Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Do You #fuelyourbetter ?


Have you seen (or tried) it yet? #Vegasport 

Being part of the Sweat Pink Ambassadors I was given an opportunity to try out and review

#VegaSport  Pre-Workout Energizer!

As someone that runs at early dark thirty aka 5am there are lots of times when I need a little help in the "Wake up Let's Go" department. Enter #vegasport..... Because I have learned my lesson and never try anything new on race day I decided to first try out the Pre-Workout Energizer one day during my lunch break just to be safe. I usually start getting sleepy after my lunch hour especially on the early morning run days. The very first day I tried the Energizer I could tell a difference, when I returned to work I felt like I was talking 100mph!

Here's a clip of what Vega Sport has to say about the Pre-Workout Energizer:

Featuring two complementary carbohydrates, Pre-Workout Energizer is balanced to provide both instant and slower-burning fuel for your workouts. Organic sprouted brown rice syrup has a high glycemic index (90), entering the bloodstream quickly, while organic palm nectar has a low glycemic index (35), providing slow, steady energy that will not spike or crash. 

After I tried it to make sure it wasn't going to mess with my belly I decided to try it before a run. I didn't feel like I was floating on air however I don't think I became as tired/worn as quickly as I usually do. I have also been drinking the Energizer before going to do the Jillian Michaels DVD with Sherry P! I am so very thankful to been given this opportunity from Sweat Pink otherwise I may have never discovered how wonderful and energizing  #vegasport is!

How do you #fuelyourbetter??


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

McDowell Wellness 10k- Who Can't do What??!!!





 Once again this week I've had a pretty lazy week. The weather was a little crazy and turned cool very cool and it put me in instant lazy mode. Tuesday was the last warm day and the only day I ran and I went over to Sherry P's house we did a Jillian Michaels workout! Gerard has decided to rejoin us in the mornings for running in fact our little group of us 4 girls has grown into about 6 -8 depending on who all shows up. Well Tuesday morning we ran 5 miles after we got home I was telling Gerard based on that run even if it took me 10 mins to run another mile I should be able to finish the 10k in 57 something, his reply "No you won't you'll never do it you all stop too much". Talk about hurting my feelings and I dwelled on it all week long. Yes we make stops in the morning mostly just to make sure no one ever gets left behind and make sure everyone is still ok- hello SAFETY FIRST!!

Saturday, May 17 was a beautiful cool morning for a 10k. I was hopeful to wear my new Swirlgear but since it was cool I decided to wait for another day to show it off:) I woke up feeling nervous I had a goal to beat and today was the day! There is a YMCA group that comes for this, its great seeing the younger kids out there, and it usually brings out all of the fast people that you've never seen before!



Miles 1 - 3
I have been trying hard to start out slower and build up to whatever speed I can, this day I did better with that but I was still a little too quick at the take off.  But I quickly regained myself and tried to regulate my pace thankfully someone I know got beside me and we stayed together for miles 2-4 that helped me a LOT! I told her I have not been doing my best recently and how I am trying to start doing better and quit taking these petty walk breaks and that I would probably have to walk around mile 3. NOT I decided to just keep on trucking! I was fine and there was NO REASON I needed to walk:)



Miles 4 - 6.13
All of my "faster" friends was so close and within around 45 second lead in front of me in the first 3 ½ miles but on the 4th mile is when I started loosing steam. Also in that 4th mile is the hardest part with the hills so I'll blame that fact on me loosing steam and unfortunately I did have to walk a little. I checked my time to see where I was at and how close to "goal" time I was, I had 20 mins to run 2 miles I can do that. Mile 5 was my slowest and when I saw what pace I ran it I told myself "You better get to moving if your making goal time!" and that is what I did!

Mile 1- 8:43                        Mile 4- 9:04
Mile 2- 9:10                        Mile 5- 9:57
Mile 3- 8:53                        Mile 6- 9:11         Mile .13- 7:39

Finish time- 56:01 overall pace 9:09 1st place in my age group!

Now who said I couldn't run this 10k in 57 minutes? LOL!


Sheri(Did amazing), Me & Sherry P

Sherry didn't have the race she wanted but she will!

Running Friends are the GREATEST!



As always Thanks to The Picture Lady for some awesome photos!

Thursday, May 15, 2014

3tt- Brrr its cold & Back to Back 5k's

1. Global Warming? Global Cooling!! Maybe that's what is going on today who really knows but it is cold today! I survived the early winter months with running but the longer and longer it went on I was ready to quit! Today has me feeling the same way :( its just a mental game and I have got to over come it. I just don't get how the temperature goes up and down so drastically?!?!!! And why does it effect my mood? Crazy just plain crazy? (Maybe I'm the crazy one LOL!:)

2. Friday evening May 9 Gerard (hubs), Sherry and I headed to Frankfort the the 2nd leg of the Trifecta series. This is the race that I threw up at for the first time ever last year, what a great memory, all I could think is 'Don't push yourself to that limit tonight' and I really wanted to do better the next day. It was HOT & HUMID and I told Sherry I wasn't going all crazy fast she was planning on running/walking the Saturday race with her daughter so she was planning on giving it her all at this one! Frankfort races are known to have lots of kids and adults start up front that really have no business up there but now that I know that I know its going to take lots of weaving in the first half mile. First mile was crazy fast due to getting around the crowd 8:08, the second mile goes up and around our beautiful State Capital just don't like that it is uphill for about a half mile I was still holding on but losing my steam 9:07, third mile I was reminding myself that I was suppose to be saving my energy for the next day and fatigue was setting in (the main reason I don't like evening races when you have to work all day) I started walking 3/4 steps here and there a really nice lady came around me saying "Come on you got this" thanks for encouragement but I slowed way down 9:23, the last .05 is uphill then levels out I gave it all I had left 7:42. My finish chip time was 26:57 and I was 6th out of about 35 in my age group~not too shabby but I can do better! Gerard ended up running with Sherry and she said she wanted to run hard so that's what he made her do, LOL! They finished in 28:38 (chip time) and that is a new PR for her~ YAY!!
GO SHERRY GO! Gerard said he yelled at her, LOL!

3. Saturday May 10 was the Jennie Carol Memorial 5k which is part of the Wilderness Trace Serries that I do every year. The weather was HORRIBLE when I woke up it was thunder and pouring rain! Oh boy this is about to be so much fun but maybe some of the competition will stay home LOL! Sometimes I do better when it rains and the route is our daily morning route that we run I was really hopeful for a 26:30 and even told everyone that was what I was going for the rain stopped before the race. I started out good in the first mile but like ALWAYS it was too fast for me 8:03, in the 2nd mile was a couple of uphills the second I was concerned with as we usually go down it but I baby stepped it and chugged right along I was feeling the race from the night before and was starting to take walk breaks towards the end of it 8:54, third mile I just sucked all together several in my age group had already passed me and to be honest I did the unthinkable I gave up inside and no longer cared about that 26:30 I was disappointed in myself 9:30, the last .09 you finish taking about a ½ lap around the track I reminded myself "YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP" and finished best I could 8:14

See the look of frustration!

I almost ran (walk) the exact same time as the night before 27:11 and I think I was 6th again! So I didn't finish where I wanted to and I felt like a failure it sucks I have been am stressed/bummed about where I'm at for 5k's. It is hard to believe 2 short years ago I ran that same race in 24:01!??!! What has happened to me? I have lost my umph my drive my want to some days I think that's ok but then other days I feel like such a loser. I need to fully make a commitment and get my butt in gear! I just want to be able to comfortably and completely RUN a 26-26:30 minute 5k. I CAN DO THAT!!!!

So give me your best speed tips or just how to run a better faster 5k? Do YOU think its possible or maybe should you keep a long run and still get faster for 5k's?? 


RUN HAPPY;)


Aww so sweet:)

That's why I'm slow look at my gut:((



Friday, May 9, 2014

Haggin Hospital Sunrise 5k-My First Serries Race

Such a GREAT group of Friends & Runners!

Saturday, May 3 2014 I began what I consider the "Beginning of 5k Season!" Normally this is the first race in the Wilderness Trace Serries where I made my start in running, however this year (and I'm TOTALLY NOT HAPPY about) the director decided to schedule an earlier race and I missed it due to the Derby miniMarathon. But anyway...........

This year made my 5th year running the Haggin Hospital Sunrise 5k, this race is usually always an adventure of some sorts and is usually always guaranteed to rain! Early in the week the forecast was calling for rain but by the end of the week it was gone THANKFULLY!! I really didn't know what to think without the rain.

The crowd seemed a little different there was lots of new faces as well as the same ole' regulars but I was glad and concerned to see the newbies. Not gonna lie I'm pretty competitive and get nervous when there's lots of new ones I don't know how well they run, LOL!! The layout of this race is a little tricky you get some awesome downhills in the first two miles which can fool you and make you thrilled on your first or second mile pace, now that I'm a little experienced on this course I try to do better with that. Except I didn't listen to my own advice and I followed all of the fast people out on that first mile! Geesh will I ever learn?!?!?!??!

Hmmm that look- the look of "Maybe I took off too fast?!?!??"

Since I didn't follow my own advice I was a little winded in the second mile and tried to regain myself before I hit the dreaded third mile in the gravel. During our practice runs Sherry P and I both decided that we should probably give it all we had in the first 2 miles as that gravel was going to kill us. And sure enough it did just that! In my mind I thought I would be able to run that gravel a little better but I just really sucked! Thankfully there was another girl feeling the same as me and we walked/jogged/talked ourselves through to the end!

First half decent finish pic I've had in a long time!
Now I stated earlier this is my 5th year running this so I thought I'd show a comparison  of over the years:
2013- The year I lapsed in everything but I still managed 1st in age group 29:03- Oops I never posted on this race!

Now 2014-
Mile 1- 7:27  Holy Cow that is smoking fast for me and shows the great downhill
Mile 2- 8:57 That even included a little walking to regain myself
Mile 3- 11:35 LOL that dang gravel hill gets me every time
Mile .07- 7:05 Kicking it in for the end

Finish Time 28:29 with an overall pace of 9:18 and I was 2nd in my age group! 


Sherry P- Always a great finish pic. This girl went from 34 mins in 2013 to 29 mins in 2014!!




Thanks to The Picture Lady for the awesome photos!!

Thursday, May 1, 2014

3 Things Thursday- Rain, Race Recap & Practice Run

*This week has been nothing but RAIN, RAIN & more RAIN! Ugghh!! Tuesday and Wednesday morning it was pouring rain at the time we run in the morning (5am!!) and if I don't have to then I AM NOT running in the rain. Yes I am a WIMP!! This morning it wasn't raining but I couldn't drag myself out of bed. Sorry to my morning running buddies I AM A WIMP TODAY!!

**Last Saturday, April 26 I ran another race in the Rockcastle Regional Series, the Fairview Baptist Run for Russia 5k. I was unable to run this last year so it has been since 2012, I thought I remembered the course being fairly flat and easy and by judging my time in 2012 I thought I was right. Well that's what I get for thinking..... I took off way too fast for me and the first entire half was nothing but up and down hills. Where did they come from and how did I do so well in 2012?? I survived the first mile and most of the second but the third which was the easiest was terrible it was all I could do to run in fact I pretty much would run a couple of minutes and walk a minute or so. In my opinion I really sucked! And my mile times showed it. Mile 1- 8:32, Mile 2- 9:06 and Mile 3- 9:46. But somehow I did manage to pull off 2nd in my age group with a finish time of 27:56! One thing I didn't like about they allowed the top 3 overall Males/Females to receive both overall awards and age group awards?? I didn't think that was too fair! The best thing about that day was my oldest daughter decided to tag along:)

Yep I'm the shortest in the family!

***This coming Saturday will be the start of my local series that got me started in running! Every single year it usually rains and it is not an easy course at all. The forecast has been calling for rain but now it is changing and it may not rain! Sunday and Tuesday Sherry P and I went out and did practice runs on the course, both of these runs we did in the evening it was hard on us since we aren't used to running in the evenings. But the second run was much better than the first day and I shaved a minute off of the time! Now if I can shave off another minute on race day!!

Any BIG races coming up this weekend for You?? Do Share!

Run Happy :)