1 Week, 1 Blog?

Hello again! Wow, what a busy week!! Can I get everything into one blog? Let's try.............

Running............14 weeks until the San Diego Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!!

• Wednesday night I ran intervals around the island; 1 mile warm-up and 3 reps of 1/2 mile, with a 45 second rest in between. My best interval was 3:45, not too bad considering the temperature (80's).


• Friday was scheduled for a "strength/tempo" run of 4 miles. I headed to the jog park after dropping Lauren's off for softball practice. There was a light breeze when I ran heading south, but overall, it was a bit warm (mid-80's). So, I didn't really push the tempo and instead, went for distance. I ran 6.15 miles in 1:00:54 for an average pace of 9:54.


• Saturday; didn't get in a run. But good news, no muscle soreness from the 6-miler, yeah! And, the knees felt pretty good today. I think running on the gravel path of the jog park is gentler on my knees than the asphalt around the island. Tomorrow I'll have to get in my long run; I'm going to try for 12 miles!!!


• I'm putting my workouts on a really cool website, buckeyoutdoors.com. The site allows you to put a sidebar of the workouts on your blog, as well as some other really neat stuff (races run, PRs, etc.)! I'm in the process of entering all my workouts going back to January 1st.

Karate

• Got in my 3 classes. Normally, I like to go on Monday, Wednesday & Friday. But this week Mark worked on Friday which meant I had to take Lauren to softball practice. So, I ended up going on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. I was a bit nervous about taking back-to-back Monday/Tuesday classes. The last time I did that was on October 2nd and that was the night I ripped my right calf muscle. But I was cautious and stretched the calves extra good. Thursday night Bugo (sparring) class was very good. I noticed an improvement in my cardio and did a total of 5 rounds.


• I was able to get in my 3 days of "extras" this week on Mon, Wed, & Thurs. This week the extras were 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 5o round kicks off each leg.

No Smoking Zone!

• Today (2/23) is day #18 of no smoking! I've tried to quit more times than I can remember. The longest I ever quit for was 9 months. When I tell people that, they are always amazed that after 9 months of not smoking that I could go back and start again. But, I had quit that time for a boyfriend. And when that boyfriend "dumped" me, I lost my "reason" for not smoking. This time, I am quitting for the right reasons; I am quitting because I want to be a non-smoker. I want to be a non-smoker for my health, for my kids, for my running and for my karate. I want to be able to run 1 mile in 7 minutes and 2 miles in 15 minutes. I want to be able to Bugo at 2nd degree level and for as many rounds as I am asked to.


• Coincidentally, about the same time I quit smoking, I began having pain in both my ears. My initial thought was "sinus". I took some decongestants but did not get any relief. Next, I thought that I might be grinding my teeth at night. I started wearing my dental night guard again, but no relief. I ruled-out inner ear infection since there wasn't any fever or swollen glands. But, could it possibly be an external ear infection. I finally saw a doctor and he ruled out ear problems. He seems to think it is TMJ. Maybe it has something to do with all the gum I chewed while trying to quit smoking...... I guess I'll be making an appointment to see my dentist.

Sports, and more Sports, and then some more Sports

• Sports overload week: For Ryan, this week ended volleyball season at St. Jerome but was the beginning of baseball for the city league. Lauren started softball. She's on the Twisters again and it looks like she'll be the primary pitcher this year.
• Lauren joined the St. Jerome track team. Today was their 1st and only meet for the year. There were about 14 of the county Catholic schools in attendance; grades 4-8. Lauren participated in the long jump, the 4o0 meter (pictured!), and the 4 x 400 meter relay. I was very pleased with her effort!! One of Lauren's classmates finished 2nd in the girl's mile and another classmate came in 6th (out of 30) in the 100 meter! The team only had 4 practices; imaging what they could have done with more training!

Well, I realize I can't get everything from this week into one blog, at least not into one blog that some people might actually read. I want to thank all those who read my 1st blog entry. And, give super thanks to those who read it and actually came back for more!!!! Please leave a comment to let me know what you think; good or bad!

Hello to all! Welcome to the innaugural edition of my blog, "Run Blondie Run". I am a 40-something, "blonde", south Floridian runner. I'm starting this blog as I train for my 1st marathon. I've run my entire life; just different distances at different ages.

I didn't call myself a runner until my 20's. Anything before that point wasn't running, it was play! I played basketball and softball; I played "hide-and-go-seek"; I played "last one there is a rotten egg" (and I never lost!). No, I wasn't a runner, I was a player, I was a kid, I was having fun!

In my 20's, I not sure why, but I decided to run a race; it was either a 5k or 10k. I don't remember my finish time, although I'm sure I have it recorded somewhere in my files. But, needless to say, I wasn't at the top nor at the bottom either! Over several years, I ran many races and did end up placing 2nd or 3rd for my age group in a number of races.

But, then life took over. I met my future husband. I decided on pharmacy as my career choice, thanks mostly to my mentor Debbie D. I was accepted by the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy; Go Gators!!! My 1st year @ UF was very memorable for a very unpleasant reason. Tragedy occurred with the murder of 5 students.

Fast forward to 2001. 1 husband, 2 children, and 1 stressful job as a Pharmacy Supervisor and a need to find a stress outlet; I needed some "ME" time! A neighbor had "referred" our kids to karate. And before long, the entire family was enrolled. Karate seemed perfect for me; it wasn't running which would aggravate my knees. But lo and behold, part of the black-belt curriculum was running!!! Wasn't this the reason I got into karate, was to avoid running?!?!?!

But, I wanted my black belt badly....I hated the timed running! I knew I had to do 2 miles in 16 minutes; this shouldn't be a problem, but my knees screamed! I came so close to not making it.......but I did; I ran 2 miles in 16 minutes exactly; no more, no less. November 2004, I earned my 1st degree black belt and it was one of the most memorable and satisfying moments in my life!!!

Success was blissful, but short-lived; professionally, it was time for change. And change came quickly; an opportunity to be part of the system develpement team for a new mail order pharmacy. Yahoo!!!! I was psyched. This was going to be great!

Next thing you know, I was offered a management position.........but isn't this the reason I came here, to get out of management and get into the computer/IT pharmacy arena? Needless to say, I took the Administrative Services Management position (aka Director of Pharmacy). Did I take it because I felt guilty that no one else would take the position or did I take it because I truly felt that I could make an impact? The latter is the reason; I think I did make an impact in many areas and with many persons!

Fast forward (again) 18 months and 80 hours per week later; no time to spend with the family, no time to run or go to karate; it was time to step down from that position and "get a life". Easier said than done; but, by March 2007, it finally occurred.

Yeah, I had my life back. I could go to karate and maybe work towards getting my second-degree black belt. But 1st, I had to get my cardio back to "black-belt" level. So, I started running. And, this time, it was fun! It wasn't required of me (as of yet!),. I was doing it to get me to the level I needed to be. And, to remind myself that I was a "runner", meant that I had to register for a race.

I had "tried" to run the Miam ING 1/2 marathon for the past 3 years. But. something had always turned up as an obstacle to prevent me from running it. This year, I was going to do it!!! I registered for the race Tuesday October 2nd. That night, during katate class, I tore my right gastronemeous muscle. I was so upset; this was my 1st katare injury and I thought it was going to prevent me from running the 1/2 marathon in January. After my visit to the orthopaedeic MD and the physical therapists, I was advised it was a "minor" tear and that I would be back to karate and running in a few weeks.

Two & 1/2 weeks later and I was back to running & karate; I just had to be diligent in stretching my calves!!! January 27th came & I was so excited; I had forgetten how much "fun" it was to "race". Everything was perfect; temperatures in the mid-60's; enthusiastic crowds; and my husband at the 10.5 mile "cheering zone" & the finish line; receiving the beautiful "finisher's" medal.....it was heaven beyond words!!!! My goal was 2:30 and I finished it in 2:15:21!!!

So what's next? What is a 1/2 marathoner to do? Go for a full marathon, of course! My younger sister lives in San Diego. She is a high school physics teacher (yeah, brianiacs in our family!!) and runs with the HS cross-country team. She ran a 1/2 marathon for her 40th B-day (finishing in 1:55!!!! Awesome!!!!) and signed up for the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon.

My sister had offered to come run the ING 1/2 marathon with me if I quit smoking. Well, I had too many excuses to NOT quit; so I told her not to plan on coming down to run with me. BUT, after running my 1/2 marathon, I was ready for a FULL marathon; that was the impetus I needed and I told her I'd quit smoking and run the FULL marathon with her.

So, I registered for the FULL marathon, I booked my flight to San Diego (love those frequent flier miles~!~), and, on Ash Wednesday (February 6th!) , I quite smoking. Today (Saturday 2/16th) is day 11 without a cigarette, a single puff, a hit of nicotine, nothing; nada!!!!!! And yes, I am aggravated, aggitated, irratated; pretty much any adjective associated with quitting smoking, I am feeling IT!!!!! But, I'm not smoking!!!!

I started "smoking" reguarly around 17 years-old; so it's a 25 year habit that I am trying to break.......please keep me in your prayers and good wishes; I really want to quit for good! for my health and for my children Lauren & Ryan

Till next week,

Dani
Blonde Rx
Run Blondie Run