more days of work. Count 'em! 1, 2!!! Ack!!!!

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 120

1) I like Rashan's face scruffy.
2) Mild cheddar cheese is a worthless product.
3) You know what our next place MUST have? STORAGE SPACE!! It's extra ridiculous up in here.  Sometimes that means a little creativity but right now it's about to mean WHERE DO I PUT ALL THIS STUFF??? Rearranging meant our hiding spots were eliminated in the front room.
4) I'm ADDICTED to the Couch to 5k Facebook Page!! Addicted!!  I use it to encourage me to go run when I don't feel like it and I encourage others when they need it.  I love it!!!
5) I get so excited when people ask me for recipe, cooking or baking advice! :)
6) I MIGHT break out the Christmas music this week.  LOL!  I know it's waaaaay too early for almost everyone I've ever known but when the temps stop being in the 80s and I know it's October, even MID-OCTOBER??? I get that itch!!!
7) I don't like it when people ask me why I'm awake (Because I am.) or tell other people to go to bed.  If this is an odd hour to you, I'm may or may not be happy to be up.  If you're telling me to go to bed... you know you're up, too, right? Oh okay.
8) It makes me giggle when people ask me where my husband is.  I often forget I have one of those until they ask!
9) Have any of you had mincemeat pie before?  It sounds really gross to me.  I'm not saying I wouldn't try it but I'm kinda scared.
10) I ran my 5k & I can't wait to tell you all about it!  Well... I can.  And you can, too!  Later in the week, my friends!

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 117

1) I put in my first application for a full time position for 2012-13 school year.  *Deep breath*  My applications will be all over the country.  Well... I haven't found a California position I like yet so Dallas is the furthest west right now but up and down the east coast and into the midwest.  I'll go wherever God wants me.  I just hope there's good food and a wonderful work environment.
2) Last week was ROUGH for us in terms of communication.  P hit the nail on the head when she said "I hate when I'm mad at my husband. He's the cause & the cure."  YASSSSS!!
3) We're going to be in Charlotte next week the same time as Mrs. Count so we get to meet JUDAH!!!!!  AKA my blog nephew!!  I'm so excited!!  :)  Oh I'm excited to meet his momma, too.
4) Did I tell you when I got my degree, my new last name was spelled incorrectly?  I mean... why???  So I'll have to wait 4 more weeks to get a new one.  On the plus side, transcripts are FREE!!  Thanks a million for that!
5) The temperatures dropped on Friday and I was so not ready.  How is it gonna be 75 in the middle of the day one day and 55 the next?  DO NOT WANT!!
6) Today is the start of week three of my Couch to 5k training program AND I registered for my first 5k on Friday!  WHEEEEEE!!!
7) I've been the bride whisperer on facebook this past week... and I love it!  I don't like seeing people stressed while planning what is supposed to be a happy day so I try to spread some joy when they're angsting.
8) When Rah and I are bored/it's late, we watch House Hunters or whatever else is on HGTV.  He started it and I'm now equally hooked!  We invite you to test our drinking game.  Bottoms up every time you hear someone say open, granite or stainless.  WARNING: Do not play this unless you're drinking water or you will get ALCOHOL POISONING!!
9) I went nuts at my local Borders when everything was 90% off.  I spent $28 and saved $239.  PAROXYSMS OF JOY!!!  But I'm sad Borders is gone.  I don't really like B&N.
10) If I'd been on the birth control that got mixed up and got preg?  O_O
11) You know how I'm the alleged internet bully?  Guess what I don't care about at all?  Hashtags on fb.  Things transfer and no one dies.  Really long blog posts on tumblr are a bit annoying but I can ignore those.  When you post on tumblr 30+xs/day and post every single one to twitter, then you are the worst person on twitter and tumblr simultaneously.  FANCY!!
12) Have you seen the latest cover of Ebony mag?  AWESOME!!!  Best I've ever seen from them!  Looks like a fashion mag!  I couldn't stop staring!
13) The latest Netflix announcement of Qwikster may push me over the edge.  They are the epitome of doing too much.  And so horribly, too.  I realized, though handled poorly, I wasn't going anywhere with the price hike.  It changed my subscription but how many options do I really have to get movies?  I'm a filmmaker and I need access to a lot of films.  But two separate sites for DVD & streaming??  That don't interface???  Really???  Please learn how to talk to your customers and FIX THINGS WITH FEEDBACK.  I mean... unless being in business is bothersome or something.  Hire a public relations firm IMMEDIATELY.  If I taught PR, we'd be dissecting this in class THIS WEEK!

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 126

1) HGTV has clued me in to something: I don't like futuristic toilets. Tell me that toilet is not scary-looking. I think most of all I hate its squareness. Why does that toilet look like a box? But I'm also amused to think one day that might be a relatively basic/normal toilet.
2) I bet my mom's blood pressure skyrockets every time she thinks about her latest interactions with her mom. She always starts yelling. It's insane.

3) I ran my 2nd 5k on Saturday! But it was just okay... I felt like I could've run faster. :/  I was trying to stay with my running partner. But I did like my festive attire. I'll do a comparison with the first 5k later. For those of you who are in training, how's it going????
4) Rashan and I have been married 5 months AND we only recently realized we'll be married 6 months on New Years Day!!! Awesome! To bring in our 6 month anniversary every year, we get fireworks, champagne and a giant party! I couldn't have planned it better if I tried! And our actual anniversary is 4th of July weekend? PARTY EVERY SIX MONTHS!!!
5) I think I want to start painting my nails regularly again. I want OPI's Big Apple Red.
6) I only liked the first season of Dexter a little. Not enough to continue. But I'm really enjoying the current season.
7) I've started playing a game with Rashan. I do something big, noticeable and wait for him to notice. I put up a wreath inside and switched the one outside. He didn't notice until I mentioned it. I put a rather large sleigh full of gold and red Christmas ornaments on the DVR. He missed it for the first 2 hours he was home... watching tv. I had a bunch of papers I was organizing covering a large section of the living room that I put away. I had to call his attention to it. It cracks me up!! I can't WAIT for tonight! :)
8) I have lots of goals I need to accomplish before the end of the year. I'm on my way but I have to focus. I'm ready. I approach my goals like I approach a race. Head down, enjoy it as you go but most of all, FINISH.
9) I love watching Zakarian freak out every week on Next Iron Chef. I never expected him to become one of my faves! And I certainly didn't expect to not love Samuelsson as much as I once did. OR to really really like Faulkner!
10) I love my husband. I have a blast with him! He delights me, he supports me every step of the way, he adores me. That last one is why my mom loves him. He doesn't care who sees it. One day we'll be those parents embarrassing the mess out of their children with their love!
11) One of my mom's high school classmates doesn't have email. In 2011. Fix yourself. Right now.
12) Can you believe I haven't really thought about my Christmas menu? I'm pretty sure I'm going to cook whatever is on sale at my fave (Harris Teeter) that week. Ooh! I forgot I get to go to Trader Joe's since we'll be in Charlotte. There, too! :)

Race Recap: BGR! 10K

This race included a whole weekend's worth of events. I have a goal to run a race in all 50 states. I have my Georgia 10K! 2 states down, only 48 to go! LOL If you're wondering how (we'll ignore why... obviously because I'm nutty!), I want to visit all 50 states anyway so I'll make some of these visits combos!

The night before the race, I attended an awards banquet with delicious food. I had mushroom tortellini, fettucini with summer squash, turkey meatballs, a salad with mixed greens, cheese, lite caesar dressing and grilled chicken. Dessert (right) was a chocolate cup filled with fruit & yogurt. Very yummy!

The speaker was a 75-year-old body building champion.

Me & the amazing body builder post-race

AMAZING body! And so inspirational! She did one-legged push-ups at the banquet. I'm sayin! I'm definitely trying to be that fit in 45 years! Can I get an amen??? I was getting chills and near tears at the banquet thinking about how two women started a blog three years ago and in just the last 18 months it's grown to more than 70 running groups around the nation serving tens of thousands of women. And I was there to witness & participate in the inaugural race & honors dinner! AWESOME!!

After the banquet, I went to a mixer for group leaders very briefly since it was already late and I had to be up at 5 to prep for the race. I would've loved even more time with them. Such a wonderful experience to talk with other women from across the nation who are helping their communities! I might have sneaked a half glass of wine. MAYBE. LOL I have never had any alcohol the night before a race. Playing fast and loose!

Rashan & I got back to our hotel around 10:45. Before the banquet, I'd laid out my clothes and set up the coffeemaker so the only thing I had to do in the morning was press brew. I was so keyed up I didn't think I was going to be able to sleep. It didn't even matter that I'd only slept for 2 hours the day before. (I sleep horribly up to two days before races.) But I was pleasantly surprised to fall asleep before 11:30. I woke up with a start thinking I'd slept through the race. This is how my brain wakes up on race day. I grabbed my phone and saw it was only 3:08. The race is at 7. It's too early to eat or do anything else but surf the web so surf I do.

A sampling of my manic race morning tweets:
1) And I've now been up almost an hour. At this point I'm kind of scared to go back to sleep! As usual! Lol
2) I don't enjoy sleeping in king sized beds but these pillows are giving Rashan a run for his money under love of my life status.
3) I want some eggs. And toast. And a pickle. What the... Everybody watch out after the race. Eating all the food!
4) The 5k starts 30 minutes after the 10k. I'll be interested to see how finishing next to 5kers affects my race. In the best way, I hope!
5) I'm getting crazy hungry but I don't feel like getting out of bed. More races should start at 7 p.m. instead of 7 a.m. I would love that!
6) When Rashan gets up, he'll be so happy he wasn't to recipient of this chatter. Lol I'm always on 10 in the morning.
7) Let me clarify: RACE morning! Lol Important distinction.

All of those tweets were within 20-30 minutes. CRAZY! Rashan usually hates how peppy I am pre-race but this morning he was actually awake at 4 a.m. and fine with my energy! YAY! I brewed my coffee, ate a peanut butter sandwich & showered. Somehow I was still rushing to leave by 5:30. INSANE!! I grabbed some of our hotel's free cookies for Rashan as he got the car. Since I already had on my race bib, the hotel staff definitely heckled me. LOLOL "You're gonna have a cookie before the race???" LOL! No!

We hopped in the car and headed to Atlantic Station. We parked and took a quick picture! :) I love my number one race supporter! He tolerates a lot of my crazy running chatter. I literally talk about running every single day. Considering he has no interest in running, it is a wonderful thing that I married a very patient man! :)


As you can see, it was DARK. Why? Because it was 6 a.m.!! This is wrong. Running and traveling are the only things that get me up at that hour. Despite my night owl tendency, I am a ball of energy all morning on race day and this race was certainly no different! There might have been even more excitement in honor of this historic event!

I thought about my goals again. A) 1:09:00 B) 1:10:00 C) Personal Record so 1:13:45 or faster. There was a BEAUTIFUL rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. After that we couldn't hear anything happening on the stage (we didn't know there was a prayer until people closer to the stage said, "Amen") so we actually missed the start. I was turned around facing the stage when the people from my running group were like, "Oh. I guess we're starting." I turn around and people are streaming through the start line. Um. Okay.

It turns out the 5K and 10K were starting at the same time after all. I was soooo excited to be running! Hence my blurry shot of joy! :) All of my phone pics look like this while I'm running. LOL You can KINDA see the sun was just breaking the horizon. Even though I don't like being up that early, I love sunrise! And because I worked overnights in Pittsburgh, they always remind me of my time there. I saw the sunrise 5+ times a week for 3 years. It never got old. Look at God.

The first mile, we were running out of Atlantic Station. It was mostly flat and/or down hill. I ran with one of my group members for a few minutes and chatted with her and assorted random people. Do you see those town homes off to the right? I commented on how hilarious it is that people were asleep inside, some of them likely with no idea that 3000 people were running past. LOL Can you imagine waking up to that?

Shortly after, we hit the first mile marker. At this point I feel like the race might be short because I haven't heard a one-mile notification from my phone. Then a few seconds later it goes off. Cool. Except I'm moving way too slowly. I always do this in races. I'm so conscious of not going out too fast (and crashing and burning the later miles) that I go out too slow. Drives me nuts. I wrote my pace times on my arm again so I know I need to pick up the pace a little. I'm about 2 minutes under pace. Heading into mile two, two guys were calling out the 5K/10K split... no signs. Several people missed the split and went on the wrong course. Impromptu longer/shorter race distance? Not awesome. I run 5Ks and 10Ks completely differently. 5Ks will now be all out the whole time. If I drop a little at some point, fine, but I'm going all out and hanging on the best I can. Back to the 10K... I was certain I was on the right course (going up a good sized hill as far as steepness) and still felt a little nervous. Not too long after, we hit the two-mile marker. I glance down at my arm. Yikes! Still too slow! Like 4-5 minutes too slow. I speed up a little more, knowing there are a good number of hills still ahead.

There were very few people on the course as we ran through Georgia Tech's campus but at one point, there were a few workers sitting along the side. They were silently amused so I heckled them to cheer for us. LOL Apparently we also ran past a frat house with beer cans scattered across the lawn and a kid passed out on a leather couch. Whaaa??? LOL I so wish I'd seen that! I fell out when I saw this picture! I wonder if he ever woke up during the race...

Good morning?

When we hit mile 3, I see I've picked up a little time but was still under pace. I speed up a little more and think about my idea of hitting the hills at pace and taking the downhills and flats a little fast. I also decide I'm having such a great time at this race, encouraging people, chatting (Cute shirt!) and soaking up the atmosphere that as long as I PR, I'm good!

Mile 4 was a blur but I glanced down, saw I'd picked up still more time and was getting very close to being back on pace. But I knew I'd need to pick it up again. The hills were rolling but not too bad. Definitely not worse than anything I'm used to running. [I heard the Floridians were MISERABLE. This makes me really REALLY want to run a half marathon or full marathon in Florida! :)] I decided at this point that not only would I run faster and do my fastest miles of the race for the last two, but if it didn't hurt a little at the end, I wasn't doing enough.

I had my own water with me so at each water station, I'd skip the first people handing out water while deciding whether or not to take water then grab from the last person. I accidentally poured water all over myself while trying to drink and run at every station. LOL This made me really glad I had my own water. It felt hotter than I was expecting out there. Nowhere near what I'd been running in all summer but hotter than expected.

At the 5th mile marker, I tried to enjoy some downhill and flat stretches knowing from the course elevation chart that there was still a monster ahead. Not too far afterward I heard someone who had run the route in practice say, "Last hill!" Oh HECK YEAH! Except.... from the bottom, that hill was EVIL-looking. It loomed ahead, long and steep. But I can do ANYTHING for one mile. A lot of us yelled out things like, "LET'S GO LADIES!" and "KILL THIS HILL!!" It was awesome! Then I bounded up that hill, encouraging people as I passed them. Then I ran out of breath to do any more talking. This is probably also where my cramp began. There were people along the hill encouraging all of us, too. It was amazing! I recovered by slowing a little at the summit but I knew we weren't that far away so I picked it back up. At this point I knew the race course was definitely short because I had to do a lot of weaving to go around people walking and I still was coming in under mileage. No matter, I was going hard all the way in!!

It started really hurting as we approached Atlantic Station. OH MY GOODNESS I HURT! I had an evil cramp for the last half mile or more of the race. Worst cramp of my so far short running life right under my right rib cage. NOTHING helped. As evidenced by THIS face heading into the last few turns. LOL

Trying not to die! (I'm in all black w/the shades)

I promise you I was feeling like I was NEVER gonna make it to the finish line. Were there 100 turns in the last .3 of the course??? I kept expecting to see it around the next corner as I'm sure someone LIED about. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY CORNERS??? AND WHY DID YOU SAY THE FINISH LINE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER??? At least the next picture looked more like I was gunning!

As you see in my pace & elevation chart, my pace has a steady (slight looking) downhill slope. Each mile of this race was faster than the previous. My intended pace was 11:06. I ran the last two miles at 10:50 and 10:42 respectively. And (my version of) SPRINTED across in 10:30 in the last tenth of a mile for a 1:10:32 finish. I was ECSTATIC!!! And hurting.

This chart is rude. It felt way worse way closer to the end.

My running group cheered for me as I crossed the finish line on one side. Rashan was on the other. Both got a pained wave. OH MAN it hurt! CRAMP!!! I limped over to the food to grab a banana. Thankfully by the time I finished the banana, the cramp was mostly gone. I turned both of my ankles in the first mile of a 7-mile run the week before the race and my left ankle was angry with me post-race. But a few minutes later I saw K. Rock. Yay!

My mom said we look like high schoolers. LOL!

I cheered in the rest of my running group then checked out the post-race party for a few minutes and right before I left, ran into the co-founder of BGR! How awesome! Yay! Weekend made!

Then Rashan & I headed to Another Broken Egg with the interweb crew, Patti, baby Ty, Naima & Bakari. Great fun and deliciousness! Now that I eat during my runs at real intervals, I'm no longer starving at the end. It actually took me a while to finish this Mardi Gras omelette with smoked andouille sausage,  red peppers, crawfish & scallions topped with tomato hollandaise. Quite tasty.

Oh and Rashan... this man... It's been a long time since he/we went somewhere and had to beat the women off with a stick. Every time I turned around to ask him to take a picture for me, some woman had already conscripted him for her own pics. Generally not a big deal but mildly annoying. Where is my photog??? I saw him taking a picture for a group, took my own pics, then looked back again and was like WHAT THE??? This chick is POSTED UP on the wall solo having him take pictures of her. Ma'am... He later told me she made small talk, "You from here?" "Why are you out here today?" "I'm here supporting my wife in the race." "Oh. That's nice." Side eye. He also ducked two former coworkers and a girl he dated a couple of times. That part made me laugh. Oh to have seen the girl he dated! Wedding ring flash, "I won!" LOL J/k j/k But I was irked by the woman who made him her personal photog. Have a seat.

Early morning tweet recap: The 5K had no effect because it started at the same time, I'm pretty sure the wine had no effect on my race and a week later I have still had 0 pickles. Well I had chips on a burger but I want a pickle spear! Overall? Great weekend!