Day OneHundred and One

Late evening jog around my home.

Day OneHundred!

Today marks the one hundredth consecutive day of running for a current total of 253.2 miles for 2013. I have ran the roads, the trails, the track and up and down mountains (and twice on a treadmill) I've run in 4 different states in the snow, in the rain, and in the El Paso sandstorms. I have run fast, slow, and just slightly faster than a walk. I've dislocated my knee and gotten blisters (still holding on to all my toenails!) I've hashed and raced just ran. I've run alone, with my special olympians, with my love, and with my Soldiers. I've been awarded medals at the end of a few runs. I've run drunk, sick, and just after surgery. I've run in a kilt, a tutu, and jeans. In the morning and in the evening. Somedays are easy, some days I hated running, some days I debated not going. But everyday I got off my butt and laced up my shoes and put one foot in front of the other. I have a love/ hate relationship with running, but those miles patiently wait for me to run them. I am not a great runner, but even mediocre runners like me can achieve great goals. Everyday is a new adventure. 100 down, 265 to go!

Day NinetyNine

Did spin class for the first time ever this morning, it was an hour long ass kicking! I did 19.8 miles, it was fun.
After dinner, my love and I ran to the gym and after the volleyball game, we walked back. It was a cold, windy day that led to a cool, cloudy evening, it was beautiful.

Day NinetyEight

Slow, sore recovery run with my love.

Day NinetySeven

World's Fastest 10k today. I was grumpy about getting up so early and looking forward to my running sabbatical after Boston. Brandon had coached me into doing 100% the whole way, my goal was to beat Fridays 10k, Brandon was insistent that I could cut 10 minutes off, I want sure about that, but I sure was going to try... At the top of the mountain, I was all in, I was flying for the first 3 miles, running like the wind blows. I was the 3rd female, then the 4th, then slowly number 5 passed me. Around mile 4 a combination of the leveling of the hill and the bubbles in my guts slowed me to a normal race pace. I kept chugging along and was able to sprint out the last half mile. I crossed as the tenth female with a time of 45:50! I beat my last 10k PR by a full 10+ minutes, did the 45 Brandon thought I could do, and won the silver medal for my age group. 2 PRs this weekend, nothing to complain about there!

Day NinetySix

Paced Amanda on her APFT, we did an 18:35 min 2 mile. She was really struggling, but she passed.

Then track meet with my Special Olympians, I am beyond excited to see how far they have come! We have placed then in their events and this weekend we recorded their times. Diego stayed in the line and didn't stop! Andrea nailed the 200m with a 32 seconds! These athletes sure are something special!

Day NinetyFive

Today I ran the Commander's Cup 10k with my Soldiers. I did 56 minutes flat. I am do proud of my Soldiers, PFC McLaughlin did 43 min, SPC Portugal did 49, me in at 56, SPC Healey did 58, and last but not least was SPC Moody at 1:06.
It was a good day. I felt strong. I didn't really slow down and I didn't feel like I really exerted myself until right at the end. I felt tired today, but not exhausted. I'm starting to feel less nervous and more excited about Boston!

Day NinetyFour

Today I rode the bike at the gym for a half hour first, 7.22 miles! Then a 1 mile jog on the treadmill in 8:19 before the volleyball game at 8! Exhausted. Settling in for a nap before the Commander's Cup 10k in the morning.
Rego'd for the World's Fastest 10k on Sunday!

Day NinetyThree

8 x 400 APFT goal pace with the Borderland kids. Had to teach them how to run at a goal pace rather than sprinting all out. I was exhausted, but ran every lap at a perfect 7:30 min/mile pace!
Went to the gym after work and did a 6.94 mile bike ride. I'm pooped!

Day NinetyTwo

Late evening jog with my love, longer than our normal route. Went for another 7.25 mile bike ride in a half hour!

Day NinetyOne

SSG Fiaras is on profile for achy knees so he asked me to lead Borderland Runner's PT for the next two weeks! Today was just the normal up the canyon and back down!

Day Ninety

A late night jog with my love. We did the whole dirt trail loop tonight. We were going to do a long run today, but even on days we schedule to be relaxing, we end up filling with being productive!
Day Ninety in the books!

Day EightyNine

Track day with my Special Olympians! They all did so well :D

Day EightyEight

Brigade run and guide on challenge in the morning. A painfully slow mile/mile and a half run... My Nike+ never did sync, hmm.

Day EightySeven

Today was a bad jog, my boobies were bouncing and it hurt a lot. Tomorrow I shall wear a tighter bra (or two) and see if I can pick up some speed.

Day EightySix

APFT in the am. Even being broken, this run did not feel challenging. Without these stupid holes all over, I could have easily done a minute less, but I am happy with it.

Then in the pm it was a BJs hashing night, Brandon and I laid trail.

Day EightyFive

A drastic improvement in pain today! Hoping it eases up even more in the next 8 hours and I can pass this APFT...

Day EightyFour

Still hurting quite a bit, a lotta bit more than I would like to be and a great deal more than what is ideal for an APFT I'm less than 36 hours....

Day EightyThree

A very painful slow jog, but I was able to jog most of it.

Day EightyTwo

Saturday is a BJs hashing day!

Day EightyOne

I was hurting miserably all day after having my boob cut open and a large chunk taken out and actually considered not running. Then we decided to have some beers to celebrate 4 out of 7 coming back normal and 2 as atypical but benign. A few beers later and I wasn't in any pain so I excused myself to the bathroom and ran around the block at the bar. I was just in time as it was 2326, I had almost skipped a day. I hurt now, and it wasn't a full mile, but I'm so glad I didn't break the streak!!
Day EightyOne, boom.

Day Eighty

Terrible day. After having a mole surgically removed from my right boob, I thought for a long time about not going for a run today. The wind was howling and I was in pain, I decided I would feel worse if I failed in my challenge of running everyday. So I rolled out of bed in my jammies, threw the ice pack in the freezer, laced up my sneakers and headed out. I made it a very slooooooow quarter mile holding the pressure dressing in place until I couldn't take it anymore and slowed to a walk. I jogged/ walked the rest of the way in today's miserable mile.
Day Eighty, the toughest yet, but made it.

Day SeventyNjne

Took my Soldiers on an early morning PT run. Led them to the stairs, did a quarter mile on the stairs and then led them back.

Day SeventyEight

Late evening run, sore but felt good.
Day SeventyEight and still going strong!

Day SeventySeven

Ran the track with Amanda's Soldiers. Getting them APFT ready. I am pacing Bump, I let him wear my pacing watch today.. I only did a mile with them. Then Brandon and I rode the bike at the gym for a half hour.

Day SeventySix

Bataan Death March. Circumstances arose and we tapped out at mile 13.1, I failed.

Day SeventyFive

Track meet with my Special Olympians! Did a few laps around the track and practiced for the 25m sprint. Practiced softball toss and standing long jump. The kiddos were exhausted.

Day SeventyFour

Hurt my back at work, it hurt to take a deep breath, slowly ran .87, broke down and walked the rest. This sucks worse than a joint pain. Joint pain I am used to, back pain I am not, and I am not a fan.
Day SeventyFour was a struggle, but I got it done.

Day SeventyThree

This run was the third round of PT for the day, I was sore and tired and my legs felt like lead. But I did it.

Day SeventyTwo

Morning canyon sprints with Borderland PT, then afternoon canyon run with my Soldiers for regular PT. I'm exhausted!

Day SeventyOne

Late eve jog with my love. Nice chilly evening without being cold.

Day Seventy

Canyon run on Borderland PT, then afternoon sprints with my Soldiers. I'm exhausted!!

Day SixtyNine

A lazy Sunday morning jog around the neighborhood.

Day SixtyEight

Track practice with my Special Olympians! They are so full of energy! We did a few warm up laps and then some sprinting, followed by tennis ball throwing, javelin tossing, and finished up with some long jumping.

Day SixtySeven

Morning canyon run with Borderland PT. nice slow hill runs, falling in step, getting the rhythm. The great news is, no hip pain!!!

Day SixtySix

PT with my Soldiers, no GPS, I'll only take credit for a mile. The afternoon swim did me in, I'm exhausted!

Day SixtyFive

Ran to the gym, ran on the treadmill, then ran home. The pain in my hip only started on the way home!

Day SixtyFour

After a 12 hour blood drive, I went for a jog. I was so hungry, it motivated me to run faster and get back quicker. The first half mile I felt like the wind! Then my hip started hurting, I slowed but kept running. The last quarter mile was terrible, I almost stopped to walk, but pushed thru it.

Day SixtyThree

A little faster. My hip was aching, but feeling better. I decided not to push it even though I wanted to go further.

Day SixtyTwo

Late night last minute run. My hip felt good for the first half mile and started to ache the last half, but not the sharp stabbing pain it had been, getting there....

Day SixtyOne

Today was the Phoenix Marathon, I decided to prevent further injury and say it out. Instead, I provided trail support for Brandon and the other runners. I made a few signs and positioned myself at several points along the way. I had fun cheering on the runners and making them laugh with my signs at mile 3 I held one that said "Run, Stranger, Run!" At mile 14 I held one that said "if it were easy, I'd be doing it." At 20 I held a sign that said "Anyone can run 20 miles, it's those last 6.2 that make you AMAZING!" And at the finish line it said "I knew you could do it!"
Brandon did incredible, he wasn't sure he even be able to finish and he crossed 20o miles at 3 hours flat! I could tell something was wrong when the last 6 took him an hour and 45 minutes, but he even sprinted it out at the end! He's amazing! 2 marathons in 7 days!
I am really glad I sat this one out. The bin and the medal are awesome and Brandon said this was the best course yet, but even on my mile run, my hip is really hurting. Even if I had made it, it would have set me back even further and this race just wasn't worth it. Being trail support was fun! After the race, lunch, a Brewers Spring Training game, and a nap, I went for a mile run around the neighborhood. Tomorrow we are back to El Paso....

Day Sixty

Slow, painful run around the neighborhood. We went to packet pickup for the Phoenix Marathon, Brandon has decided, against better judgment, to run tomorrow. I, on the other hand, have decided not to. The medals are awesome and the bib would looks great on my wall, but my hip makes running one mile uncomfortable and I have too much to lose.

Day FiftyNine

A spring time jog around RyRys neighborhood. My hip is killing me.

Day FiftyEight

Paced my Soldier on the last mile of his PT test, we did an 8:32 min mile.

Day FiftySeven

Jog around my block, my hip is still hurting. Tomorrow I am pacing my Soldier on his PT test, I can't let him down...

Day FiftySix

Just a nice slow marathon recovery run. As I was chugging along I was reflecting on how much I have learned over the last year. The El Paso Marathon last year was my first completed marathon. I was so sore afterward and decided I earned time off from doing anything. I remained so sore that I could hardly walk, it only got worse until I ran the Spartan race the following weekend, which cured the pain. I never believed in the power of the recovery run.
I was reflecting on all the things I have learned, mostly by trial and error. I have learned the value of a recovery run. I have learned that you have to respect the marathon because it does not respect you. I have learned the difference between sore and pain and which ones to push thru and which ones to listen to. I have learned to listen to my body, it will tell me what to do. I have learned the difference between not WANTING to go the distance and not being able to. I've learned that fearing the distance is all in my head. I've learned that 26.2 is not the whole distance, it's just the race distance. Most importantly I've learned that I can do more than I ever thought if I just try.
I have fought with myself, I have fought with running, I have loved it and hated it and continued to do it. I have had a million reasons to run and a million reasons not to and I keep chugging along. I've learned that those miles are patient and they will lay there and wait for me to run them.
I have learned to believe in the strength of my own legs, the power of my own lungs and the courage of my own heart.
There's no way I'm not running Phoenix Saturday!

Day FiftyFive

Today was the El Paso Marathon. Brandon and I went into it knowing we were not prepared. Injuries have left is undertrained and we were already on pain at the starting line. We had decided to run together at a nice 10 min/mile and stay together until the end. We did the Galloway method and all was well until about mile 17 when Brandon's knee locked up. We ended up walking off and on and then when our jog started to become slower than our brisk walk, we dropped to walking and chatting. With 6 miles left, El Paso decided to deliver us a sandstorm that did not let up and we were walking right into it! We finished the marathon in a time we will never be able to brag about, becoming my new personal worst time ever! Somewhere around 5:45, I didn't even pay attention.
McLaughlin did so well for his first marathon! He ran it in 3:30 and won second place for his age group!
Joy and Cyn rucked the half marathon and Cobb came out and paced MILFY in the half! Hag Banger and Fluffer ran the 5k and then helped host a beer check for us!
Butters hosted 4 beer checks for us! CDG came out for mile 16's.
then they ALL stayed and waited for us to finish, the support was pretty amazing! I am so excited to have so many people come out and support us.

After the marathon, we went to Whataburger for some sustenance and then we were off to lay trail for our one year anniversary hash. Even Cobb and Cyn came out to run our shitty trail. We prepaid about 2 miles of it, walking, but ran about 1.5 live. The wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold that we made circle super short. All in all, it was a good day running!