Gifts for Gulu

Miles today: 5.34

Miles this week: 26.5

Miles in 2010: 273.3

This morning was the Gifts for Gulu "Water for Life" 5k race at Lynchburg College. Gregg and I both ran beforehand and then volunteered at the race.

I met up with Austin at the school and we ran the Sandusky Loop before the race. I was feeling pretty exhausted in my legs for some reason, so we stopped and stretched at the Perrymont/Fort Ave. intersection. Kept running out Fort Avenue to Grand Furniture, made a right on Sandusky and ran back to the College. My legs were still feeling tired, so I'm not sure what's up. Guess I just need some rest.

After the run, Austin and I got some dry clothes (it had been raining a little during our run) and went up to the track to help out with the race. I had to detour to the bathroom (of course) and then was put in charge of one of the stopwatches for the race. Austin was the clipboard recorder and Gregg was the other stopwatch timer.

Saw some cool peeps at the race: Malcolm Miller (decked out in new gear from Riverside Runners), Chad and Sandy Duff, Erin Elwell and her two beautiful children, Charlie & Emma (who both ran the Amazing mile and were A-dorable), Dwayne Fitts (2nd place), Darrell Wargo (3rd place), one of my former student's moms, Laurie Richardson, the Gellerts, James LaPrade (oops!), and some of my favorite ladies, PJ Jones, Nancy Blackwell, Sarah Bryant, and Dianne Wright.

You can see the results of the race here!

Great race, great cause. Thanks for all the donations of sports equipment and shoes to Sports Outreach.

Headed to work after the race, fit a bazillion people in new shoes, and then spent the evening vegging out with my homey, Gregg. :)

Double & Hill Repeats

Miles today: 2.4 in the AM + 2.5 in the PM = 4.9
Miles this week: 4.9
Miles in 2010: 251.8

This morning I "doubled"...not like a Patterson double, but just a Heather double. I ran with Stacey in Wyndhurst, but was kind of tired and knew I had hill repeats coming up tonight, so we both took it easy and only ran 2 point something miles.

After work, I met Gregg at the Lynchburg College track to do a mile warm-up before my hill workout. He had just finished an 18-miler, so he just stretched while I ran around the track. Glass' lacrosse team was practicing on the field so I had something to listen to while I ran. I swear all those people do is scream.

After my warm-up, Gregg directed me to the middle part of the entrance hill at LC...where I would start and then run up toward the stands above Shellenberger Field and run through to the top.

I told the guys at work that I'd be doing hill repeats tonight and this is what Brandon said:

Heather, your first hill will be pretty good. You'll push hard, get up the hill, be like..."this isn't so bad." Your second hill, you'll push hard and feel like you should be faster but will be slower and you'll hurt a lot more. The third hill, well, you'll feel like I'm on your back.

<----Here's Gregg, my trainer.

Just kidding.

Here's the real Gregg,
my trainer. --->

I did the first one in 56 seconds and didn't feel bad. I turned around and headed down the hill but this time started down further at the guard booth. I ran hard but felt worse. It took me 1:17. I felt my arms starting to burn like my body was going to explode. This time, at the top, I was wayyyyy out of breath. While I was running, I heard Gregg yelling, "Push, push, dig, dig. Lift your knees! All the way...push push!"

I was going to say back, "I'm trying!" but figured wasting my breath with unnecessary words at the time wouldn't be worth it.

The third hill--Brandon was right. I felt like he was on my back. I tried so hard to go faster, but my body was saying, "Nooooooooooo!" so I just tried to push through. It took me 1:20 and I started at the same place. When I was done, it took me a good minute to even catch my breath. Glad the repeats were over and all I had left was to run a mile cool-down. Ran my cool down faster than my warm-up...not on purpose, but just because it felt slow and easy.

I'm starting to feel like a real athlete. Is that possible?

Run in the Sun

Miles today: 5.75

Miles this week: 21.7
Miles in 2010: 238.3

Today made me feel like the kids in this picture. I LOVE sunny, warm days, Vitamin D, and a good afternoon run. I love running in the afternoon better than any other time of day...way better than morning and some better than evening.

Anyway, I only had to work until 3:00 today, which was awesome because I never have afternoons off. I dressed for a run, left work, and headed over to Lynchburg College to run. I ran my Sandusky Loop from the summer with Stacey. Missed her while I was running, but at least I felt good this time.

Last time I ran this loop was in January after I fell and busted up my knee. It hurt really bad and felt like it was going to explode, so I'm glad that's over with. I ran pretty smooth, felt strong coming up Fort Avenue and even up Greenwood Drive and Thomas Road.

Speaking of busting up my knee. It's definitely a good thing that wedding dresses are long. Otherwise, I'd have a big nasty scar to cover up for this wedding. Gross.

After my run, I did some shopping and then headed home so that Gregg and I could go to my sister's for mom's spaghetti. YUMM-O!

Dinner was super delish. I kind of miss sitting at my mom's dinner table to enjoy her cooking. It was good to have her in Lynchburg.

Oh, I've been trying to do the reader question alert thing, but not that many people respond. Am I really that boring? Here's today's question:

READER QUESTION ALERT!!!

If Gregg and I have a free "Gregg and Heather 5K" the morning of our wedding, would it be neat to invite anyone to come, even if they're not invited to the wedding? Would you come, readers?

Yo, write me a comment, ok?

Pre-Marital Counseling

Miles today: 3.0

Miles this week: 9.2

Miles in 2010: 225.7

Gregg and I have been meeting with our marriage whiz every other week since January to talk about getting married. We filled out individual surveys back when we got engaged and when we meet with Anne, we talk about how our surveys match up together and what areas may need to be double-checked.

I really super duper enjoy our time with Anne and the time we spend together at counseling. I think it's mostly because we get to talk about things that aren't always easy to find. I love hearing stories from Anne about her family and how she and her husband Chris have done things to raise a family that has what seems like a great relationship. I love learning new things about Gregg and hearing him explain how he works and why he is the way he is. I just can't wait to marry him.

I know, I know...you're throwing up, right?

Well, it's just that I enjoy being around Gregg so much and am exited that I get to spend the rest of my life with him. He's my very best friend and my favorite man in the whole world.

But what this really is about is the fact that after work, and after our 6:15pm meeting with Anne, as we left the spiritual life building at Lynchburg College, Gregg offered,

Wanna go for a run? I brought my stuff.

You know, it's the littlest things, but can I just say that those two sentences made my tummy do flips?

I LOVE when Gregg plans to run with me and surprises me. It's the best feeling. I know he cares. And I love it. He has probably already run a hundred miles that day, but he'll still run with me.

We ran from the track at LC, across campus to Vernon Street, left on Langhorne, right on Eldon, right on Memorial, and right on some street I don't know which eventually crossed Sussex and turned into McCausland, then a right on College, and a left back across campus to the track to finish up three miles. It was warmer out and felt easy and refreshing. Great three miles with my lover boy.

Gatorade & ODACS

Miles today: 4.18
Miles this week: 14.2
Miles in 2010: 210.2

I find it mildly entertaining that the top nutrition supplement on my poll was Gatorade and that today Gatorade pulled it's sponsorship with Tiger. I know I shouldn't be amused, because he probably really does have a problem...but I'm kind of glad that he's losing his sponsorships because I really do think Tiger doesn't deserve any special attention or role model privileges anymore.

Is that wrong of me?

I know it's controversial...but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I'm getting married in four months and I just wish that people like Tiger who are so much in the public's eye would be better role models in their marriages. It makes me very sad for his family. That's all I have to say about that. Sorry for ranting.

PS: my absolute favorite flavor of Gatorade now is Blueberry Pomegranate G2...and even though it turns my mouth blue, I kind of can't get enough of it.

More importantly, tonight after work, I headed over to LU to watch the conference championship meet for the ODAC. I hadn't run yet, so after I watched some of the later events, I suited up and ran over to the track, ran three miles, and then ran back to catch the end of the 5k. My run felt good...it was kind of nice to run on the track...better than all the asphalt miles I've been putting in and of course felt pretty fast.

I helped Gregg analyze some of the 5k results with FinishLynx and then watched Lynchburg College win the men's and women's 4x4 relay at the end of the meet. It was enough to put LC's men on top to win the conference meet, but only put LC's women in second place...losing by just TWO points. Ugh!

Overall, Lynchburg College did very well...including my boy Ricky Flynn winning the mile. Great meet...great results.

100 miles...a Blog-a-versary!

100 Miles...Footsteps Toward the Goal

Project Three Six Five

A Little Blog-A-Versary!

Miles today: 4.7

Miles this week: 28.1

Miles in 2010: 118.8

I've been meaning to write this post almost 20 miles ago, but I've been so busy writing about other things, that it got saved as a draft and I'm already to 118 miles and I'm way past my goal...

So anyway, when I first started blogging, which was over 2 years ago now, I blogged here. Now, I am blogging here at Project Three Six Five, and I don't have much time for blogging other places. However, back when I blogged at 53millionminutes, about a year into my blogging, I copied an idea a friend of mine had for a "Blog-a-versary" and that meant that I had blogged for one whole year, and I wanted to make a memory of it. So I did this. I think that if you don't know me very well, you should click on that link and learn about a hundred things about me that you didn't know.

And if you do know me, then you should click anyway, because I bet you don't know all those things about me anyway.

Back to the whole reason I linked to the blog-a-versary...is that I thought that each time I reach a 100-milestone, I should probably do some kind of special blog...so this is going to be my 1st 100 Blog-A-Versary.

I'll explain my run first...today's run, which followed yesterday's big 12-inch snowstorm run, was a little better

because the sun was out...but there was still a ton of snow on the ground, which meant adventure wherever you ran.

Gregg and I had our first pre-marital counseling sesh with Anne, a spiritual life director at Lynchburg College. Afterwards, we changed at the LC locker room and ran from the college. It was my bright idea to run out the main entrance of the school and head up Lakeside Drive. Since there was so much snow on the shoulders though, it probably wasn't the best idea because of the safety issue...but we continued, with Gregg high-stepping it through the snow where there would normally be a sidewalk and me dodging/sharing the road with cars on what remained of the white line closest to the shoulder.

We hung a right on Moorman, ran down the hill to Old Forest Road next to Daddy Bim's (yummy BBQ if you've never had it) and took a right. We ran down to the house next to the side entrance to Monticello Park and I suggested to Gregg that we try to run through the trails in the deep snow. He said we could just run across the soccer field below the park, so we did...high-stepping the whole way.

Now, if you've never run through deep snow and still tried to be quick, I'd suggest you try it for a great workout. Gregg wasn't kidding when he said it'd be good training for me. By the time we made it the 100 yards across the field, I was out of breath and my legs were burning. It was a great feeling.

We headed up the very steep hill entrance to the park, and then took a left out of the park toward the Laurel School on the corner of Lakeside and Oakley Avenue. Gregg suggested that we run the playground field in the deep snow (again!?) across the front of the Laurel School, so we did...out and back and I told him I couldn't do anymore.

Somewhere in there I fell twice, yes, twice! I don't know what's wrong with me lately, because it seems I've been falling a lot...but this time I didn't get hurt. The first fall had me almost into one of those sewer openings on the side of the road next to the curb...it was covered with snow and my feet just happened to push the snow in and then slipped almost into the opening. The second fall was at the top of Oakley Avenue and I almost fell right on my left knee where the big ugly wound/bruise is, but I caught myself just in time.

We headed up Oakley Avenue, hung a right on Memorial, and then took Langhorne Lane and Vernon Street back to campus. It wasn't that long of a run...just over 4 miles, and it took way longer than usual for a 4 mile run, but it was fun, tough, and a great workout...so it was definitely worth it.

Now, back to my blog-a-versary...I think each time I run 100 miles, I'm going to write a special something in honor of that 100.

Here goes:

The First One Hundred

A poem...

I wake.

I plan.

I think.

I waste.

I wonder.

I eat.

I work.

I wait.

I zip.

I button.

I pull.

I lace.

I tie.

I walk.

I push.

I lift.

I move.

I run.

Feet up.

Feet down.

Weave in.

Weave out.

Hair flies.

Shirt moves.

Skirt waves.

Shoes scuff.

Legs burn.

Eyes blink.

Mouth breathes.

Knees bend.

Head turns.

Arms pump.

Feet hit.

Body pushes.

I run.

this is Blanka Vlasic...my Croatian high-jumping body idol.

AMBITION

Miles today: 5.9

Miles this week: 17
Miles in 2010: 107.7

watch this.



Doesn't it make you feel ambitious?

I am ambitious.

I am ambitious for attempting to run for 365 days in a row.

I am ambitious for trying to run right through my fall yesterday.

I am triple ambitious for my run today.

Why?

Well, last night after I got home, my knee was pretty sore and it woke me up a bunch of times throughout the night. This morning, Gregg put an ice pack on my knee when I woke up because it was super stiff and swollen.

It was my day off, so I slept in, walked around, did some chores, and my knee started to feel looser...so I thought I could go for a regular run.

I drove over to Lynchburg College and met up with Gregg and his lunch buddies to say hello and to start my run with them...not because I can keep up, but just because I like seeing them and I don't ever get to run at lunch time since I'm usually at work.

I ran through campus and up Vernon Street and Langhorne Lane, hung a right on Memorial Ave. and another right on Fort Ave. past the Fort Early Building. I was feeling pretty good on the run and my knee wasn't bothering me at all, so I kept running down Fort on what I like to call the "Me & Stacey Run." For some reason, this was a 5 mile loop that she and I did a bunch of times this summer...so it's our loop.

When I got out to Waffle House, I passed one of the lunch guys, Bret, on his way back from the turn-around point. I think my Garmin just had whistled it's 2-mile mark at me and since I wasn't hurting, I figured I could keep running and do the whole loop.

Well as I turned right on Fort Avenue by Grand Furniture, and then another right on Sandusky to head back toward the college, my knee started to kind of just throb. It was like there was a blob inside it that was jiggling around...and the only thing that didn't really give it that blob feeling, was if I just ran purely on my toes. So from about mile 3 (halfway down Sandusky) to the end of the run, I had to improvise my stride because if I let even the smallest part of my left heel touch the ground, it would make my knee just throb. UGH. My stride had to look super weird.

At this point, I was thinking...do I really still have 2 miles to go????

So, I ran on, past the $60 spot (this is on Sandusky where, this past October, Gregg and I found 3 separate $20 bills on our run) down the hill (in pain at this point) and back up toward Perrymont and Thomas Road. When I started the uphill toward Perrymont, I was in a lot of pain, so I'll admit, I just stopped and walked for about 5 minutes. When I started back down Thomas Road, I just was trying to be finished, so I ran through the pain.

Finally got back to the top of the hill and ran back down Vernon Street and onto campus. Crossed my fingers that Gregg might still be at the school so I could give him a kiss, but was sad when I realized I had missed him.

Slowed down and walked to my car, looked at my Garmin (5.9 miles!?!), and at this point realized I probably shouldn't have run that far. I hobbled into my car (my knee was swollen and hard to bend) and called Gregg on the drive home.

And what do you think he told me?

He said, "Didn't I tell you just to run a mile on the track?"

Yeah, he did.

Did I listen?

No.

He'd probably call me stubborn.

I call it ambition.

i definitely prefer late morning to late night...

Miles today: 4.7
Miles in 2010: 70.8

ran around Lynchburg College today on what Gregg and his lunchtime runners call the "Friday Loop."

I'm obviously behind on my blogging since I just did two blogs tonight...one for today and one for yesterday...so you can check out the map and that's about it.

I loved the weather...ran in short sleeves, soaked in the sun, and thought about how there's at least one other person out in Lynchburg today doing the same thing as me...Margaret...how's your running? Maybe we can run together...