Happy Birthday to Me :)

So, Monday was my birthday. Those who know me well know exactly how old I turned. For those who don't know me that well, my birthday cake had candles for my age and they read "25". LOL :) Anyways, it was a pretty great birthday this year.

I woke up to many, many Facebook birthday greetings, phone calls and text messages from friends and family. Jason treated me to a great breakfast at Cracker Barrel. It was delicous :) Then I chilled at the house for awhile and got myself ready to go pick Chuck up for the celebrations that night. I drove out to Chuck's parents and picked him up. We were supposed to meet Jason for lunch but got a later start than we intended. So, Jason had to grab lunch without us so he could get back to work. Chuck and I went to my favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch. It was so yummy (as usual!!!)

After lunch we headed back to my house and hung out. I had to be at the mall to see my Clinique consultant, Charity. She promised to do my makeup for dinner that night. So, I enjoyed having my makeup done and she did an amazing job. She is such a perfectionist but my makeup looked amazing!!

We headed out to dinner at Outback. I was blessed to have my dear friends with me to celebrate. Cathy and Robert, Jess and Josh, Meghan, Chuck, Jason and I celebrated with delicious dinners. Then, my birthday cake was a New York style cheesecake with cherry topping. I made it on Sunday because I could not find exactly what I was looking for at any of the local bakeries. It was so good. Wow...I cannot even recall eating a more delicious cheesecake and I am not saying that because I made it. It was perfect and looked pretty perfect too!! The cheesecake didn't crack at all :) It was so good that I had to send all the leftovers out of the house!!!

I enjoyed my birthday dinner. I ended up the day with several episodes of True Blood. It was a pretty awesome day and I really had a blast!! All in all, I felt pretty special and it was great :)

Here's a pic of me with all my friends after dinner!

Biggest Loser 5K Myrtle Beach Weekend Recap

Don't compete...just complete. That was the motto of the Biggest Loser 5k that was run and walked by about 2600 people on September 25, 2010 in Myrtle Beach. Jason, Chuck and I headed up to Myrtle Beach on Friday afternoon to get registered and enjoy some beach time. Chuck and I were able to get in and out of registration pretty quickly and also picked up Cathy's registration since she and Robert were heading in later.


After we picked up registration packets, Jason, Chuck and I headed down to pool and then the beach. The sun had gone down and there was a chilly breeze out by the pool area. So, we headed out to the beach where the sun was still shining. I cannot recall the last time I played in the ocean. I had a blast jumping in the waves and being knocked around by the waves. Everything was going pretty well. We were all enjoying our play time. Then, tragedy struck...Jason was stung by a man-of-war. The first sting was apparently just a small one on his back where the tentacle just grazed his back. The second sting, the tentacle attached itself to his elbow.


Jason ran out of the water. In fact, I cannot recall ever seeing him move that quickly! By the time Chuck and I reached him, he was standing under the outdoor shower area trying to remove the tentacle from his arm. I recalled that his mother had mentioned that a couple years back his nephew had been stung and they peed on him and it helped relieve the irritation. So, we went back up to the hotel room and we peed on him. I say "we" because Chuck peed in a cup and I poured it on him! LOL...I know it's pretty special! Then, Jason got in a really hot shower and washed it with soap. It was still bothering him quite a bit, so we went to the grocery store and got some vinegar. Jason almost passed out when we poured it on him the first time. It started to look worse, so we decided it was time to head to the ER.

This is what it looked like at the ER.

So, we gave the ER all the details. There was much laughter about us following the wives' tale and using pee on his sting. The doctor who saw Jason said that this was called Maximum Marine Envenomation. Basically when Jason went and put fresh water on the sting and the tentacle was still attached, every stinger that had not fired, immediately fired on him. The pee didn't help out at all and neither did the hot water and soap. The vinegar would've been great had we used it first. So, they marinated him in vinegar for about 45 minutes. They gave him Zantac, Solumedrol (a prednisone), and Benadryl through an IV. After the ER, we picked up prescriptions and then went searching for dinner.

We all wanted pancakes...we saw several pancake houses earlier in the day and we really started craving pancakes. So, we drove around looking for pancake house and found one that opened at 10 p.m. After searching for others, we finally ended up back at the one that opened at 10. And we enjoyed our dinner!!! Then we went back to the hotel and everyone went to bed.

Chuck and I met up with Cathy around 6 a.m. We walked several blocks to the start line. We chatted and waited around and finally lined up at the start line. Finally Bob Harper arrived and he spoke for a few minutes and then he had to speak again because apparently the filming crew did not get exactly what it wanted. So, we endured that and waited for the start.

Finally the race started. It was the slowest start I have ever had because it was so congested and the area was so narrow. It was hard to even get into a running rhythm. I also had trouble finding holes to get in and out and around people. I know the plan was not to compete just to complete. However, I was competing against myself and really wanted to do my very best.

I ended up doing a lot more walking due to some horrible shin splints and just a slight inability to get going when I needed. I jogged as much as I could when I could. I ran in some very strange ways...alot of sideways running which was a bit painful on the hip. But I muddled through. It was hard completing a race with so many people who did not know race etiquette. It didn't matter if you hollered "on the left" or not, people just didn't move. Then they had the bright idea of letting the 1 mile people start in enough time that they could complicate the finish line towards the end for those finishing up their 5k. This was the first time I ever got pushed as I was crossing the finish line. I was not very happy at all about my finish. I had plans to beat my best training time, but it didn't happen. Part of my problem was that I was also racing like I would a half-marathon...reserving something for my last mile. In shorter races, that is not good strategy.

So, for my next 5k race, I will be in a more competive race :) But seriously, I will plan a bit better to try and keep a steady pace the entire race and maybe leave a small amount in reserve for a push across the finish line!

I forgot to mention, during the race, I had the opportunity to high five Bob Harper and he told me "Keep it up! You're awesome!" It was pretty cool. I also got a high five from Sherry from last year's show. I did not stay to get a picture with Bob Harper because Jason was at the hotel and I wanted to check in on him and make sure he got his breakfast and medicine. We ended up heading out of Myrtle Beach after Chuck and I both got showers and breakfast.

All in all, I am relearning my running strategy and basically starting over again. It stinks, but I have to relearn my old running patterns and maybe even some new running patterns so I can prevent injuries and be a better runner. It's all learning for me now. I am hanging in there though and continuing on.

Dam Run 10K

Okay, here it is...my race report from my first race post-hip surgery. This is the race that almost didn't happen...for real. I got a stomach bug two weeks before the race which kept me from doing any mileage at all prior to the race. And to be quite honest, my mileage prior to this was pretty low each week. The stomach bug drained me and left me feeling pretty weak and tired. Not to mention, there is a great deal of fear that I have been dealing with since surgery and it all came to a nice frenzy on Friday!!

Friday morning, I was all out of sorts. I was terrified of the race and of my hip and of everything in general. I had read earlier in the day that if you did not clear the roads by 9 a.m. then you would be picked up by the shuttle and not finish the race. I was very nervous because I did not want to not be able to finish my race. I needed this finish to give me a bit more confidence about my other upcoming races. So, I ended up getting extremely teared up during training...enough that we had to stop training so Tye could go into pep talk mode. He understands where I am since he had surgery on his shoulder last year and has had some struggles trying to regain where he was prior to surgery. It was a good pep talk but still not enough to calm my nerves. I picked Chuck up and he promised me a nice kick in the butt for Saturday. Cathy also promised me a good kick in the butt too. But mentally, I was not ready for this race. I was a bit paralyzed by fears. My goal for race day was simple...finish the race. I wanted to finish this race and finish as strong as I could.

Saturday morning came too quickly for me. I did not sleep well. I got up and got myself ready. I tried to make sure that I had everything together and prepared for the race. I stretched and I kept trying to psych myself to where I knew I needed to be. This was much harder than I thought it would be. Cathy arrived and the three of us headed down to the dam to get our timing chips for the race and get ready for the start.

Before the Race
The race started at 7:30 a.m. We got in to position early. However, Cathy and I had expected there to be a strip for us to run over that would start the timing chip for accurate timing. There was not a strip so the fact that we started back further makes a difference in our times. I wish that I had worn my watch so I could have had a more accurate time. Anyways, we all started off and I had a pretty nice rhythm jogging from the beginning. It didn't take long before my shins and then my hips started to feel aggravated. I slowed my pace and then started walking. This was the first time I had ever thought of not finishing a race and I had not even moved past the first mile. This was not a good start for me. I was tired and mentally drained. I was hurting and I actually considered letting the shuttle pick me up sooner rather than later.

After I came through the 2nd mile and got my first cup of water, I was feeling a bit better but still worrying about the shuttle bus and where it was. I refused to look back and see what was behind me. I focused myself on the person directly ahead of me and trying to keep up with her (as much as was possible). During mile 2, I caught sight of both Chuck and Cathy ahead of me. They were doing awesome and I was excited for them! I had a little renewal of spirit and knew that I had to do the best I could because they would be waiting for me at the finish line. So, I continued to push through the doubts and fears and continued looking forward. At each mile marker, there was a person reading out the time to you...which was a huge help because I had a decent idea of where I was in my time. And I was so happy to see those water tables at mile markers 2, 3, 4, and 5!

As usual, I found a couple kindred spirits and chatted with a few of my fellow runners/walkers along the way. There was a woman who kept running ahead of me and then turning around and running back towards me. After the third time she did this, I stopped her and asked what she was up to. She was actually trying to get mileage in for a full marathon that she is doing in a several weeks. I also spoke with a young lady who had a similar stomach bug two weeks before the race and was feeling the same as I was about her endurance level. And then there was the lady behind me with the Garmin who was keeping a slower pace but fast enough to finish before the shuttle would have to pick me up. I then knew I had to stay ahead of or with her in order to avoid the shuttle.

Mile 5 was the hardest for me. I was hurting and aching and tired...so tired. I was pushing myself to keep moving but not pushing myself. I was holding a slight bit in reserve in order to actually finish. I knew that I would have to have something left to run across that finish line. So, I kept a reserve. I did not give this race everything I had but it took everything out of me. Once we got close enough to the finish line, I started running faster. I heard Cathy and Chuck cheering me on and knew that they were there, so I pushed as hard as I could to finish. I finished strong.

Me, Chuck and Cathy after our post-race breakfast at Cracker Barrel

I needed this race and this finish. I know several things now. 1. I am not ready mentally or with my mileage for my half-marathon in October. 2. I am still able to push through the pain and mental crap to finish my race. 3. It is time to kick mileage into gear and ramp up training to get me ready for the half.

Even though this was a difficult race, it was an important race for me. It was the race that told me that I still have it. I am still able to compete. I still have what I need mentally to continue on this journey. And I know that I am not ready to give up running yet. I may be starting all over again, but I will fight to keep in this sport. I will work smarter and harder to prevent future injuries, but I will continue to run and continue to compete. I am looking forward to my 5k next weekend. I am going to get some more mileage in this week and work a bit on my endurance and speed. And I have a goal in mind for next weekend, but I am ready...at least mentally.

This race reminds me of a song that I listened to repeatedly when Dad was sick and I was traveling back and forth to VA to help out. It's called "Stand" by Rascal Flatts. The particular lyrics that stuck out to me were "Cause when push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of. You might bend til you break cause it's all you can take. On your knees you look up, decide you've had enough. You get mad, you get strong. Wipe your hands, shake it off, then you stand. Then you stand." I am still determined and motivated, no matter how afraid I might be, I am still facing the challenge and standing strong. I finished my race and finished strongly and I will continue to keep pushing and fighting.

Pushing Through...

So, I finally feel like I am making some headway in my workouts and in my return to my normal training intensity. I had several great workouts this week with Tye. Monday, we did shoulders, biceps and triceps....and my arms were killing me most of the week. I wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that I gave blood that day or the workout, but OUCH!! Wednesday was our leg day and it was awesome. My legs were wobbly as I was walking out of the gym that day. It felt great. We haven't had a leg day like that in awhile. And Friday was chest and back with some abs.

Yesterday, I headed out for my talk/walk/jog/run with Cathy. Depending upon the way my hip feels and the terrain is what determines whether we walk, jog or run. Yesterday, we were at the Harbison State Forest. I am not much for trail running because I am just pretty clumsy. So, I am more cautious there. We generally just get some good hiking in...6 miles of it! There are lots of hills and twists and turns...not to mention, there are tons of rocks and roots and things to trip over. We did do a small amount of running yesterday, but I was experiencing a little bit of difficulty with my ankle. It was weird because the day before I had some trouble with my shins but that was on the treadmill. I decided to take my friend Chuck's advice and tape my ankles for my next run...which will be this afternoon with Cathy!

After my time with Cathy, I came home and spent about 30 minutes trashing my abs. And I do mean trashing. Last night at work, I could already feel some tenderness there!! Wow! Who knew that I could pick ab exercises that would just kill me!! I got a couple exercises from my new magazine that I subscribe to...Fitness. The other exercises were ones I remember from Cathe Friedrich's workout. After abs, I spent some more time stretching. I wanted to make sure I got a good amount of stretching in. Also, I iced the hip last night and took Advil. I want to run with Cathy today so I am hoping that all my extra work will pay off in my running today!

With several races upcoming, I am getting more and more nervous about the running. I admit, fear is setting in deep. So, I am trying to work through my fears! I have been blessed with several good friends who have been helping me. Cathy and I have a regular running date on Saturdays. She challenges me but also keeps me mindful of my hip without making me feel bad if we have to slow down or stop. And Chuck gives me great advice on how to improve my running and technique so I can endure longer runs. I have yet to run with Chuck yet but mostly because he is so much faster than me that it intimidates me! But we will be running together soon. And I will have to keep in mind that I have to run at my own pace. I cannot try to run someone else's pace whether it be in my training or in my races. And Chuck would never make me run his pace because he knows I am rehabbing the hip still. I was also told by one of the trainers at the gym that is studying to be an athletic trainer (and has physical therapy experience) that it would likely be about a year before my hip would feel normal again! I am thankful for Cathy and Chuck who both understand that I am rehabbing a hip and don't push me past what I can do, but also challenge me to improve.

Tye has also been a great resource. He understands my fears since he has experienced an injury that changes his workouts some too. His shoulder is still not back to normal after surgery over a year ago. It takes time and patience to get back to your former patterns. So, I have hope to get where I want to be!

I look forward to continuing to push past the fears or reinjury or other injuries and the fears that I will never run the same again. My next few races may not produce any amazing times, but they are starting points for me to work back into and hopefully improve as I go. And I am okay with that. I want to get back into my sport and will take what I can get, even if that means I will be doing a whole lot more walking than I intended to!

I am also going to start working on some tips from trainer, Bob Harper. The first one I am woking on is to take one or two of my cardio sessions a week and double the time. This should be interesting because that means I would spend 2 hours on cardio!!! Of course, it doesn't all have to be done at one time but all on the same day. I have also been doing his challenges that he posts. Yesterday was a yoga challenge. It feels good to challenge myself!

Lessons Galore....

So, a couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to learn some self-defense maneuvers and asked my friend, Chuck, who is a black belt in Kook Sol Won, to teach me. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I asked Chuck for this favor. Apparently, I cannot start off by learning ways to beat the crap out of an attacker. The first lesson is learning how to fall! Yes, that's right...learning to fall correctly. And there are about 8 ways to learn how to fall.

On Tuesday, I was instructed in two of those eight ways to fall. I learned how to fall forward and how to fall backwards. I have to practice these and get them down better before I can go to my next lessons. I never thought it would be so hard to learn how to fall. I mean, I am a clumsy and completely uncoordinated person, so falling for me is like second-nature. Then again, my natural instinct is to keep myself from falling down which is where the difficulty comes in. Let's just say that it was interesting trying to figure that out...especially since I had given blood the day before and my arm was killing me!!! Now I get to practice this for a few more days before I see Chuck again and he checks my progress and I get lessons on some of the other 6 ways to fall.

I also learned how to form a fist correctly so I can punch better. I generally form my fist in a way that I would end up breaking my thumb or my wrist. So, I need to practice forming fists with both hands so that I can do them with good form. And I learned one kick...well, it's more like a knee to the groin-kind of thing! I am actually pretty good at that and feel pretty confident with that one. However, I will work on practicing that too!

There is also much to learn in my running. Chuck is a fellow runner and I have been picking his brain on improving my running. He used to be a runner who liked to run fast also and had to learn some techniques in order to become a better endurance runner. He is definitely a much faster runner than I am and that I might even become. However, his thought-process and methods of improving are sound. So, I will start relearning how to breathe now. LOL...that means when I am running I will actually be more efficient in my usage of air. If I use my air more efficiently, then I will be able to run for longer and run better. Also, he gave me a plan to get my hip back on board for running. I told him how frustrated I was about not being able to run the same as I did before or feeling comfortable when I run. So, he gave me a couple tips to increase not only my speed but also my mileage.

I really feel like I learned a lot this week. It was really helpful to get some tips and learn ways to improve my techniques. The next few days I get to practice my lessons and continue with my regular routines. Tomorrow, I hope to be able to get some running in after work.

I have enjoyed having the last couple of days off too. I learned some lessons there too. Having a few days to spend time with some friends and some time for myself is a good thing. It's also something I need to do more often. De-stressing is always a good plan! I had fun and I enjoyed my days off.

The rest of the week is back to the usual. I go back to work and see how things managed while I was gone. I feel pretty confident that the guy I trained to be my back-up probably did a great job. So, I am not too worried and if it all went well, then I may actually get to start taking some time off every once in awhile! And I am really looking forward to Saturday. Cathy and I will be heading out for some more mileage!!