Runner Nerd

My Life at the Moment

2012-02-10T04:45:00.000-05:00

My Place in this World by Michael W Smith
I hadn't heard this song in a long time. Today a friend posted or shared, or whatever it's called, a link to a Michael W Smith song on Facebook and I saw this on the side of the page where it shows songs by the same artist. This is my life at the moment; I am "roaming through the night searching for my place in this world". I feel like "the wind is moving but I am standing still". I am a "life of pages waiting to be filled".
I hope that I am well on my way to finding my place in this world. I am still 10 months away from graduating and it won't come soon enough. Then, I hope to find my place in this world again.

My Place in This World

(Michael W. Smith)

The wind is moving but I am standing still

A life of pages waiting to be filled

A heart that 's hopeful, a head that's full of dreams

But this becoming is harder than it seems

Feels like I'm looking for a reason

roaming through the night to find my place in this world

my place in this world, not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find my place in this world

My place in this world

If there are millions down on their knees

Among the many can you still hear me?

Hear me asking, where do I belong?

Is there a vision that I can call my own

Show me, I'm looking for a reason

Roaming through the night to find my place in this world

my place in this world, not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find my place in this world

My place in this world

Runner Nerd
world's oldest college student

Look! A cow running past the house!

2012-02-05T21:25:00.035-05:00

I was in my usual spot in the public Library with my textbooks all afternoon living the nerd part of my life. When the library closed at 5, I set out to live the runner part of my life for a short time. I was fully looking forward to this since it is now completely light out at 5 pm. It was a really nice sunny day today and the temp at 5 was in the 30s - unseasonably "warm" for February in southeast Michigan. I changed my clothes in my car, thanks to the miracle of tinted windows, fired up Garmy, and was off on my mini-adventure! My route took me through the cemetary, where I said hi to my ancestors as I ran past their graves! (yes, I really do say, "Hi great great Uncle Adam and Aunt Mary" as I run past; that's normal, isn't it?) I continued on through some neighborhood streets toward a trail that takes me through the woods and through the campus of the hospital. As I was running past a house just before the entrance to the trail I heard, "MOOOOOOOOOOOO"! OMG, somebody was mooing at me - as in calling me a cow!!!! They did it 3 times, I think. I could not see the person, they were either in the garage or around the corner of the house. I did see people as I was running toward the house so they must have hid when they decided to moo!! I admit that I have gained some pounds since I've become a full time college student and my mileage has dropped from 25-30 miles to 10-12 miles per week but I sure didn't think I was in the cow category yet!! I wasn't wearing black and white; I was wearing pink! I thought the rest of the world was watching the Super Bowl this afternoon! The rest of my run was uneventful. I ran 5 miles which is about as far as I can run these days. It was a really great run in the sunshine. I am still waiting for weather suitable for the miracle shirt but I'm not complaining!
A beautiful day for a run in February and a new funny running story to tell; what more could one ask for!!
What better motivation to get onself back into shape than being moo'd at while running!!!

Runner Nerd
mistaken for a cow

Still a nerd

2012-01-30T21:56:00.000-05:00

Today I had an exam in one of my classes. I went running after class and after I got done running I had a text message from a classmate that the grades were posted. I had to wait until I got home to look up my grade. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah!!!! True nerd style!!!
I'm pretty happy about it. This is my diagnostics class. It started out very overwhelming. Taking multiple test results and putting it all together. My head was swimming with facts and figures after the first two class sessions. I really studied over the weekend and made it all make sense.

Runner Nerd
still has it!!

Runner Nerd Runs Slow

2012-01-16T21:35:00.002-05:00

Runner Nerd runs slow these days. I ran 4.5 miles yesterday and each mile got slower than the one before. It took me 50 minutes to run 4.6 miles. Today I ran 3 miles in 34 minutes so I am sloooowwww!! I had my gear all packed so I could change after class and head to the nearby small town where I've been running lately but I discovered that I did not have my running shoes. Figures. So, I came home, changed and ran my 3.2 mile route here. I was losing daylight fast even though I was done at 5:17pm.
Yesterday I wore my miracle shirt because it was 20 degrees but today it was 41 degrees and I only needed 2 regular long sleeve running shirts. Only in Michigan. I was pretty excited to wear the miracle shirt but 2 miles into my run I was too warm. This shirt is for really really super cold days! I had a feeling that it wasn't really cold enough to wear it but I just wanted to wear it. My prediction may come true - now that I have this "miracle shirt", we'll have a mild winter and I won't need it!! (I won't complain!)

School is back into full swing now. My first test of the semester is next Monday. I have classes most of the day Monday, and clinicals at a hospital on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My clinicals are afternoon shift so Monday is the only day I have to get up early (or what I consider early)!! I had to give up Tuesday night running group because of my school schedule. I will be there the 1st Tuesday in March because it's spring break and then not again until April 24th. I'm very sad about it but it's all part of being the world's oldest college student.
This weekend I will go back to the public library to camp out at my favorite table for hours in hopes of maintaining my 4.0 GPA. I had forgotten how exciting college life is when I was off for 5 weeks.
It will be fun to watch the daylight last longer and later as I run in the town where the library is after it closes and I leave - 6 p.m. on Fridays and 5 p.m Saturdays and Sundays.

Runner Nerd
running slow

A couple of life's most pressing mysteries solved!

2012-01-14T22:35:00.002-05:00

Steve Perry answers the South Detroit question
Well, now we know!!!
Line from a well-known song: "Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit".
The reaction from anyone born and raised anywhere in Michigan: "There is no #%&@ place called South Detroit, IT DOESN'T EXIST"
Michiganders tend to get quite upset over this!! (I've never really given it that much thought but I've heard it so many times from friends.)
So, it's just poetic license; it's just what happened to sound right and fit the number of syllables he needed.
The article also addressed another question that I'd never thought of: why a band with no connection to Detroit or even Michigan wrote a song about it. He had the first thoughts of the song during a sleepless night in 1980 in his downtown Detroit hotel room at 2 a.m. Which brings me to another line that I have always wondered about. Steve Perry explains what "streetlight people" are!! I always thought the line was: streetlights - comma - people - comma - whatever whatever, I was never quite sure of all the words. Well, it's one thing - streetlight people. As he was looking out of his hotel window at 2 a.m., he could see people come into the beam of the streetlight and the term, streetlight people, came to him. Ok, that does make sense with the other lines about shadows searching in the night and hiding in the night.

So, there you have it!! One less mystery to have to worry about!!
I will leave you with this thought: don't ever stop believing!! (sorry)

Runner Nerd
will never stop believing

Modern Technology

2012-01-13T22:23:00.002-05:00

Thirty years ago, when I was a young adult just beginning my grown up life - if someone had told me that someday I'd be shopping in a store (Bed Bath and Beyond) for some mats for wet boots and shoes and I'd pull a small device, which fits in the palm of my hand, out of my pocket and call up Pizza Hut and order a pizza and then 17 minutes later pull up to a drive through window, roll my window down, pay for the pizza, have the pizza handed to me through the window and then head off to home - I'd have called them crazy!! I could not have even imagined doing such a thing.

I'm not sure why that scenario got me to thinking about how things have changed in my lifetime. On the drive home I got to thinking about how different things are from when I was growing up. Then, in my nerdiness, I started thinking about how things will change in the future. I wonder if, in the future, after calling and ordering a pizza as we drive up to the restaurant our phone will somehow announce our arrival, perhaps similar to how some people "check in" when they enter a place and it goes to Twitter or Facebook or whatever. Who knows??

I have to say, no matter what somebody would suggest to me today that we will be able to do in the future, I'd probably believe them, whereas, way back in 1982 there's no way I'd have believed such things as tiny wireless telephones would be possible.

Runner Nerd
ponderer of great things!!

Muddy Shoes

2012-01-08T17:43:00.001-05:00

Muddy shoes after a night cross country race

Muddy shoes are the result of a successful run!! Last night was a run which produced many muddy shoes! It was a night cross country race which I have run before. Usually, this race is run in knee-deep snow (well, almost knee-deep!). This year there was no snow and the temperature was mid 30s!
It is an 8 miler run as 4 loops of 2 miles each. Most of the loop is on part of the high school's cross country course; it even includes a short jaunt into the woods! Soooooo, most of each loop was also very MUDDY!!!! In fact, each time around the loop it was muddier than the time before!
I ran as part of a 2 person relay so I only had to run 2 loops, or 4 miles. I haven't run more than 5 miles since the Thanksgiving 10K and most of my runs have been 3 or 4 miles so it would have been tough to run 8 miles but I was going to do it. One of my fellow Tuesday night running group members decided yesterday afternoon that he would like to be on a relay team since he took advantage of the unseasonable temperatures and absence of snow to go for a 50 mile bike ride!! I was really really happy to get the text asking if I'd relay!!!
After the race there is food in the school cafeteria. The floor of the cafeteria was completely mud covered from everyone walking around in their muddy shoes!!
My relay partner and I placed 2nd in the over 90 years age group!!! (ages added together) Everyone from our Tuesday night running group who participated went home with a medal, just like we did last year!
I thought that I would be wearing my new miracle shirt at this race but it still wasn't cold enough for the miracle shirt. I have yet to wear it!! What I said in my blog post the day I bought it may come true!! (Now that I have this miracle shirt we will have a mild winter in which it will not get cold enough to wear it!)

Runner Nerd
hoping for a mild winter

I miss my friend

2011-12-31T03:40:00.004-05:00

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
(Those times to mourn really suck.)

I miss my friend; the one my heart and soul confided in

So many things remind me of you.
When the sun is shining bright I think of you and smile
When I see the full moon I think of you (and say hi!)
When it's unseasonably warm in the fall or winter I think of you and smile
When I see the billboard with the lobster claws I think of you and giggle (yep, it's still there!)
Occasionally I feel a hand on my shoulder for a moment and I wish it could stay there.
I think of you and I smile, I laugh, I cry, I remember
I will never forget you
I am so very glad that I had you for my bestest friend throughout those years.
You believed in me when no one else did.
I miss you...I miss you more
(\o/)
/_\

Time to get life back to normal

2011-12-28T23:38:00.001-05:00

The big day has come and gone. Another Christmas is in the books. Next Christmas I will no longer be the world's oldest college student!! I'll be all graduated!
I got my daughter an ipad and she loves it! She has been playing with it and downloading games. There is even a game for the cat to play! We went to the apple store today to get a case to protect it. She will be using it when she gets back to college. She is getting a stylus that she can use to take notes on the ipad. Now I want one!! Maybe after I graduate.
I have to go back to school and resume my role as the world's oldest college student in 12 days. Right now I'm loving not having anything to do. I really needed this break. I know it can't last forever. I have 2 books to get ordered. Because I'm a college student, I get free song downloads from Amazon every time I order textbooks!! This will be the last time I have to order textbooks. The rest of the program will not require any more new books!!
I also need to get my running log book caught up. I've never let it get this far behind. I think I last recorded a run back in September. I have all my runs on my Garmin and I have uploaded them all to Garmin connect and put notes on there. I have no idea of what my mileage is going to add up to for the year. I'm sure I won't reach 1000 miles this year. I think I've ran over 1000 miles for the last 4 years.

I'm falling asleep. Last night I stayed up half the night watching you tube videos of old REO Speedwagon concerts and songs. I can do that while I'm on break from school!!!! I ended up downloading some songs I have always loved and used to listen to on records and cassette tapes!! The REO dudes were so young in those videos and the wild hair was soooooo funny!!
Ok, before I fall asleep...
Runner Nerd
college student on break who stays up all night watching music videos!!

Silent Night Holy Night

2011-12-25T01:23:00.000-05:00

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Oh Holy Night

2011-12-24T18:12:00.000-05:00

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

For unto us

2011-12-24T01:14:00.000-05:00

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

It's December 22nd and I have no gifts for my parents

2011-12-22T10:57:00.000-05:00

It's December 22nd and I have no gifts for my parents. What do you get for parents who have everything?
My parents retired to an island in the upper peninsula of Michigan. It's what we lower Michiganders call "up north". Up there they decorate in that up north way - pine tree, moose, deer, bear theme. Over the years I've given my Mom more than enough up north themed things. My Mom also likes Mallard duck things but she has more than enough. My Dad's birthday is just a few days after Christmas and their anniversary is early in January. Fortunately for me, one of my sisters always takes care of the anniversary and then just tells the other 3 of us how much we owe her!! Maybe I will suggest that she begin doing the same for their Christmas gifts!!! For years now I've given my Dad a big bag of really nice pistacios for his birthday. For as long as I can remember, my Dad has liked pistacios. I remember that every now and then Mom would get him a small baggie of them from the bulk foods in the grocery store. I am going to the place that I get the pistacios from today to get them.
Yep, I'm a bad daughter!!

Runner Nerd
not ready for Christmas

Running and partying!!!

2011-12-20T22:39:00.001-05:00

Tonight was our little holiday run and party for the Tuesday night running group. We run through a couple of nearby subdivisions to see the holiday lights on the houses and in the yards then back to the running store to eat and goof off!
Hard to believe that another year has come and gone!

some of the running group just before heading out to see the lights

Grades Posted

2011-12-18T22:35:00.001-05:00

FINALLY...my last grade is posted!! ALL 4.0!!! I was pretty sure this last class was going to be 4.0 but I just wanted to see that 4.0 there staring at me!!!
I am glad that this semester is over. It's the most difficult semester of the program I'm in. It really feels good to have all of my hard work and endless days spent in the library studying pay off. 4 classes - 4 4.0s!!! True nerd style!!!!!!!

Runner Nerd
World's oldest college student with 4.0 GPA

My fave salad dressing

2011-12-17T15:00:00.002-05:00

Bolthouse Farms Chunky Blue Cheese dressing

I've been using this stuff since it came out a couple years ago. I LOVE it!! I'm a bleu cheese on salad girl! I never liked any of the dressings I've bought in the store until I found Lighthouse brand - and even their low fat bleu cheese dressing is great. This one is made with yogurt and is even lower in fat than the Lighthouse low fat dressing. It is really good! I had some left over chicken from a couple days ago so last night when I was out Christmas shopping (oh yippie) I stopped by the store with the big salad bar and got some lettuce, spinich and chopped yellow and red peppers (no icky green) in a container for my lunch today. The cashier at the checkout asked me if I forgot to get some dressing!!

35 calories, 2.5 grams of fat! (2 Tbsp serving)

So, anyway, if anyone cares, this is the salad dressing that I buy!!! I like it and it's low fat.
The only thing I find odd is that the name of the cheese is usually spelled B-L-E-U but this brand spells it B-L-U-E, like the color (which is my favorite color!). I guess it doesn't matter since I really like the dressing!!!

I think I should go for a run now. I have 2.5 hours until I have to leave. I'm going to a party tonight for the running group that I've been missing since becoming a full time college student. I'm still a part of the group and I'm glad they still invite me to things!! Most of these women eat very healthy, some are vegetarians or vegans and some aren't. When we have a party it's crazy - we eat like pigs!!! I made a dessert containing chocolate!! There will be lots of chocolate there!! I'm sure most of them ran this morning but I never did. I am planning on a long run tomorrow.

Runner Nerd
off for a run to pre-burn party calories!

Loving after dark running

2011-12-11T21:57:00.002-05:00

I've been running with a group for, I think, 4 years now. We meet at the running store at 6:30 pm and go for a run. As the seasons change so does the weather and the daylight. Until recently running group was about the only time I ran in the dark other than a couple of night races each year.
Since I've been in college full time I've been spending many hours studying at the public library in chelsea. In the fall shortly before the time change I got the idea to go running around town after leaving the library since I'd have a very short window of light. At that time it was still light out when the library closed at 5 but I knew that it would be fading fast and if I made the drive home and changed it would get too dark. I got the idea to change in the car after leaving the library, thanks to the miracle of tinted windows, and run around the residential streets of town. It worked out very well and I ran 4.6 miles and had a great time! When I uploaded my run from Garmy to Garmin connect I looked at the map and saw some possibilities for other routes. It was still light when I finished but was beginning to fade. I thought that the streets I ran on would be perfectly safe to run on after dark. Most of the route was residential streets within the city, most had sidewalks. I crossed the main street twice.
Since then I've run quite a few times after dark and it's been fun. I have a couple of neon yellow shirts, a head lamp, a couple of flashing thingys - one clips on and one goes on my wrist. I bought a new shirt a couple weeks ago at the annual sale at the running store but so far it hasn't been cold enough to wear it. It is made by Illuminite, which is a brand of reflective running gear. It has a pattern on the outside half running the length of the sleeves (visible from front and back) and across the back, more than the little dots that most shirts have. The pattern is barely visible in the light but when in the dark and lights hit it, it is very reflective. I'm really excited to wear it! I'm not sure what temperature range it will work best for as the tags and the website do not offer information on that. I am guessing that it will be good for 20s and colder. I will also be able to wear layers under it as it gets colder. My winter tights have zippers at the bottoms of the legs and the zipper is outlined in reflective trim so I am all set for night running!! I will still use my flashing thingys because I can't be too safe and because they are cool and fun!!

Runner Nerd
safe night runner

Done Done Done Done Done Done Done Done!!!!!!!

2011-12-07T22:59:00.000-05:00

This semester is HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!! Took my last final exam today!
Grades were posted for the classes I finished on Monday. Nothing but FOUR POINT!!!!
I totally rocked one final - 100%!! I can hardly believe it!! I got 94 on the other final; that class was the one I had the hardest time with, so glad to have that 4.0 recorded in the grade book!! I felt pretty good today after finishing the exam so I'm sure I will also get a 4.0 in that class. I had 98 going into the final.
I am so glad this semester is over; it has been a long semester. The teachers of the program said it is the most difficult semester and it sure has been. It also marks the end of the first year in the program, one year from now I will be graduated!! The 2nd year class graduated Monday. One more year to go!

I was going to go for a run after leaving school but I discovered I had forgotten to pack my running shoes. I had all my clothes but forgot to throw the shoes in. I guess I'll go for a run tomorrow. It will be wonderful to be able to go out and run without guilt hanging over my head.

Well, I watched my favorite (and the only one I watch) TV show, Ghosthunters, and now I am going to watch a Netflix movie because I don't have any homework to do!!! I can do anything I want to!!!!!! My brain needs a break!

Runner Nerd
off nerd duty for a month!!

Almost There

2011-12-04T23:43:00.001-05:00

The end is in sight!! Tomorrow I have 2 finals. It has been a nightmare of a weekend studying for 2 finals plus a little studying for a 3rd which is on Wednesday.
I ran the Holiday Hustle yesterday afternoon with much guilt hanging over me for abandoning my studying. Oh well, it was fun! When else may one wear Christmas lights and Santa knee socks and jingling bells in public??? I have pictures but that is going to have to wait till after Wednesday. (as if there are people waiting to see them)
The weekend after Thanksgiving is always a big sale at my running store of choice! I went over there Friday to get my race number and got a winter shirt that I drooled over all last winter!! I was so excited when I saw it on the 50% off rack!! There was even one in my size!!!!!! (usually most of the 50% off stuff is either extra super small or extra super large) All last winter I would walk over and just touch it when I was there for running group!! (I know, what a dork!) It was just toooooooo expensive; even 50% off was too expensive. Well, I now own it!! I would have loved to have worn it at the race yesterday but it wasn't cold enough to wear this shirt. This shirt is going to be for those sub zero days in January and February. I'm secretly hoping that since I now have this miracle shirt that I won't even get to wear it because we will have such a mild winter and it will never get into the single and negative digit temps!! Wouldn't that be wonderful!!! I can wish but I am sure that I will get to wear that shirt quite a few times.
Well, I must be getting to sleep so I can go and rock these 2 finals tomorrow. They are going to be tough. I'm nervous.

Runner Nerd
all studied out

Turkey Trotting and Turkey Eating

2011-11-24T20:34:00.000-05:00

This morning I "pre-burned" approximately 620 calories by running a 10K turkey trot held at the YMCA where I am a member. This afternoon I ate wayyyyyyy more calories than that at my sister's house!! My brother in law cooked a 28 lb turkey on a charcoal grill; it was really good!! I also had plenty of cake and ice cream!!

Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who may happen to read this!!

Runner Nerd
Thankful for running shoes and ice cream!!

It's running group day and it's raining out there.

2011-11-22T17:29:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here in the library, been studying for a few hours and it's just about time to leave for running group. Normally that would make me excited and anticipatory (is that really a word) but it's raining outside and I HATE running in the rain. It's also cold - 38 degrees to be exact. I'm not looking forward to this; I'm actually wishing I could study more - now that IS crazy!!
Two more weeks to go!! My last final is Dec. 7th and it can't come soon enough. My brain is exhausted! I got a much needed 100% on an exam in a class last week. I'm in the 4.0 range but just barely. Now I just have to ace that final.

Well, I am off to run in the rain, get soaked and freeze!

Runner Nerd
needs a break!

More silly running - Lightfest 8K

2011-11-16T22:58:00.000-05:00

This time of year is what many runners consider to be the offseason. During the offseason it's a time to forget about real training. Running still happens, of course. There are a bunch of holiday themed races and fun runs where people have fun and dress funny! I ran a halloween 5K where I dressed in a big pumpkin shirt and spider knee socks!! My "costume" was minimal compared to many of the participants.
Last night was another fun event. It was the Wayne County Lightfest 8K. Lightfest is a drive through light display that opens this coming weekend. On Tuesday of the week of the opening they have a run through the lights. They say it's a dress rehearsal to make sure everything is in place but I think it's a ploy to get hundreds of people to pay $20 so they can pay the electric bill for all those lights!! It's crazy how many people show up for this run. It's not timed, there are no numbers, no chips, no winners; it's purely for fun. I said to one of my running group friends that this proves that runners don't need much of an excuse to run! I wore a string of christmas lights and a flashing bracelet and glow braclets around my wrists and a glow necklace on my head!! They give everyone a glow necklace to wear since it's a night run. The first year I did this run the necklace bobbed up and down and hit my nose constantly. The last 2 years I wrapped them around my lower leg but this year I saw someone else with theirs on their head so I tried it and found that it would stay there!! This year was the warmest it has ever been for this race; it was 53 degrees!! I only needed one layer! It's usually cold. Last year it was not only cold but rained the whole time and I remember being frozen and soaked. I was really happy this year!!

Before the run.
When else can you wear Christmas lights and a glow thingy on your head in public and be perectly acceptable!

On the bus after the run with a running group friend

This run is a point to point. After the run busses take runners back to where we parked. The bus had crazy music playing and had lights that flashed with the music and a strobe light somewhere down near the floor.
So, that was fun! I ran the 8K in just over 47 minutes which is pretty good for me these days. I'm always amazed at how runs like these are always over so fast.
In a couple of weeks I will be running another christmas themed run and I'm going to have my christmas lights again!! I also have a pair of red and white striped knee socks to wear. I was going to wear them last night but it was too warm at 53 degrees! The week after that I have one more Christmas run; it's a women only run.

This semester is winding down which cannot happen fast enough! I had a good week last week! I rocked a very difficult exam - I got 105%!! I missed one so I actually got 98% but the teacher ended up throwing out 2 of the questions so I got an extra point for each of those since I got them right and there was 5 extra credit point problems which I got right!! True nerd style!!!

Runner Nerd
runs with lights!

Just for fun running events

2011-11-12T19:58:00.000-05:00

This was the scene last night before a night run.
Neon green or yellow and reflective trim. The run was a fun run to commerate the date being 11-11-11. Runners really don't need much of an excuse to have a run! One of the members of the running group I run with hosted at his house which is near a lake that has a trail going around it. There was a full moon last night which made running even more fun. I was happy when I saw this picture because I wasn't sure if the old running pants I was wearing were still reflective on the trim along the zippers at the bottom of the legs. I can see from this picture that they are! It looks really dull compared to how it used to look. (I'm the one on the left with my back to the camera)
That was last night at 7pm.
Today at 9am I was at it again! I ran a 5K and a 10K back to back; it's the Iron Turkey! I ran a 30 minute 5K and just over an hour 10K so it was like a long run. The 2 races are an hour apart; 5K at 9 and 10K at 10. I had a half hour between them and when I started the 10K I was stiff and had a really hard time getting my body moving again. I had the best race number today!!!! I am the one in the middle with the race number!

I had the best race number!

All too soon racing was over and I had to go back to my other life - being the world's oldest college student. After going home and showering it was off to the library for a few hours of studying for an exam I have on Monday - oh, the excitement!

Forget what I said about cold weather gear in my last post!

2011-11-08T21:55:00.001-05:00

November 8th and it's 65 degrees at 6:30pm! Yes, that was the situation this evening here in, of all places, southeast Michigan!
I had tights, baselayer and long sleeve shirt stuffed in my bag and then I realized that it was already 52 degrees at 9:30am, so in went a pair of shorts and short sleeve shirt just in case. I'm glad I threw in those just in case provisions!
I studied in the library all afternoon (true nerd style) then headed over to the running store for group run. I passed a business just down the street from the running store that has a sign which displays the temperature and it said 65!
This was our first run post time change. It was completely dark well before our start time of 6:30pm. Until now it was still light when we started but dark by the time we finished. Nothing a neon yellow running shirt, headlamp and reflective arm bands can't make work!
Last week I got new running shoes. Every time I get new running shoes I can't wait to get them dirty! They are soooooo white and clean, I can be seen coming a mile away! I got more dirt on them tonight. The dirt roads weren't really muddy but it had rained a little so there was slightly wet dirt to pick up!!
Well, running is done so it's time to get back to the nerd part of Runner Nerd; big test tomorrow.
Runner Nerd
enjoying unseasonable November weather

It's tough being the world's oldest college student

2011-10-30T23:46:00.000-04:00

Well, it has been an exciting weekend!! Friday I had to go to school; normally I don't have class on Friday. Last week was Respiratory Care Week and, as a member of a respiratory therapy program at a community college, I learned that it's a big deal in the world of respiratory therapy! We had a ventilator race at the college as a fundraiser for a camp for kids with asthma. I have learned that old, outdated, retired ventilators get used in ventilator races at colleges and hospitals all over. Our college has 2 old ones, very heavy old ones I might add!! We decorated them up. I used the bumble bee wings I wore in a halloween race last year and we used yellow balloons and made the bumble bee ventilator!! The other ventilator was pink! We wrapped it in pink paper and pink balloons. We also had some smaller machines - something along the line of a BiPAP machine on stands and wheels. We decorated one as big bird and the other as a christmas tree. We raced as teams of 2. The race was around a circular drive in front of the building. It wasn't a very big lap and there were 5 laps. My team mate and I won!!!! It was harder than I thought it would be. The old ventilators are big and heavy and hard to steer! It was a really nice day just a tiny bit chilly. It was fun.

Ventilators ready to be raced by a bunch of crazy RT students!

Running and pushing an old, heavy, cumbersome ventilator

After all that fun, we headed back to the classroom. We have had so much work to do lately that all of us are behind. We just worked on stuff that we needed to catch up. It is a good feeling to finally be caught up on all the little things like quizzes that are done on a computer in the class and our simulations that are also done on computers in the class and finishing up various worksheets,etc. I was there about 3 hours working.
After I left school I went for a much needed run! As usual, I changed in the back seat of my car thanks to the miracle of tinted windows! I did a loop around a park and a few miles on the paved trail for a total of 5.5 miles. All of my miles were in the 9s!! I am getting back to how I used to run!! It feels so good to push myself again!
Saturday and Sunday were just full of fun! Both days I sat on my butt in a chair in the library all afternoon doing homework and studying. Today after the library closed I went running around the small town where the library is located since I had a very short window of daylight left. It was a great run. I combined several routes from a walking tour brocure I saw at the library and also some places I remember from when I ran with a marathon training group in that town several years ago. I ran 4.5 miles and, again, all miles in the 9s! I just felt great afterward. Today was the first time I wore a headband to keep my ears warm this season. I guess I can't do anything about winter moving in. I dread it but I know there will also be fun times. The Lightfest 8K is coming up, is there anything more fun than running at night with christmas lights wrapped around your body!! I registered for an all womens 5K that I did last year - Jingle Belle womens 5k. It was a blast last year. I remember people wearing christmas themed clothing so I'm ready this year!! I bought a pair of red and white striped knee socks to wear to christmas themed races this year!! There is also an evening run planned on 11-11-11 that is just for fun; it's on a trail around a lake. Of course, there is a party afterward!!
Well, I have a few things to finish up and then have to get to bed so I can be ready to resume my role as the world's oldest college student tomorrow morning!
Happy running
Runner Nerd
digging out the cold weather gear

and the blogger disappears for 3 months

2011-10-24T23:38:00.004-04:00

I just logged in here and saw that I last posted on July 4th after running the July 4th race.

What has happened since then??????? I'm not sure I even remember!

I finished my semester at the end of July on a Monday. The end of that week, Friday, Saturday, Sunday I had continuing ed classes for renewing my EMS license. Sunday after the last class ended at 6pm I took off for the Upper Peninsula to visit my parents. My sister from California and my sister who lives in Lansing were already there. They were staying in a cabin at a resort near my parents' house. I got to the Ferry dock at midnight. (My parents live on an island serviced by a car ferry) The next ferry wasn't until 1 am so I had an hour to wait. There was quite a party going on at a bar near the dock and there were people wandering in the streets so I did get to talk to some very drunk people!! It was quite entertaining.

My car in the ferry line at midnight. (I was first in line an hour early)

Just about to board the 1am Ferry to the island

I really had a great time with my sisters, my 2 nephews and my parents up on the island. We were able to float around Lake Huron on a pontoon. I went for a run, of course!! We did lots of grilling and eating! I got to spend time with my nephews who always have me laughing and always amaze me with their knowledge of dinosaurs, outer space, you name it!! I made a run to a store to get a few things for dinner and as I drove into the place I saw the most amazing sight! I was nearly 600 miles from Ann Arbor but...there it was....a lighted sign on the side of the building: "ZINGERMAN'S bread sold here" HUH???? Zingerman's bread on an island in the UP?? While I was there I continually checked to see if my grades were posted and when they finally were, I was one excited nerd!!! All 4.0 once again!! I was very relieved. I rocked my 2 finals!! My sisters just rolled their eyes!

600 miles away from Ann Arbor

All too soon it was time to head back home.

In line to board the Ferry back to the lower peninsula

southbound on the Mackinac Bridge

I still had 5 weeks of freedom!

I worked several shifts during the next 3 weeks. I got my training on track for the half marathon I ran last week. I got my mileage back up in the 30s per week. I had been doing speedwork with a group from the gym since early spring. I enjoyed time with my daughter who was home for the summer and enjoyed not having homework to do and just having time for myself.

Eventually I had to go back to school. I ran my half marathon, the Grand Rapids Half Marathon. It wasn't my fastest but it also wasn't my slowest. I ran a halloween themed 5k Saturday which was a lot of fun. It was a night race. I dressed like a jack-o-lantern and had spider knee socks! It was a beautiful evening and I didn't even have to wear tights! I wore my running skirt just to make it look even more silly!

All dressed up for a night Halloween 5K

Well, that's about it. I'm a tired nerd. Tomorrow there is homework to do, a test to study for, 2 online quizzes to take and then it's running group night.

Next up is the Wayne County Lightfest 8K, a fun night run through a lighted drive through light display.

Runner Nerd
back from non-blogging
still the world's oldest college student nerd and still a runner

Best running in a long time!

2011-07-04T20:02:00.002-04:00

I ran the Firecracker 5 Miler today! I think this is the fourth 4th of July that I've run this race. I almost came in under 50 minutes!! I've been running so slow lately that I was hoping that I could run this 5 mile race in under an hour. I had 50:12. A few years ago I ran it in 43 something so, yeah, I've really slowed down.
This year the race had a new course. It used to be a point to point between the fire stations of 2 small towns but this year it started and finished at the fire station that it used to end at. It was a loop on rural roads and had some hills...big hills!!!
After the race I had to get right in the car and head over to another small town to join up with the rest of the family for a 4th of July parade. This parade takes almost an hour; it gets bigger every year. Then we went out to eat and then I had to go home and study. Only a couple more weeks to go and I will have 5 weeks off!!!!!!!!
Hard to believe it's already the 4th of July; it's over halfway around to Christmas...oh yippie!

Runner Nerd
had a good day of running

Happy Birthday, America!!

2011-07-04T00:46:00.001-04:00

I aint never heard that before

2011-07-01T19:25:00.000-04:00

Today a clerk in a store said, "I aint never heard that before." I wanted to ask her when she had last heard it since she aint never heard it before but I highly doubt she'd get it and she would think I was the one with the problem.

Father's Day

2011-06-19T15:21:00.001-04:00

My Dad

My Dad with his favorite granddaughter and his oldest grandson

Less than a week

2011-05-22T01:51:00.000-04:00

Well, it is now Sunday, May 22 and the world as we know it did not end!! I had forgotten that it was supposed to until this week when it was all over everywhere you looked! When in New York City over New Years they were all over the subways passing out literature and putting up signs warning that the world ends May 21, 2011.
Sooooooo, this means that I have a half marathon to run in less than a week!!!! I did my last long run Friday since I had to work most of the day Saturday. It was only 7 miles but I was slower than slow; I think it was my slowest overall average pace yet.
I booked my hotel room on Friday! Nothing like waiting till the last minute to book a hotel room in a major tourist city on a holiday weekend!! I actually found one 5.5 miles away and it's a lot less than I expected. The address is not Traverse City even though it is so close and that makes a big difference in the price! I'm happy!!!

On the nerd side of things: I got a 98% on a test this week!!! I have another one on Wednesday this coming week. I'm getting the hang of doing things at clinicals and am enjoying taking care of patients and am looking forward to my new career someday!!!

Time for bed.
Runner Nerd
needs sleep

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T22:13:00.000-04:00

My Mom

My Daughter and my Mom

On the banks of the Red Cedar

2011-05-08T00:21:00.002-04:00

The newly graduated MSU Spartan

My oldest kid graduated from college today! (actually yesterday as it's now Sunday) My sister was the family photographer. I will post better pictures when I get them from her. I have to say that it was bittersweet sitting there. All the years my kids were growing up I always told them that they were going to college. Now, all of a sudden, there I was, sitting at college graduation!

Runner Nerd

teary eyed

My kid is graduating from college today!!

2011-05-07T16:41:00.000-04:00

My oldest kid graduates from college today. WOW! Where did the years go????

He brought his cap & gown home a couple days ago so I could hang it up so the fold lines would go away. He just got dressed, put the tassel on his cap and took the gown and left to go to meet up where he has to be.
I will be heading out soon to go to the college graduation of my child --unreal!!!

Runner Nerd

Water Everywhere!!

2011-04-30T22:37:00.004-04:00

I've heard of "water under the bridge" but what about water OVER the bridge?

I had to do my long run on Friday afternoon this week. I had to move most of my daughter's ~~junk~~ stuff out of her dorm today.
The Huron River always swells in the spring but this was quite something! In several places along my route there was some water on the trails but in one area the trail was completely under water!! A bridge was even under water! These pictures were taken in Fuller Park along Island Drive.

I guess I am NOT going to continue over this bridge!

the river is on the other side of those trees!

The Huron River overflowed!

DETOUR!!!

Too much water

The river is supposed to stop on the other side of the trees.

It's now down to only 4 weeks until the half marathon. I'm still running so slow. Next Saturday my son graduates from college so I am not sure hwo I am going to work in my long run. I will probably have to try to run on Friday again.

What ever happened to My Space????????

2011-04-27T01:42:00.000-04:00

I have no idea why I did this or what even put the idea into my head; I logged into my old My Space page. I had not logged in to it since October 30, 2009. I had a blog on there and I read quite a few entries and I discovered that I was a much better writer back then. It's weird but they are written so differently. I think I had a lot more time to spend on it. I don't even hear people talk about My Space anymore; I had forgotten about it. I should probably figure out how to make sure all of those blog entried are saved somewhere else so that I don't loose all of that if unlogged into My Space accounts ever disappear. (or even if My Space itself ever disappears).
Well, that's all!!
Time for bed.

Running without guilt!!! AND Nerd status retained!!!!!!

2011-04-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

9 am: a very difficult final exam for which I studied for all last week and weekend.
Then: work 4 hours
Then: check to see if exam grade posted just before leaving work.
Then: see excellent grade on final exam and see 4.0 for overall class grade!
Then: go to park where my favorite running route starts.
Then: change clothes in back seat of car (thanks to the miracle of tinted windows!).
Then: take off on a fun, guilt free 4.5 mile run along the Huron River on a beautiful, sunny and nearly 70 degree afternoon!! Oh, it felt sooooooo great!! The weather and no weight of the world on my shoulders!!! (or at least the weight of my future career!) I saw BABY duckies for the first time this year during my run!! It must be spring for sure!! The rowing crews were out on Argo Pond and there was even some muddy spots on the Argo Bluff trail though the woods!!!
I have 5 whole days off before the next semester begins!!! I rented a DVD on the way home after running!! I haven't done that in a very long time.
I have nothing to do!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW, what a feeling!!!! Well, I guess that isn't entirely true. My house is a mess and my car looks like I live in it so I guess I could find something to do but maybe tomorrow!! I should probably mail my son's graduation announcements too, after all, graduation is May 7th!
The class that ended today was tough. I went into this final one point below a 4.0. I HAD to ace this final to bring my percentage up to a 4.0. I barely got the 4.0. I went into my other final well into 4.0 range and would have had to really mess up to bring my grade down below a 4.0. (I prefer it that way!) Next semester I'll have 2 classes again and I start hospital clinicals 2 full days per week. I will be in classes 2 full days and clinical 2 full days. Today was also the last day that I will be working. It's bittersweet; I will miss some things about my job but it is too difficult to try to work and go to school full time. I am still an employee and will be working during August when I have the month off between summer and fall semesters. I was really glad that they wanted to keep me on as an inactive employee.

Well, I'm going to go watch that DVD now!!!!!!!!! Don't look for me very early tomorrow morning either!!!

Runner Nerd
who is on a 5 day nerd break!

April 24th Easter & kid birthday

2011-04-24T20:30:00.000-04:00

My oldest kid turned 23 today! I can't remember his birthday ever being on Easter before; I'm pretty sure that this is the first time.
He graduates college in 2 weeks!!! I'm still trying to figure out where all those years went!

5 weeks

2011-04-23T16:44:00.001-04:00

I did my long run today wearing summer running clothes!!!! I ran 10 miles after not running at all last weekend. I had in mind to try to run right around 9:50 per mile but I couldn't quite do it. Right now the thought of running a half marathon in 5 weeks is not a pleasant thought. When I finished my 10 mile run the first thought I had was that I still had 3.1 miles to go for a half marathon. I don't know; somehow I will get through it. I'm thinking maybe 11 miles next week and 12 the next 2 weeks then the last 2 weeks until the half marathon will be a taper.

Well, those thoughts are going to have to wait since I have the final exam of my life on Tuesday and have lots of studying to do. Tomorrow is Easter and, as bad as this sounds, I don't have time for a holiday right now. With this final hanging over my head it's hard to get excited about anything. I actually wasn't sure I was going to run this weekend but when I first let the dog out this morning I realized that I didn't feel the blast of cold air when I opened the door. Then when he wrapped his leash around the light pole and I had to go out there and walk him around it I was shocked that it felt so warm. I checked the temp and it was 57 degrees!!!! Then I knew that I HAD to go running!! I put on shorts and a short sleeve shirt and took off for Hudson Mills. It was really nice to run in decent weather again. BUT...now I have to make up for that 2.5 hours I was gone and get to work on studying for this exam. Yippie.

I saw something today that I have never seen before. A dude was riding a bike around with a large BIRD sitting on the handlebars!!! I saw him 3 different times while I was running. As far as I could see there was nothing on the bird such a little birdy harness in case he tried to fly away. Must be a very well behaved bird, especially since there are many many dogs being walked!! It was really cool to see!

OK, the running part is over so... back to being the world's oldest college student!!

Runner Nerd

Welcome back to speedwork!

2011-04-20T21:50:00.001-04:00

The last 2 weeks I did speedwork with some people from the gym, led by the triathlon coach. The last 2 weeks went pretty good; the workouts were 3-3.5 miles plus warm up and cool down and we were done in less than an hour. The first week was in pouring rain, last week we were out there running in summer clothes. Today we were back in tights and long sleeve shirts (I wore 2 shirts). This was one crazy killer workout. 2 sets 1200 fast, 400 slow; 2 sets 800 fast, 400 slow; 2 sets 400 fast, 400 slow; 4 sets 200 fast, 200 slow. We had a 1 mile warm up and 2 mile cool down. If I have calculated this all correctly, it's a total of 8.5 miles. THAT'S NUTS!!!
I am not fond of any speedwork over 400s. When I saw in coach's email yesterday first line: "1200 fast then 400 slow then repeat" I considered skipping it!! By the 2nd 800 my legs felt finished. We went off the track for the cooldown, a paved rail-to-trail runs right behind this high school track so we headed over there and ran a mile down and back. (there is a mile marked out behind the school with each 1/4 marked; I figured we'd run to the half mile then turn around but noooooooo they just kept going. The last half mile back I was barely moving anymore. I was worn out!! When I got into my car it was 7:45 and we had started right at 6.
I'm sore now You know, I really should use that big black post looking thingy sitting over there in the corner collecting dust (AKA foam roller) but that would result in more pain!!!

Well, I'm plopped in my chair and I'm going to watch my favorite show (and the only TVshow I watch), Ghost Hunters!!!!!!!!

Runner Nerd

One final down, one to go!

2011-04-18T22:52:00.000-04:00

Just like the title says, one final down and one more to go!!! One of my class's final was today even though there is still one more week to the semester. I'm pretty sure I did ok. I am pretty sure I will end of up with a 4.0. I am glad this final is out of the way and that I only have to study for one at a time.
I didn't even run this past weekend. OH, CRAP, my half marathon is only 6 weeks away. Train? Oh, am I supposed to train??? I was talking with a friend of mine today and made the comment that I sure hope that I can finish the half marathon before the marathon winner finishes. It's been a long time since I've run a half when there was a full marathon going on at the same time. I've always finished before the marathon winner and then watched the male and female marathon winners cross. He asked if there would be big time elite racers there. This is a small marathon/half marathon and no elites will be there. I looked up the results from last year and the winning time was 2:24:09. I can't imagine being that long even if I do go over 2 hours. Even so, I still want to finish under 2 hours. It sure would be nice if the weather would improve and make it pleasant to go running. Soon, I hope.

SNOW on April 18th?????? HUH????

2011-04-18T17:52:00.001-04:00

Snow?? Seriously?? Is this God's idea of a huge joke?
I saw it online yesterday afternoon when I got home from my fabulously fun afternoon of studying at the library. I was awake at 4am and looked out and there was no snow and I said, "thank goodness that never happened!" (the forecast was snow beginning at 3am) Well, the joke was definitely on me because when I woke up to get up around 9am the first thing I noticed in the window was the sight of snow falling and then looked out and everything was white. My son's truck was completely covered in snow.
Thankfully, it didn't stick around very long; the snow is all gone now.

Well, that didn't last long.

2011-04-11T22:50:00.000-04:00

One day of 80 degrees; is that really all we get????? I'm glad I ran in it. Today was in the low 50s and a chilly wind. Yes, it's better than teens, single digits and sub-zero and I would definitely prefer this instead.

Time to start studying for finals. Soooooo excited. My brain hurts just thinking about it.

Runner Nerd

Spring?? Will it stay?

2011-04-10T21:55:00.000-04:00

Today the temperature hit 80!!! Yep!! I noticed that it was sunny outside from my view out the dining room window as I was working on my paper which is due tomorrow (now finished). I decided to open the window and the air coming in felt warm, I checked the themometer and it said 78!! I had to walk outside and see for myself and then I just knew that I had to do it!! In spite of the fact that I had to finish that paper and then study for the test I have tomorrow I just had to do it. There was no way that I could not do it!! It is going for a run!! I dug out the cute running skirt I wore in the marathon last October and even ran in a sleeveless top!! The temperature had hit 80 by the time I got to the trail to run! It felt great!

Well, I better get back to studying for that test!!

Runner Nerd
Happy runner today!

I still run slow

2011-04-10T00:10:00.000-04:00

My last post was titled, " I run slow" and began with ordering my son's college graduation announcements. Well....the announcements arrived and I got a bit teary and choked up when I looked at them and I STILL run slow!
This semester is getting closer to being over; I think there is only 3 weeks to go. I have more work than ever to do before the last day. I have one test after another in these next 3 weeks. I haven't even started to prepare for finals yet. Just thinking about it makes my brain hurt. There is no break between semesters either. My last class for this term is on a Tuesday and the following Monday Summer term begins. 5 days to relax!!!!!!!! I need to clean my car out; it looks like I live in it. I've never slept in my car but it sure looks like I live out of it!!! I also need to do major house cleaning that I have neglected. Yeah, I'm going to spend my 5 days off cleaning my car and house....NOTTTTTTT!!!! I want to sleep in every morning like when I worked nights back in the day. I want to go running. I want to go to movies. I want to read something other than textbooks. I don't want to do anything grown up related!!! We will see what happens!

My half marathon is 7 weeks out from today. Do I ever have a long way to go in those 7 weeks. I ran 6 today and it nearly did me in. It seemed more difficult than when I ran 10 last Saturday. I did have a 9:17 and a 9:22 mile (miles 4&5) don't know where those came from!! Then the last mile was 10:09. I did speedwork with a group on Tuesday. That was a first in a long time! We did sets of 400, 200, 200 with 200 recovery in between each repeat and a few extra seconds between each set. 4 sets total. I was amazed that my 400s were ALL under 2 minutes. 3 at 1:58 (wow-imagine me consistent!) and one at 1:52 (hard to believe!) the 200s were between 52 and 58 except for the very last one which was 1 minute even; I was worn out. It rained the whole time. There were 3 of us out there running around the track in the rain; I can't imagine what that looked like!! I told the coach that it was stupid and he said, "and you drove here to do this"!!! I hate running in rain and I hate being cold so WHY was I there?????
The most exciting thing I have to say is that today for the very first time this year I ran in shorts and short sleeves!!!! I hope that is a trend that will continue!! It was wonderful to do so!

Well, I'm falling asleep so I guess I need to go crawl into bed.

Runner Nerd

I Run Slow

2011-04-02T10:11:00.002-04:00

Sooooo, the other day I ordered college graduation announcements for my oldest kid. I know this is what everyone says and it's totally dorky but it's true: it seems like just yesterday I was leaving him off at his first day of kindergarten. I really don't think I am old enough to have a kid fully grown up!!!
I'm very proud of him and I am very happy that I am done sending money to Michigan State University!!!! Although...there is the $160 diploma frame that the kid wants and the Student Bookstore keeps sending me reminders that my kid wants it!! I've heard that it takes several months before they actually get the diploma so it can wait till after graduation.

I am down to 8 weeks out from the half marathon I registered for wayyyyy back on December 1st. I have a really really long way to go in those 8 weeks. The last 3 weeks I've cut 2 of my long runs short. The first time it was because I was having a bad reaction to a tetanus shot but I don't know what to say about last week. The first time I cut 8 back to 6 then the next week I ran 8 and last week intended to run 10 but barely made it 8 miles. Both weeks that I ran 8 the last mile was really tough. Today my last mile was also really tough although mile 9 was the slowest. I must be so out of shape; I can't even run under 10 minute miles after 2 or 3 miles. It's such an effort too. I am really sore after long runs which is odd. Not just a little sore but a lot sore. The half marathon is quite flat and I really really really want to run it in under 2 hours.
I need to run more than 12 or 15 miles per week but it's difficult to do with full time school and part time work. I'm still working even though I quit a long time ago; I'm not sure how that happened! Beginning this week I will have class on Fridays through the end of the semester. It's getting close to finals time too and I need to study A LOT. The last few weeks there have been many times I wanted to go running but didn't so I could study and do homework. Tomorrow I will be at the library all afternoon studying for tests I have on Monday and Tuesday. I don't think it can get any more exciting than that!

Well, I am going to take my sore legs and crawl up the stairs and crawl into bed and hope that they hurt less tomorrow morning!

(slow) Runner Nerd

Sandhill Cranes are back!!!!

2011-03-20T23:04:00.000-04:00

I saw 2 Sandhill Cranes today on my way to work! That must mean that Spring is near!!

Yesterday I ran 8.5 very slow miles. I just couldn't move any faster. I sure have a long way to go in 10 weeks if I am going to run this half marathon in under 2 hours.

Bad test grade, Slow running, Sick from Tetanus shot, Life has to get better

2011-03-13T22:43:00.005-04:00

I survived the spring break where there was neither spring nor a break.
Test #1, first day back, 96%. That means I missed 2. I haven't seen the test yet to know what stupid mistakes I made.
Test #2, second day back, 86%. A new LOW for me. I have never ever in my entire life had a grade that low. Our teacher sent a message on the online classroom thingy saying that the class average for this exam was 80% and said that some may need some extra help and tutoring to bring their grades up to passing. Since I was 6 points above the class average and my overall grade in the class is at 90% right now and the limit for passing to failing is 73 or 74 (can't remember; didn't think I'd ever need to think about it) I highly doubt I'd be a candidate for any extra help; I'd get laughed at for asking. What is wrong with wanting to get high grades?? I'm constantly told that when I graduate and get my license that nobody is ever going to ask what my grades were or if I was at the top of my class. What's wrong with wanting to be anyway, even if nobody ever asks?? I've heard several classmates say that they've had 4.0s in the pre-reqs and had the goal of keeping that up but have now lowered their expectations. I just can't see doing that.
Ok, enough of that!
Test # 3, third day back 100% although this test was nothing difficult.

One of the requirements for health care programs and jobs is having all childhood immunizations. In the past what I had always done was use my school records from way back when. Well, now that's not good enough for us old fogies. Back in the day our Mommys filled in a form with the dates of our immunizations when we enrolled in kindergartin, now they call that "self reporting" and it's not acceptable now. Sooooo, I had to have titers which are blood tests for the immunizations. If your titers come back not showing any of the immunizations it doesn't mean you never had them or you don't have the immunity but you have to get the immunization. Mine all came back positive!!!!!!!!! I was due (overdue actually) for a tetanus booster so I got that Thursday. I remember the last time I had one that I had a very sore arm for a few days but this time it made me really sick. I met up with a classmate at the public library on Friday afternoon to study. We were there over 4 hours. I was really uncomfortable most of the time; I had a headache and my lower back was hurting then my legs started hurting. I thought it was because the chair was uncomfortable. When I left the library it was sunny and 45 so naturally I decided to go running!! Bad idea. I did not get very far and knew something was up. I could barely move and my entire body hurt. I ran 3 very slow miles. (31 minutes) and when I got back to my niece's house (I was house-sitting) I could barely get up the 3 steps to unlock the door. Everything hurt and I was miserable. I showered and curled up in the bed with a heated blanket and slept for about 2.5 hours then woke up extremely hungry but just didn't feel like I could get up and get dressed. I did manage to get jammies on and went downstairs. I was so hungry but at the same time couldn't even look at food. I drove to McDonalds (yes, in jammies) and got a cheeseburger. I don't know why but sometimes when I am sick that is the only thing I can eat. It's not even something I eat normally. I haven't been to a McDonalds in a long time. After I ate the cheeseburger (no top bun) I had an apple, a really yummy Kiku apple then my tummy was happy but the rest of me was still miserable. I took ibuprophen and went back to bed and slept nearly 11 hours. I felt much better Saturday morning and even went running. I ran 6 very slow miles. I didn't have the body aches but I still couldn't move very fast. I intended to run 8 but changed that plan not very far into the run. As Saturday went on I got achy all over again but not to the extent as Friday. I've never had a tetanus shot do this to me. I'm still not 100% but am much much better today.
So, anyway, there is the most boring blog entry ever written!!!!!!!
Last Saturday (March 5) was 12 weeks out from the half marathon I am signed up for and I was supposed to start training. OOPS, I kinda forgot!! The weather was awful and I had the 3 tests hanging over my head and I had to work way too much and never felt like I got to study sufficiently. I house-sat that weekend too and took running gear but the weather turned to horrible cold and inches of snow and I didn't have the right gear with me. Soooo, I guess my half marathon training has officially begun with 11 weeks to go. It will be interesting to see how well I keep up with it until the weather warms and daylight lasts longer and until I am completely done working. (yup, I am in the process of quitting my job!)

Well, a little more studying for, yes, another test tomorrow then off to bed.
Runner Nerd
having trouble with the runner part AND the nerd part.
(may have to change her name to jogger average student)

Spring Break

2011-03-02T00:13:00.002-05:00

It's Spring Break. I want to know: where is Spring and where is my break??????????

Nerd Extraordinaire

2011-02-22T22:14:00.003-05:00

My glamorous, enviable weekend of studying for this HUGE midterm paid off! I got a 98% on the exam!!
YAY me!!
I remain...
Runner Nerd!!
emphasis on Nerd

A weekend to write home (or blog) about!

2011-02-20T22:11:00.000-05:00

Oh, I have such an exciting and glamorous life!! My weekends are filled with one exciting social event after another! HA HA!
Saturday I spent the afternoon (2-5pm) in the Chelsea Public Library and closed the place down! I was the last one to leave! I then moved myself and all my books, papers, pen, pencil, highlighters, index cards, calculator, laptop and the backpack that hauls it all down the road to Wendy's. I bought a large iced tea, thus making me a customer, thus allowing me to use the wireless internet and a booth. (it was a mini booth.) I continued studying for 3 more hours. It was nearly 9pm when I left. I had to stop at the grocery store to get my poor starving cat some food. (no, my cat wasn't starving but I emptied the bag that morning.) The Library in Chelsea is a good place to study. The 2nd floor has tables with a lamp in the middle and electric outlets and computer outlets on the top of the tables. They have wireless internet so I've never used the internet outlet but they are there, you never know, the wireless routher might not be working someday. It's usually reasonably quiet in there. Yesterday the second floor was overrun with noisy little kids. They were running around. I can usually block things out but it's hard to miss when they bump into your chair or bang something on the table. One little guy kept unplugging his headphones so the music of his little game would be audible to everyone around. I don't miss having little kids at all.
Today I set out to go to the college library but on my way there it started snowing and not just flurries, it was really snowing. I had a couple stops to make first then decided instead of going all the way out to the college I'd just study at Panera since it is on the north side of town and I live north of town and the college is on the south edge of the county and way south of town. It snowed the whole time I was there and then began raining. I could see I94 from Panera and every time I looked out the window the cars were going slower and slower. When I left Panera after 3 hours of studying my car had a coating of ice. There better not be a snow day tomorrow. I am so ready for this test!!!!!!
So, you see my weekend was filled with all the excitement one could ask for. I just know you are jealous!!

Well, I'm going to go over a few things again then go to bed; it just doesn't get more exciting than this!! There are snowmobiles driving by the house in the road!

Runner Nerd
all studied out

Muddy Shoes!

2011-02-18T22:15:00.004-05:00

The sign of a successful run!

My running shoes are a muddy mess and I couldn't be happier!!!! I love muddy running shoes!
After work I ran my very most favoritest route. I haven't been to this trail in forever. Most of it is not cleared in the winter and with all the snow we've had I knew it would be impossible to run on. Now that most of the snow is melted I decided it's time to get back there. I knew the woods would be muddy. The trail along the headrace still had a lot of slushy snow but other than that it felt great to run with good footing. I ran really good (for me lately) other than the trail with snow and through the muddy woods. I almost fell in the woods, I started sliding in the mud going downhill. I stepped off the side of the trail and grabbed a tree branch to stop! I saw a lot of other people out running! I saw several people in shorts but with long sleeve shirts and one dude was wearing long pants but a short sleeve shirt but nobody in shorts and short sleeves. I guess it's not quite that warm yet!!! (just an observation I made!) As I ran along the river I was thinking ahead to when all the baby duckies will be there!! I can't wait; I love the baby duckies in the spring when they are still tiny and following their mommies around.

I wish I was that excited about the test I have on Monday. I had to work today and was not too happy about it. Some of my classmates were getting together in the library to study this afternoon and I was not able to go because of work. I really would have liked to have studied with others because there is so much confusing material in this unit. It's so complicated. BUT....if I hadn't have worked I wouldn't have been in Ann Arbor and would not have went running in Bandemer Park, I probably wouldn't have went running at all so I guess my run is one good thing that came from having to work.

I saw this today:

motorcycle in February

A motorcycle! I didn't think it was that warm but I guess if we runners are silly enough to go running when the temperature is below zero in deep snow then motorcycle riders can ride in the 40s!

Well, I guess I better get back to homework. I got to do it all today: work, run and homework!

Runner Nerd

No hat or gloves!

2011-02-16T23:19:00.001-05:00

No hat or gloves and only 1 layer!! Is it Spring now??
I ran 5 miles after class and managed to keep all the miles well under 10 minutes!! My last mile was 9:12!! I was surprised at that!
On my way home I saw 54 degrees on a sign. It was sunny too. There is still a lot of snow along the sides of the trail. It's starting to melt but there was a lot piled up.
I could not believe how much dog poo was on the paved trail right on the pavement. EWWWWWWWW
I saw 3 people running in shorts! I was overdressed but I packed my run gear this morning before going to school and didn't know that it was going to get that warm. For the first time in a long time my Garmin was sitting on my wrist in contact with my skin and not over 3 layers of sleeves. I was able to buckle it in the 6th hole instead of barely being able to get the little peg in the 1st hole.
So this was an exciting day for Runner Nerd!!!! I just hope that warmer weather is here to stay!
Runner Nerd

Nerd Status Redeemed!

2011-02-14T21:23:00.000-05:00

After the shock of my 88% test grade I have redeemed myself! I had a test in the other class last week and got that grade today. I got 102%!!! There were 3 extra credit problems which I got right, thus the 102%. I missed 1 question on a 50 question test so I really got a 98. I can live with that but if she wants to give extra credit I'm not going to argue!! Now, if I could only make a comeback like that in my running! I ran 3 miles this morning and I could not get moving. It took me 32 minutes, 35 seconds to run 3.2 miles so over a 10 minute pace. After the bitter cold we've had, this morning's 39 degrees felt almost warm! I ran in 1 less layer.
Well, I must get back to homework. It's going to be hard to top the 102%!

Runner Nerd

A First for Runner Nerd (not one she ever wanted to see)

2011-02-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

College is getting harder. I have also been working a lot the last few weeks. Last week and the week before I worked more hours than I have in quite a while. It really made it hard to study the way I usually do. I have had 2 tests now that I felt very unprepared going into. I got an 88 on one of the tests. I've NEVER had a grade that low before. I was shocked. It was a really hard test and as soon as I started I knew I wasn't prepared. I've had to make the difficult decision to quit my job a couple of months before I had planned. I knew that I would not be able to work when I have to start hospital clinicals next semester because I will have 2 full days of clinicals and 2 full days of classes.

It has been bitter cold here. Last night during the Thursday night group run I was actually wondering what I was doing. My face was so cold. But....when we finished up it was still a tiny bit light out!!!! The last couple weeks it has still be a little light out when we started but last night was the most light we've seen on a Thursday night run in a long time! Does this possibly mean that spring is on it's way?????? It won't come soon enough for me. Today I also got to go for a run. I don't even know when the last time I ran 2 days in a row. I hope to be able to get more running in once I am not working. I will have to soon if I am going to have a decent half marathon in May. It wasn't as cold today but it was still bitter cold. It just isn't fun in this weather but I can't stand the thought of running on a treadmill either. I ran so slow today; my body just wouldn't go any faster and it was difficult. I was running on cleared paved paths so I can't say that it was from the deep snow or bad footing.

Well, it's time to go turn on my heated matress pad and get ready to crawl into a warm bed and read my new Runner's World (March issue). Maybe reading about people running will help me to feel like doing it again.

Runner Nerd
bad grade nerd and slow runner

Cow in the road

2011-01-30T21:59:00.002-05:00

I ran this morning mainly because I did not want to write a big ole zero in the little box in the lower right corner of my running log book. I also would have had to copy the same number from the second line in the box which is the year to date mileage. I had to miss Thursday night running group due to having to work late.
I set off on my 5.6 mile loop on the roads where I live. About 3.5 miles into my run I came upon a black angus cow just chillin in the middle of the road in front of the farm pasture he escaped from!! As I got closer he began trotting down the middle of the road. I got closer to him and headed him off the road into a field; at least he was out of the road. This road does not have very much traffic; it's one of my favorite roads to run on and I can run down the middle most of the time. I decided I should go to the house and let someone know their cow got out. I ran up the drive and knocked on the door. The people were still in their jammies! They were appreciative of me letting them know and for getting their cow out of the road!! This house has a very long driveway. As I was nearing home I looked down expecting to see somewhere in the area of 5.57 - 5.58 and my Garmin said 5.8! That run up and back that driveway added nearly 1/4 mile to my run so I decided I might as well run a little farther down the road and make it 6 miles.
Today's temp was 15 - more than double the temp when I ran last Sunday. I was wearing 1 less layer. I guess there is more snow coming. oh yippie. I was thinking about the half marathon I signed up for which is Memorial Day weekend. That's the end of May so 4 weeks of May, 4 weeks of April, 4 weeks of March = 12 weeks. I don't have to really start training till March. This afternoon I looked at a calendar and found that March 5th is 12 weeks out from the half marathon. I can slack off for another month!!! I hope we have better weather by then.

I spent most of my day studying for a test on Tuesday. My brain hurts, I still don't feel like I am anywhere near ready for the test. I will be able to study tomorrow morning before I have to leave for school but that means I probably won't go running. I've been running on Mondays before school which is surprising for non-morning person me! Tomorrow I need to study instead.

Runner Nerd
hoping and wishing for warmer weather and melted snow

But, what if I wanted MY penny?????

2011-01-28T22:51:00.000-05:00

My total at Subway was $5.29 so I hand the clerk $5.30 and was waiting for her to hand me a penny but she grabbed the little penny out of the cash register and tossed it into a jar sitting there. Wait...that's MY penny; what if I wanted it????? So, when did this become the way things are done?????????

Cold Cold Cold

2011-01-23T20:39:00.000-05:00

single digit temp

This is my indoor/outdoor themometer this morning just before I headed out for a run. Yep, that top number is the outdoor temperature, 7 degrees. I donned my most hard core running gear - Underarmour Cold Gear tights and shirt, 1st layer. An old pair of running pants over the tights and another winter shirt over the other one and to top it all off - a jacket. Hat, mittens and Garmy added the finishing touches!!
I'm not sure how good running clothes do it but I was not too cold, even when I was just starting out. My hands got too warm in my mittens. I rarely wear the mittens because they are too warm. (yes, I just said that!)
Well, I have to get back to studying for my test tomorrow. I just wanted to record the fact that I went running in 7 degree temps today!! For some reason since this run I am really feeling like getting in a long run. Maybe next weekend.

1 month into winter and I have had enough already.

2011-01-22T22:15:00.001-05:00

How much more of this do I have to put up with? I've had enough. It's crazy cold this weekend. Yesterday was single digits. A friend posted a picture on Facebook that she took in her car on her way to work and her themometer said 7 degrees. Yep, that's all...just 7 little degrees. So, I went to the kitchen to check my new fancy schmancy indoor/outdoor themometer and it said 7.5 degrees. Later in the day my daughter came home and she noticed that it said 7.5 degrees so the temp hadn't changed. Today it got all the way up to a sweltering 15 degrees!! I think I will like this new themometer better in the summer when the outdoor temps can be higher than indoors. Right now it's too depressing to look at the outdoor temp. This was our family Christmas present. There is a little unit that is hanging outdoors on the patio and the indoor unit is inside the house on the side of the refrigerator. The outside unit sends the temp to the inside unit. The indoor unit has a magnet on the back for putting on the refrigerator and it also has a stand that can be pulled out and folded out to set it somewhere.

School is crazy. I never expected this program to be easy and was prepared to work and study hard. I'm overwhelmed, it's complicated stuff. The teacher says that it's all going to come together. I sure hope it does soon because I am so confused. The first test is on Monday so I have been studying for that all weekend. I am so glad that I didn't have to work yesterday. I worked all day on my notes and writing stuff out to study and today I have been studying and also doing work for the other class. My brain hurts!

Well, it's time for me to go to bed. I'm all studied out, my eyes hurt, my brain hurts, I'm quite exhausted for not doing anything physical today. I did not go running then I felt like such a slacker and was totally jealous when friends Garmin Connect runs started showing up posted on Facebook. I am a LOOSER at running this weekend. I froze Thursday night, the footing was bad on the dirt roads which makes my legs so sore after a run. I'm sure it's good for me but I just want to be able to go out and run and not have to worry about falling every second. I can't let my mind wander when I run in snow; I'd fall for sure if I did! I ran on a treadmill Tuesday and hated every second of it.
Soooo, anyway there is all of my complaining about winter.

Runner Nerd

It starts today

2011-01-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

I'm off to my first day of being a full time college student!!
I'm finally starting the RT program!! I've been working toward this for 2 years. I started this blog around this time 2 years ago but I don't think I wrote much until the 2nd year.
I ran 3 miles this morning. Things are still sore from my fall on Saturday night and muscles still sore from running in the snow. It wasn't fast or pretty but I did it!
Anyway.....here I go!!!!!!!

Runner Nerd
beginning a new chapter....

First race of 2011, first age group win

2011-01-08T23:02:00.004-05:00

I ran my first race of the year and won my first age group award of the year!! It was a small race. It was an 8 miler night cross country race. It was a fundraiser for a high school cross country and track program. Four of the Thursday night running group members ran in this race.

At the start line ready to go!

We all placed in our age groups!!

It was 15 degrees. I fell during the race too. I'm not sure why, but I think my foot stepped off the edge of pavement. The race was on the school grounds. I'm not sure what we were running on; it was some kind of driveway and was paved. I think my foot stepped off the edge and I fell and got covered in snow which made my clothes wet and from that point on I was freezing. It was around 5 miles into the run that this happened. Much of the race was on grass and trails through woods. That was hard to run on. After the race I went into the school and changed out of my running clothes. I am so glad that I took clothes; I almost didn't. I was sitting at the school cafeteria table waiting around for the results with the others and saying that I wanted to just go since I didn't think I would place. They said to stay there so I did. I was shocked when I heard my name called first for the 45-49 age group!! The medal is shaped like a star with runners in the middle!!

Getting my medal. (wearing coat because I was still freezing)

Thursday night groupies showing off medals!

Right after race thawing out

Happy about my medal

So, that was exciting!! Now that I am home I am beginning to feel all the places that hit the ground when I fell. My left hip seems to hurt the most. I have a burise on the side of my leg just below my knee.
I've had enough winter now; it can go away now.

Runner Nerd
age group winner

Orientation

2011-01-07T11:34:00.000-05:00

Today is orientation for the Respritatory Therapy program that I will be starting on Monday!!
I have been working toward this for 2 years! I'm anxious and excited. I can't wait to meet my classmates. We will be together for the next 2 years. I ordered my books from Amazon Textbooks and don't have them yet but I talked to a classmate last night and he said they are HUGE! Oh joy, a backpack that weighs almost as much as I do! One of the classes has 3 books. I should have my books today. I am leaving my garage door open so the UPS man can leave them on the steps to the door.
Well, I better go get dressed.

Runner Nerd
back to school

Sooooooo, these new Vibram five fingers ads

2011-01-05T21:45:00.001-05:00

OMG!!!
I was sitting in the middle seat on an airplane, my 19 yr old daughter by the window to my left and a complete stranger to my right. I take out my new Runner's World magazine. The magazine naturally opened by itself to a double page folded ad. It reads: YOU are the stability/arch support/pronation control. Being a person for whom pronation control is a necessity I opened the folded ad and, OMG, to my surprise see a naked woman except for her Vibrams!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say I wasn't expecting that.
I also had a Running Times magazine that I bought at the airport and when I was looking at it last night I saw the same ad folded into this magazine. I almost didn't open the page since I've already seen the naked lady and wasn't really inclined to see her again but for some unknown reason I did open it and, WOW, it wasn't the naked lady from the Runner's World magazine but....this time it was a naked dude!!!!!!!

So, this is the new way of advertising running shoes?????

Runner Nerd
who may never throw away her Jan/Feb 2011 Running Times

Emerald Nuts Midnight Run

2011-01-01T03:08:00.005-05:00

This was the most fun I have had running in a long time!! I can't believe it's over already. I can't believe the weather! It was 41 degrees which makes for comfortable running.
We rode the subway to Central Park and just followed the crowds of people heading to the area where the race starts. Emerald Nuts was handing out 2011 crowns. Of course I had to have one!! It was a mob in front of the tent where they were handing them out. I finally got up there and my daughter and I got them and one for my sister. (when she saw the crowd she said she didn't need one.)

Doesn't everyone need one of these?

My daughter, me, my sister before the run.

I met up with a friend who lives in NYC. I'm surprised that we were able to find each other with all the people in such a concentrated area. We started making our way to the start and had to go quite a ways before we could even get into the starting corral. There was music playing, people in costumes, lots of those noise maker horns,a bunch of kissing people and lots of chaos!! There was a count down and then FIREWORKS!!!! We finally got moving and finally got across the start line 3.5 minutes after the run started to the sound of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer". It was slow going and nowhere to go at the beginning and for most of the first mile. It took me nearly 12 minutes for the 1st mile. The fireworks were still going off, I think I had run almost 2 miles when they stopped. There were spectators all along the course and everyone was screaming and yelling HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! There was a water stop and a champagne stop!! (my sister told me later that it was sparkling apple juice.) I planned to run with my sister, I told her I'd stay with her even though she thought she'd have to walk a couple times. It wasn't far into the run and she pointed out a person dressed like a cat and I pointed out 3 men wearing ties with running clothes and then I did not see her. I looked behind me, I stopped along the edge and looked for her but never saw her again. So much for that plan!! I continued on running and then saw my friend. We ran along together for a while then got seperated. Later on he and his brother flew by me. I didn't want to run very fast anyway, I wanted to take it all in because I don't know if I will ever get to do it again. When I crossed the 3 mile mark I guess I got caught up in the excitement and decided I'd pick up the pace and run the last mile faster. Toward the finish there were more and more people along the edge and they were coming out into the road farther and farther and high-fiving runners and screaming and yelling!! I'm guessing it was around a half mile to go when I got passed by a giant banana!!! When the finish came into sight I didn't want it to end. My time was 39:53 but seemed like it was only a few minutes. I saw my friend standing at the end of the finish chute waiting for members of his running club. I stood there to watch for my sister. He asked me how I liked it and all I could say is that I am definitely coming back someday!! I wish I could do it every year.

After New Years Eve Midnight Run

Sooooooo, Here I am, back in my hotel room. I can't believe it's over already. I've been talking about this and looking forward to it all year and here it has come and passed that quick! I think I want to plan to do this again New Years Eve, 2012 which will mean that I am graduated and will be calling myself a Respiratory Therapist!!! Hmmmm......I think it sounds like a plan!!!

We have to check out at 10am which is only a mere 5 hours away so I guess I should get some sleep.

Happy New Year and happy running

Runner Nerd

bringing in the new year from New York City

The final hours of 2010

2010-12-31T19:03:00.001-05:00

Where did this year go? Here it is, the final hours of 2010. I'm sittin in my hotel room in New York City. My sister and I decided on Christmas of last year to do this Midnight Run in Central Park. It was a whole year away and now here it is!! I've been looking forward to this all year. I went and got my packet at the New York Road Runners place on 89th street this afternoon. I got a long sleeve tshirt, socks, and a bag. (I bought the bag). It's not going to be super cold. MSN weather says it's going to be 41 at midnight. A friend told me that last year it was bitter cold. I was walking in Central Park this afternoon; I've never been there before!! I saw many runners and it made me want to be running too. My daughter and I have been wandering around the city all day with my sister and brother in law. My sister used to live here and still comes here quite often for her job so she knows her way around which is so helpful. Last night we went out for dinner then wandered around. We went to Times Square last night since tonight it would be nearlly impossible to get anywhere near tonight. It was like another world! It was late at night but when we came up out of the subway it was like it wasn't even night; it was so lit up! I was like a kid! I was so excited about everything! I took a lot of pictures which I will post soon. The streets right in Times Square were already closed last night and things were being set up and we could see the 2011 at the top of where the ball drops from. It wasn't lit up but it was visible up there!

2010 was an OK year as fas as my running. I logged just over 1200 miles, I ran 2 marathons, 2 half marathons and several other races of varying distances. I did not PR in anything.
2010 was a pretty good year for college. I got 4.0 in all the classes I took. I got accepted into the RT program which is what I have been working toward.
I don't know what 2011 holds. I will be a full time college student now. I am registered for a half marathon on Memorial Day weekend and also plan on running the half at Grand Rapids in the fall and would like to try for a new PR. I'm not doing any more marathons until I'm done with school.

Well, I have about an hour to rest before we are going to leave to head back to Central Park to ring in the new year with a run!! What better way is there!!

Happy New Year to anyone who happens to read this!!

Runner Nerd
reporting from New York City!!!

Leaving on a jet plane

2010-12-29T21:36:00.002-05:00

All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go
I'm standin here ready to run out the door
I'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I can't wait to go

Tomorrow is the day!!!! We leave for New Years Eve in New York City!!!!!
I've been looking forward to this all year!!
The weather forecast looks pretty good too. High low 40s, low high 30s. Yeah, that's cold but when it comes to running it doesn't even require the hard-core winter gear!

Well, better get to bed; have a 6am plane to catch.

Runner Nerd
off to the Big Apple!!!

(sincere apologies to John Denver)

1200 miles

2010-12-26T15:50:00.000-05:00

This morning I ran 10 miles with a group from the Y. During the run I passed 1200 miles for this year!!
This is also the longest I've run since my marathon. I ran 8 a couple weeks back. I was dragging the last mile. According to Garmy I burned 1182 calories!! Too bad that I ate about 6 times that many yesterday!
It was cold, windy, snowy and icy: everything you could ask for to make a run fun and interesting. I've been having problems running on these snowy, icy trails. I must be messing up my stride or something because my left lower calf and ankle will hurt when I'm running. That doesn't usually happen. I ran 3 miles on Christmas Eve morning on a paved trail and there were places that were icy and for most of the run the footing was bad. My feet slipped on most steps but I never fell or almost fell, Then, when I was done running and walking back to my car I slid and nearly fell twice! I guess walking to the car is more dangerous than running!

I'm getting exited for New Years Eve!! The weather forecast right now is high 40, low 33 for the 31st and high 42, low 33 for the 1st. If it's in the 30s at midnight that won't be all that bad for running! I won't even need my most hard-core winter gear!

Runner Nerd
runner of 1200 miles in 2010!

Silent Night Holy Night

2010-12-25T02:08:00.000-05:00

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Preparing for Christmas

2010-12-24T08:02:00.000-05:00

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.--Luke 2:4,5,6

I'm in!

2010-12-23T22:55:00.000-05:00

I finally got the letter that I have been working toward for 2 years!! I'm officially accepted into the Respiratory Therapy program and start classes January 10th!
I have to have a drug screening done so I went and did it today. I also have to have a background check and fingerprinting done the first week of January.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I didn't have to work today and I spent more hours than I want to admit wandering in stores. If I haven't bought it or if it isn't done it's not going to happen! Tomorrow I am going to work on cleaning up around the house then go to the Christmas Eve church service.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, the almighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Grades posted!

2010-12-20T23:27:00.000-05:00

I just checked and grades are finally posted!! Yep, 4.0 in both classes!!
Tomorrow is the day that the letters are mailed out to those who get accepted into the Respiratory Therapy program. I am pretty sure I will get in. I have all my other classes taken and it's time.

Runner Nerd
nervously waiting for a letter!

It's almost over!!

2010-12-16T11:48:00.000-05:00

I'm off to take my last final and then go turn my textbooks in at the bookstore!!!!!
Then it's bye bye fall 10 semester!!!!!

Here I go!

Runner Nerd
about to take a break from nerdness!!

1 final down 1 more to go!!

2010-12-16T00:26:00.000-05:00

I took the final in my Wednesday night class. I got there at 5:50; class starts at 6. The teacher was giving the exam to us as we came in so I got started before 6 and was done at 6:10. OK, I studied over the weekend. It took me a long time to look up and write out everything on the study guide. I studied during the day Monday and last night I went over and over everything. Most of today I was studying for the final I take tomorrow but I studied this first in the morning then for about a half hour before I left I went over it again. All that for an exam that took 15 minutes. I'm just glad this class is over!
Tomorrow is my Psychology final. I have been studying since I got home and will go over it in the morning before I go. I will be soooooooooooo glad when this semester is over!

Tomorrow night we are having our running group Christmas party. We run through a close by subdivision and check out all the lights.

Runner Nerd
with a sore brain!

2 more days!!

2010-12-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

There is only 2 more days left of this semester! That also means....FINALS.
I have one tomorrow night and one Thursday. I have so much studying to do today and tomorrow but I am having trouble staying focused. I just want this semester to be over sooooooooo badly.
It's also bitter cold here. We had our first winter storm Saturday night and Sunday. Lots of snow and lots of wind blowing it around. Not my favorite weather.

Saturday morning I ran an all womens 5K well before the snow started. It was actually pretty nice for running. It was cold, I think in the low 30s. The race was at the Lansing Library and was a fundraiser for the Library. I placed 2nd in my age group!! The age group awards were Christmas ornaments, they were large jingle bells! (The name of the race was Jingle Belles Womens 5K.) I wonder if I have to put up a tree now that I won an ornament! (sure hope not!)
Along the course I saw a dude holding a sign that said, "Jingle Belle 5K: the race that lacks balls" I thought that was so funny!!
No more races until New Years Eve in New York City, although that's not a race.

Well, I better get back to studying.
Runner Nerd
going crazy right about now

29 miles to go!

2010-12-09T11:17:00.000-05:00

I got my log book caught up and discovered that I now have 1171 miles for the year which leaves 29 to hit 1200! I think I can manage 29 miles in 3 weeks! I run tonight with the Thursday night gang so I will get 4-6 so maybe I will be down to only 23 to go!
I'm not sure if I wrote about when I hit 1000 miles back in October. I was running a half marathon as my long run 2 weeks out from my marathon. Going into the half I had 988 so when I crossed the 12 mile mark that put me at 1000! Yep, I shouted out that I just ran one thousand miles since Jan. 1!! (I'm really good at being a dork!) Several people said congratulations and good job! A couple of women were just amazed as if it's something unheard of. I know people who run much more in a year, even 2000 + miles.
Well, Runner Nerd is off to Psychology class now! Only 1 more week to go!!!!!!!

Runner Nerd
off to campus

The silly side of running.

2010-12-07T21:49:00.001-05:00

Since my marathon I have not been over exerting myself! I've run a few races and a fun run. I ran a 5K on halloween morning wearing no watch or Garmin!! I also ran dressed as a bee! The Tuesday morning group decided to go as a swarm of bees! The race was in Hell, Michigan and I can say for sure that Hell froze over that morning!! It was FREEZING!

A few of the bees!

Yep, I ran a 5K like this!

November 16th I ran in the Wayne County Lightfest Run Thru the Lights 8K which is just a fun run. It is the opening night of a drive through Christmas light show. I was decked out in Christmas lights!! We got very cool long sleeve tshirts that GLOW in the dark!!!!! This is the 3rd year I've run this. The first year it was unseasonably warm for mid-November. Last year it was cold. This year it was cold and raining and I got soaked. The route for this is a small portion of the organized 20 mile training run I did on September 25th. As I was running along this section of Hines Drive in Sept. I was thinking that in about 7 weeks I'd be back on that stretch running at night in the light of the displays. Anyone who would be reading this most likely knows how your mind can wander on a 3.5 hour run. I was thinking about the fact that the marathon would be a month behind me at that time and how it would be nearing Thanksgiving and the Holiday season. As I was running along during the Lightfest run I was amazed at how quickly that time had passed.

I know this is B&W but you can see the Christmas lights and glow bracelets on my wrists! The reason for the big ole umbrella behind me??? Yep, it was raining!

I am in the middle of two Thursday running group friends.

I am on the right. We are in front of the display that marks the entrance to the drive through. We have glow bands on our ankles too!

What do soaked runners do after running? EAT, of course!!!!

Friday night I ran in a relay race at EMU. It was the Candy Cane Relays! 4 person teams each person runs a mile loop around the campus. I ran 7:56!! There were 2 hills in the course! It was fun and our team, The Grinches, came in 2nd place!! We got goody bags as prizes! Our team leader got us Grinch tshirts!

The Grinches relay team. We were 2nd place!

Saturday afternoon I ran the Holiday Hustle 5K. In addition to a long sleeve t-shirt runners get either a Santa hat or reindeer antlers and a jingle bell bracelet! When the race first starts and everyone is still close together it's quite a sound to hear all the jingle bells! As I said earlier I'm not over-exerting myself these days, I sure didn't in this race! I just trotted along at an easy pace until toward the end when I did pick up the pace. I had 26:38 and wasn't even tired!! I feel like such a slacker but I also don't feel like putting myself through what it feels like to really race these days. I will again someday but not right now.

With a few crazy friends!

Next Saturday I am running an all womens 5K called Jingle Belle run. Instead of a t-shirt they are giving headbands!! (The type that you wear to keep your ears warm in cold weather.)

Then after that the next event is the event I've been waiting for all year!!! The New Years Eve Midnight Run in Central Park in New York City!!!!!! I am sooooooo excited! I've always wanted to do it and this year my sister and I are going to do it!! My daughter and I have our tickets to fly to my sister's on the 30th. We will take a train to NYC the morning of the 31st. I cannot wait!! I can't wait to get back home and wear my t-shirt from that around my friends here!!!!!!

I am also registered for a spring half marathon. I'm running the half in Traverse City this year. It filled up in 1 day. The whole marathon filled up yesterday so that took 6 days. Last year it filled in mid-January. (I know because that's when I registered.)

I don't know yet when I will start training. I think most half marathon plans are 12 weeks which is March 5th. I should be able to train for a half while in college full time. I want to run a decent half marathon, under 2 hours. In the fall I want to try for a new half PR in Grand Rapids.

Next week is the last week of this semester!!!!!! I will be soooooooo happy. I don't like either class I am taking this semester. (Psychology and Communications) They are both required classes for the program I am entering so I had no choice.

My kids will be home from college for Christmas break this week. I am looking forward to seeing them and spending time with them and having them around but am dreading hearing, "Mom, I'm hungry" again. UGHHHHHHHHHHH

They will come with loads and loads of laundry too! Yippie.

Well, that's about it for now!!

Runner Nerd

lazy runner, nerd and not a candidate for Super Mom!

Where have I been?

2010-12-05T23:45:00.000-05:00

Is it really December 5th?
I started to write about my marathon then saved it as a draft and then never got back to it.
Well, I finished! It didn't go quite as planned not that I had any plans. I figured I should be able to run 4:30. I went out with the 4:30 pace group, AKA the Oprah pace group. I was right there with them into the 20s. I slowed down some but I could still see the sign up a ways ahead of me. My legs really started hurting and when I passed by the 23 mile sign my legs started cramping. It got harder to run. I walked a little, maybe a couple minutes and I started running again but the cramps in my calves got really bad. I walked quite a bit during that mile. The cramping finally stopped and I got going again and I ran without stopping from the 24 mile mark on. Somewhere in the 25th mile I heard my name and a familiar voice. I couldn't figure out who was talking until I realized that a bike was riding along beside me! It was a friend from the Y! He talked and kept me going. It was a tough last mile. I didn't think I was ever going to see the finish line but finally it came into view! As always at Grand Rapids the race director was right there at the finish line with arms wide open! He hugs everyone!! Soooooooo, I ended up with 4:53 something. I was a bag of emotions. Of course, I was disappointed that I couldn't keep up with the 4:30 pace group and this is my last marathon until I graduate and I was sad about that. I saw some friends and talked to them a little. One of them had won the masters division. She had already showered, dressed and came back. (I had joked with her a few weeks before that by the time I finish she'd probably be half way home!) I had to sit down and the only place to sit was on a curb. One of my friends was sitting down there too. My legs started to cramp really really bad and I had to get back up which was a very difficult thing to do. I started to wander over to pick up my bag which had a jacket in it. I made the long walk back to my hotel room. (it's actually a very short walk and only took a couple of minutes before the marathon.) I showered and I just felt horrible. I laid down and next thing I knew housekeeping was opening the door at 3 pm. to see if I had ever left. I guess I fell asleep! I hurried and gathered up my things and stuffed them into my bag and got out of there. It was a very long drive home. I tried to eat. I stopped at a McDonalds and got a cheeseburger and I felt a little better after eating it.
On the way home I got a call from work and had to go to a client's house. I'm glad it only took a few minutes. Then my son called and asked if I could bring home a pizza. I was just getting off the highway in Chelsea so I stopped at Cottage Inn and ordered and waited about 10 minutes for the pizza. I FINALLY got home at 7 pm. (7 hours after I finished the marathon!)
So, that was my marathon day. I can't remember what the temperature was but it was nice. I did not need a throw away shirt. I wore a sleevless shirt and a running skirt that I bought just a few days before the marathon. I know, rule #1 don't wear anything new! I got lucky, I really liked the skirt. It was a bit longer than most running skirts I've tried on and the shorts under it were clingier around my legs and they didn't slide up. It turned out to be very comfortable. (and quite cute too, in my opinion!!)

So, that's it! My 5th marathon.
Since then I've run 12-20 miles per week, a few races, a fun run, a relay and continue to run with my Tuesday morning ladies and Thursday night group. My longest run since the marathon was 8 miles a week ago and it went good but I was worn out. I also continue to be the nerd that I am! Two weeks left of this semester and then the real fun begins!! In January I begin the respiratory therapy program and will be a full time college student for 2 years.

I know nobody reads this but I feel better now that I feel like I got caught up with my blog!!
Runner Nerd

Went to Hell on Halloween!!

2010-10-31T21:30:00.001-04:00

I ran a 5K this morning in the town of Hell, Michigan!! It was a fundraiser for the Hensleys. He ran races nearly every weekend and volunteered before and after most races. She was always helping out too. You saw her doing registration and packet pick up and always at the finish line tearing off tags before the majority of races were using chip timing. She often wore a jacket made from race bibs!! She had a stroke last year and has been in a wheelchair since then. The fundraiser was to raise money to go toward a wheelchair van so she can go places in her wheelchair. The timing company donated their services, the Tshirts were donated, porta potties were donated. Over 3000 people participated and the entire registration fee went toward the fundraiser!! For many years they organized and were race directors of the Run Thru Hell 10 mile race and since she had the stroke that race has not taken place. The course was almost all dirt roads except the road going right through the middle of the town of Hell. It is very hilly around Hell and the 10 mile race was one hill after another; it was a tough course. The 5K course was hilly too.
The running group I run with on Tuesday mornings, which is mostly women, went as a swarm of bees!! We weren't the only group to go as a swarm of bees! There was a costume contest too. There were some hilarious costumes!! It was fun! It was a fun way to spend Halloween morning!
I will eventually get some pictures of the running group swarm of bees!

I'm running a marathon in 11 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

Here I am, in my hotel room in Grand Rapids. I went to the expo, got my packet, bought a pink 26.2 magnet, gave the race director 2 bottles of beer made in Ann Arbor, got all my stuff for the morning ready and laid out, went to dinner and now I'm just about ready to go to bed.

This is it!!

Runner Nerd
nervous and excited

has it really been 16 weeks????

2010-10-14T22:57:00.000-04:00

WOW! I ran my LAST run this evening!! Training for my 5th marathon is now complete. Hard to believe that the last 16 weeks flew by.
I am going to take the next two days off from running. I will head to Grand Rapids on Saturday, check into my hotel, go to the expo then dinner with 3 ladies from my Tuesday morning running group.
I'm getting excited but I am also getting plenty nervous. I am going out with the Oprah pace group which is 4:29:20 and hopefully I will finish at least a few minutes ahead of them. I know better than to try to break 4 hours this time; that will have to wait. I think I can do better than 4:20 but at the same time I just don't want the last part of this marathon to be a death march. This is my last marathon until I finish college and I'm already kind of sad about that and I want to have good memories of this one so I will be excited about running another one in a couple of years.
A check of the marathon website reveals 2 days, 9 hours and a check of weather.com reveals sunny and 59 degrees. Looks like the temp forecast has fallen. I hope it doesn't fall much more. I am not good at freezing.
I still have not decided what to wear! Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
Well, it's bedtime; have to work tomorrow.
Runner Nerd
trained for a marathon

One Week till M day!!!

2010-10-10T22:14:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe it's so close already!! Today was my LAST long run! I only ran 8 miles but it was tough. I thought it would be much easier. I hope I do better than this next Sunday.
It was so beautiful today. It was sunny and over 70 degrees!! As of right now the forecast for next Sunday in Grand Rapids, MI is sunny and low 60s. I know that can change from one extreme to another over the next week; I don't know why I even do this to myself! I still don't know what I am going to wear either. I have my packets of Accel Gel. I don't know what I am doing for dinner Saturday night as there is no pasta dinner this year. I will have to look into it this week.
Well, I am exhausted and have a headache so I am off to bed.
Runner Nerd

People watching

2010-10-05T00:09:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I saw some rather interesting sights. Saturday I worked at an expo for senior citizens medical services. They served refreshments--donuts, donuts, donuts! I kept seeing morbidly obese senior citizens stuffing the donuts in their mouths. One morbidy obese lady had 3 donuts in the basket of her walker then sat down on a bench right across from my table and proceeded to eat the 3 donuts. One man came buzzing through in his power chair with his plate of donuts on his lap. The power chair people were there too, touting the fact that medicare or medicaid or whatever will pay for the chairs. If these people can get these chairs for free what incentive is there to lose weight to improve one's life?????????
Sunday, after I ran my half marathon, I staffed our first aid station for a fall festival in one of the small communities in our service area. I got to sit and people watch a lot. Oh my, the things I observed! A morbidly obese woman pushin her walker with the seat says,"I gotta stop", and proceeds to turn the walker around and sit on the seat. Where the handles form where the seat attaches is a triangle shaped opening and the fat on her thighs was bulging through the triangle shaped opening, it was quite a sight. She then proceeded to smoke a cigarette, then another, then another. Hmmmmmmm.....well, it's job security for when I'm a respiratory therapist!!!!!
OK, I'm done now! Sorry for using the phrase morbidly obese so much; it was the word of the day for me this weekend!!!!
I still think of the 65 yr old woman I kept seeing during the marathon in May. I want to be like Dorothy when I grow up!!!

A half marathon was my long run!

2010-10-03T22:44:00.003-04:00

I decided to run this half marathon as my long run this week. I couldn't face the thought of running 14 miles alone again. I had to work yesterday so was not able to go to the group run that I have been going to the last few weeks for 16, 20, 12 and 20.
I had to get up at 4am, leave at 4:45am and drive an hour and 40 minutes to get there.
I heard from friends who have run it before that the second half has some hills; they were absolutely right! I was running under 9:30 miles the first 6 miles and was worried that I was running too fast and would have a really hard time the last few miles. Immediately after crossing the halfway timing mat we made a left turn and there was the first mountain!! From there on I did not run under 10 minutes until the last mile. I'm not sure what came over me but I had 8:49 for the 13th mile! I think I just wanted to be done! I could hear people around me say that the hills stop after the 10th mile. I can't really remember but I think there was some uphill after 10 but not as bad. the last mile seemed to be fairly flat, the finish was downhill.
I was surprised that they were handing out those shiny blankets at the finish!! I was freezing and was glad to have it. I couldn't find my car. I kept walking and following where I would see a large group of people walking but nothing looked familiar. It was on a college campus. I was getting very frustrated since I was freezing and I had to go to work. I saw a group of people in black and yellow suits which said "staff" on them so I asked and a man took me on a golf cart. He dropped me off at the edge of the field where the cars were parked and I still had a hard time finding the car. It looked much different than when I got there with all the cars. FINALLY, I found the car and headed to work. I showered and changed into my uniform at one of the stations and manned a medical tent at a fall festival in a small community in our service area. (A shift that absolutely nobody else in the entire company could cover so I agreed to do after running a half marathon) A very interesting afternoon but that is for another post!! (tomorrow maybe)

There was a man running the half that I've heard about; he dribbles 3 basketballs! I saw him by the start line; I believe he starts near the back. I heard a lady say that he passes her every time and she can't believe that a man dribbling 3 basketballs goes faster than she does!! I thought to myself, ok, that can be my goal to not let the basketball dude pass me! I don't remember at what point it was but all of a sudden I could hear the basketballs behind me and then the sound got closer. This course has 2 portions on gravel trails and I think that slowed him down because I realized that I didn't hear him anymore once I was on roads again after the first trail section. But...later on, maybe around mile 10 or 11, maybe later, Ican't remember, but I began to hear it again and it was getting closer again. Well, he never did pass me so that makes me feel better!! Maybe it was nearing the 12 mile point that I heard the basketballs because I did run the last mile faster than any other mile. I wasn't aware of him finishing; I'm sure I would have heard the basketballs. They moved the finishers right on through the area and toward the post-race area.

Sooooo, anyway,
2 weeks till "M" day!!!! Grand Rapids, Here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exhausted Runner Nerd

I have a new running partner!

2010-10-02T21:21:00.000-04:00

My new Garmin did indeed arrive today!! It was waiting for me in the garage when I got home!!
She is charging right now. I may wear it in the half marathon I am running tomorrow. I don't know yet.
The weather forecast for race time is 43-47 and raining, not my idea of fun. Now I am wondering why I ever signed up for this. It's a big race so I definitely won't be out there alone!
Well, time for bed since I have to get up ridiculously early. After the race I have to go to work.

is it really possible????

2010-10-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

I just checked the tracking for my Garmin and now it says the estimated delivery date is Oct. 2!! That's tomorrow!!!!!!!!!! But...does Fed Ex really deliver on Saturdays??? I didn't think did. I guess I will find out!! I have to work and won't be home until mid afternoon.

It's on the way

2010-09-30T22:24:00.000-04:00

My new Garmin has been shipped!!!!!! Estimated delivery Tuesday, Oct. 5th!!

I knew this day would come eventually

2010-09-29T23:17:00.000-04:00

Well, I did it. I made my decision. I am getting a Garmin 205 to replace my 201 that recently quit. The 201 is laying on the table right next to me. I feel so bad replacing her. I read several things online and tried them all and nothing brought her back to life. There is one more thing which involves opening it up which I haven't tried but I might. From what I read 6 years is longer than most last.
I'm looking forward to playing with my new toy but I will miss the old Garmie too. I just hope that the new one isn't too complicated to learn how to use. One thing I like is that it is BLUE!!!!!!!!!! The only thing better would be pink! Maybe there will be a pink Garmin someday!!!
The next few days I will have to run routes that I know the distance. Sunday I am running a half marathon as my long run so I don't have to worry about distance there.
I will pass 1000 miles for the year so far this week!!!!!!!
When new Garmie gets here I will post pics, not that anyone doesn't know what one looks like.
Runner Nerd who is getting a new toy soon!

sad sad day

2010-09-27T22:52:00.000-04:00

After nearly 6 years of faithful service I am very sad to report that my Garmin Forerunner 201 has quit. Garmie has been there with me on most of my runs keeping track of the time, distance and mile splits for me. She hung in there with me for 3 hours 25 minutes on Saturday and I never even got a chance to upload that run to Garmin Connect.
I am going to miss her. I don't want a new one; I just want that one. :(

A very sad Runner Nerd

Is it really time for......

2010-09-24T20:58:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow morning is the final 20 miler!!! Then it's taper time!!!!!! I will be so ready for it after this week!!
6 Monday, 6 Tuesday, 8 Wednesday, 6.5 Thursday, 4 Friday = 30.5--> on track for a 50+ mile week!!!
Had dinner, clothes ready, accel-gel in little pouch, backpack packed. time for bed, I need to roll out at 6AM. I am doing the Detroit Marathon group training run on a course closed to traffic and water and gatorade every 2 miles.
Later

The 50 mile week begins!!!

2010-09-20T21:15:00.002-04:00

I had the most awesome 6 miler ever!! Everything was perfect! The weather was great, lots of runners were out there running, walkers walking, bikers biking and rowers rowing!! I love to see the rowers out there on Argo Pond practicing. I also had so much fun for another reason!! Why is it so much fun climbing over or ducking under baracades???? The trail along the mill race is closed this week so they can remove fallen trees and fix up a couple places where the edge along the water is bad. When they are finished for the day there is no reason that people can't use the trail but they leave it closed 24/7 Monday thru Thursday. (this started after Labor day and not sure how many weeks it's going to take) The workers were gone when I got to the trail. A biker was just pushing his bike around the edge of the barracade coming off of the trail so I asked him if there were any workers and he said no so I ducked through the middle of the barracade and continued on. At the other end of the trail I had to duck through the barricade there and then they had the path under the broadway bridge blocked off so I hopped over that and on I went! On the way back it was the same in reverse! The Argo Bluffs trail through the woods is open in Argo Park now but the top of the stairs at the other end is still blocked off so I got to climb over that again!! I explored a new trail today at the end of Island Drive. I've seen people on foot and on bikes coming from there and going into it but there are "Do not enter" signs posted. I decided this was the day to explore since I needed 6 miles and my usual route is only 4.5. It turns out this used to be a road. There is a very old and rusted road sign for a sharp curve at one point. It eventually becomes a still used road. It looks as if they closed off the road at the last house and from there on did not maintain it anymore. I could see bike tracks and foot prints so there is regular use of it. The funny thing is that at the other end where it becomes a used road again there is no "do not enter" sign. There are posts so that a vehicle can't drive through but no signs.
After I finished my run I went to a core workout class. I've been going for a few weeks now. It's held at the running store. It's just a 30 minute workout but I am sore the next day! Tonight I learned that I can't balance on a bosu ball!! They are getting more and more equipment and this was the first time they've had the bosu balls. I kept falling off!
This week is my highest mileage week of marathon training! It will also be the highest mileage week of the entire year! Hard to believe it's almost time to taper! Seems like I just started training.
Tomorrow is speed work with a group of mostly women I run with on Tuesday mornings. The coach is having a photographer there tomorrow to take pictures.
Time for bed.

ONLY 12 Miles

2010-09-19T20:15:00.000-04:00

One of the things I love about the later part of training for a marathon is being able to say things like: "I ONLY ran 12 miles today!" "Oh, I ONLY ran 10 miles yesterday!!!" After last weeks 20 miler this weeks long run was ONLY 12 miles and those 12 miles seemed to go by quite fast and I was done before I knew it!! I even negative split! I did the run with a training group yesterday morning. Next week is another 20 miler which will be at a big Detroit Marathon training run in Hines Park. I am not going to Grand Rapids for the 20 mile training run there because I need to get back home and get ready for a hayride we are hosting here for our church.
Today I went to the trail for an easy 4 mile recovery run. Not sure what came over me but I took off and felt really good, not even stiff or anything. I ran 4 miles in just shy of 37 minutes so just over 9 min miles!!!
Four weeks from today is M day!! I'm excited and nervous. This is going to be the last marathon until I'm done with school so I don't want it to be a disaster; I want it to be fun and memorable and all that so I will be ready to do another one when I'm done with school.
Well, time for some homework.
Runner Nerd

Eating during classes

2010-09-14T20:53:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I just don't get it. I've posted before about things that are so very different from when I was in college wayyyyyy back when after I graduated from high school. I can't believe how many people eat during classes. There is ALWAYS somebody eating something and usually several people. It's usually junk food. This has been in every class I've been in. They are also drinking Mt. Dew, Red Bull, Monster, and other of those types of energy drinks. Today the gal sitting next to me had a bag of pretzels and a big bottle of flavored carbonated water, I think it's 1 liter. She ate the pretzels the first few minutes of class but during the rest of the 1.5 hour class she unscrewed the cover, drank and replaced the cover every few minutes. It's not really all that big of a deal just strange. I don't know if I just don't remember it but I really don't think anyone ever ate in class way back when.
I was talking with one of my running group friends last Thursday. He's 50 and also going to college. He was telling me about one of his classes this semester where the teacher started the first class with all the rules which included no talking, no laptops, NO EATING among others. I sure wish I'd have a class where the teacher says no eating!! My phychology professor doesn't allow laptops, cell phones or talking during class. It's kind of funny because I thought all those things would be a given, maybe laptops in certain classes where appropriate but not most classes.
I'm probably just showing my age and should stop now!!!
I had to miss my running group this morning due to car problems. (quite possibly the worst thing to happen after running injuries) Maybe that's why I was noticing all the annoying things people do in college today--lack of running!! I did go running after class but it sure wasn't a hard core speedworkout like I would have done in the running group.

Runner Nerd

I don't like what I see

2010-09-12T22:40:00.000-04:00

The last few days when I've been running I've been seeing something I really don't like at all. It's the leaves. They're changing colors. I see summer slipping away. I am not ready. This summer was wonderful. I loved it. This summer was a gift from God to MEEEEEEE!!!!!
I know it was sometimes hard to run on really hot days and I ran really really slow which was frustrating BUT....It also felt sooooooo good. I also love the tan line I get on my back from the summer running tops!!!!
The only good thing is that something I'm really looking forward to is getting closer!! The New Years Eve midnight run in New York City!! This is something I've always wanted to do and it looks like I'm finally going to get to! Less than 4 months!!!!!!
5 weeks from today is marathon day!!!!

20 miles

2010-09-11T22:48:00.000-04:00

I did my first 20 miler of training for this marathon today! My longest run before this was 16 (last week) and I decided to go for it and jump to 20 miles today. The last 2 miles were tough.
I have to do this again in 2 weeks.
My new shoes felt good.
I ran in a group training run so I was always in a group. I once ran a 20 miler all by myself and I hope I never do that again! In 2 weeks there is a 20 mile training run on the course of the marathon and I think I'm going to go to that. WOW! Only 2 weeks left before tapering starts!
This is going to be my last marathon until I am done with school so I hope it's not a disaster.
I added up my mileage for the week and came up with 48.8 miles! I am sooooo tempted to go out and run 1.2 miles tomorrow to make it 50 but I doubt very much that I will. I need a rest day.
I'm super tired now. That is something I've noticed this year. On days I run any distance I am wiped out around 8pm.
5 weeks from tomorrow is the day!!!!

New Shoes!!!!

2010-09-09T23:23:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday my feet hurt while running. Yesterday they hurt again and they were sore last night even after I was home. The light bulb came on!! I checked my log book to discover that I had run 529 miles in them. Time for new shoes!!!! Tonight was running group at the running store, how convenient!! I knew that my shoes had been made into a new model so I was hoping that I'd like them as much as I like these. I needed a half size bigger, 10 1/2, in the new model, Gel Foundation 9. (I wore size 11 in the Gel Foundation 6)
so, anyway, I now have these new very bright white and light blue shoes. I HAVE TO GET THEM DIRTY!!! They are sooooooooo white!! I will take them for their first run tomorrow after work!! (I got them after the run tonight, didn't get there in time to get them first.)
Old shoes, 532.5 miles. New shoes, 0 miles.

Birthday thoughts

2010-09-07T21:07:00.000-04:00

Well, it's once again the anniversary of the day I was born. Earlier today I told someone that it's my 10th 39th birthday!!! That got me thinking though....I am weigh around 30 lbs less and I am in wayyyyyy better shape than I was on my original 39th birthday!! I was not yet running at that point.
I went to my Tuesday morning running group today and we did 14 400s. I was actually very consistent today, they were all right around 1:55!! a few were faster and a couple were slower but all were under 2 minutes!!! Soooooooo, no sleeping in or breakfast in bed or any such thing as that on my birthday!!! Who, in their right mind would run 14 400s with a mere 1 minute rest on their birthday??????? Actually there were 2 people doing that today!! It was also one of the other's birthday too! She's only 45 and runs faster than me. After running I had to get to the Y to shower and change and then it was off to class. This is my last semester of pre-reqs!! In January I start the Respiratory Therapy Program!! I can't wait.
Two years ago I ran a half marathon on my birthday, last year I participated in the run across the Mackinac Bridge on my birthday and this year I had my running group on my birthday. Most women my age would think I was nuts!!
Speaking of the Labor Day run across the Mackinac Bridge, this is the last Labor Day that Gov. Granholm will be in office. She is who started the RUN. Michigan's Governors have been walking across the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day since it was built in the 50s. The story goes that shortly after Gov. G was elected she was told that she would be walking across the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day and her response was, "NO, I'm not I am RUNNING across!" At first the Bridge Authority said it was not possible but she insisted and they worked it out. There is an application process and until 2008 only 300, now it is 400, people would be chosen. Michigan residents only, of course! Runners start in groups of 30 every few minutes because of vibrations or something. Anyway, what I am getting at, I wonder if the Bridge run will be continued with a new Governor coming in this year. Hmmmm, I wonder if either Virg or Rick are runners. I will have to look into that!! I am sure that many who have been chosen to run will be writing in support of this fun event. I am lucky to have been chosen to run both times I applied!! It is a lot of fun.

So, today I celebrate my health!! I consider myself lucky to be able to zip around the track 14 times in less than 2 minutes each time!!! I look forward to just over 5 weeks away when I once again run 26.2 miles!!!! It won't be my fastest one but I, a 48 yr old girl, can do it!!!!!

Half Marathon for long run

2010-08-28T21:26:00.000-04:00

I ran a half marathon this morning as my long run. For the first time ever I had a time of over 2 hours for a half marathon. :( I had 2:09:11.
When I finished all I could think of is that in 7 weeks I have to go twice that far. What a scary thought at this point in time. I sure have a very long way to go in those 7 weeks.

Last week's run went well. I only ran 10. I had a wedding to go to in Traverse City. I almost forgot about the wedding and I had never booked a hotel room and 2 days before there were very few hotel rooms to be had in Traverse City. Those available were very expensive or required 2 night minimums. I stayed in cadillac which is about 50 mins south. The hotels there are much less than in Traverse City. I found out about a paved walking/biking trail circling Lake Cadillac and it's 7 miles!! I had found my long run route! From my hotel to the trail was 1.5 miles so there was my 10 mile route! I did that Sunday morning and got back while the breakfast bar was still going! I was quite sweaty and still had my water bottle belt on and had one of those big waffles drowned in maple syrup!!!!!!! Perfect after a 10 miler!!

Soooooooooooo, yeah, tomorrow is 7 weeks out from Grand Rapids marathon.

Tide Sport detergent

2010-08-17T22:22:00.000-04:00

Sooooooo, the other day I mentioned that I had received a free sample of Tide's new product, Tide Sport, and I was washing the disgusting running clothes from Saturdays 14 miler. Well...they still had that faint running clothes smell. Maybe you have to use the special "sport" detergents over and over to remove the smells or maybe you have to start with brand new clothes and use these special "sport" detergents. Who knows???

I got the samples from a lady in the grocery store. She asked me if I was interested in a sample and when I saw what it was I got all excited (like a dork) and told her I run, in fact I had just went running before going to the grocery store so she gave me 4 of the packets!!!! The only problem is that I usually wash my running clothes all by themselves with the water level on low and the packets are for a full load. Saturday I washed some towels and other things with the running clothes. I guess I could try guessing how much to use and then fold the packet over and paper clip it and put it up somewhere where it won't fall over.

Anyway....I have yet to hear anyone swear by any certain detergent for running clothes.

soaked but not from rain

2010-08-14T23:36:00.001-04:00

I had to work this morning and early afternoon so I had to do my long run from 4 to 6:30PM. I don't know what the temperature was but it was hot. I have never been as soaked as I was today other than running in pouring rain. My shoes were even soaked but there were no puddles at any place in my 14 mile run. My shorts were dripping when I stopped running; I stood there looking down at the drops falling off the bottom edge!!
This run started out pretty good and went well for about 8 miles then it got tough. I had so many thoughts of calling it quits at 10 miles but I didn't. The last 2 miles were the worst; I was barely moving. Everybody is telling me that it's the heat or that it's the humidity and I sure hope it is or I am in serious trouble and will never be able to run a marathon in October at this rate. 2 weeks ago I ran a 10 mile trail run in 1:38 and today I ran 14 miles in 2:38--a whole hour for an extra 4 miles???????????? Yep, I'm in trouble if I think I am going to run a marathon. I had water and gatorade with me today. There were several drinking fountains on the route and never had to drink from my water bottle until somewhere around 8 miles. I ran the 5 mile loop to Parker Mill and went looking for a drinking fountain there. I found one but the water was warm. The water coming from the sink in the bathroom was cold so I filled my bottle with that for the last 2.5 miles.

A friend gave me 2 packs of Accel Gel which is 4:1 carbs/protein. Last week I had vanilla and today was chocolate. I do like it better than Gu. I'm not crazy about it but it is better than Gu. The vanilla had a caramel-like taste. I am going to get some and keep using it. The packets are bigger than Gu packets even though the amount is the same. I will have to see how 6 packets fit into my spi belt. Gu gits perfectly.
I have also found something else that I like. Powerbar Gel Blasts!! I actually like them. It's like eating candy!! I compared the nutrition label for them and Sport Beans, Gu chomps and Gu and it is similar. I have not tried them mid-run yet.

Tomorrow I am volunteering at a triathlon type race. It's 10 legs covering 42 miles. 5 running , 2 biking and 3 swim. I am manning an aid station; I did the same one last year. The competitors run through it twice on legs 4 and 6.

My body is sore and stiff and my right calf keeps getting a cramp. I think it's time for bed. BUT...first I have to get my running clothes out of the washer. I washed them with a free sample of new Tide Sport and can't wait to see if I notice any difference!!!!

Runner Nerd

Ran a 5k in a dress and tiara!

2010-08-12T22:44:00.000-04:00

Tonight was the Red Carpet Run. This is not your every day 5K! People dress up in prom dresses and evening gowns and suits & tie, tuxes, jogging strollers are made into limos, you see tiaras on many heads! the race starts and finishes on the red carpet too!
It was so much fun. I found an old dress that I don't wear anymore but most of the dresses the girls were wearing were really fancy. Some men had tux shirts and bow ties on with shorts and there were even a few full suits!
I was looking at the pictures from previous races on the website and saw that many women were wearing tiaras so I got one and some big "diamond" earrings to wear!
Soooooo, this is what I looked like:

What? doesn't everyone dress like this to run a race??????

It was fun! Now I am going to be on the lookout for something fancier to wear next year!!
Upon crossing the finish line and walking along the red carpet waving and getting your picture taken then getting your chip removed by girls in prom dresses you were given a champagne glass (with champagne even) with the name of the race on it!! They also passed out bottles of water too since it was a running race and was quite hot! They gave awards to the top 6 in each age group and I was 6th!! The age group awards are BIG "diamonds" with the name of the race etched on the top.
I'm already planning for next year!!
Well, off to bed now.
Princess Runner Nerd