4 + 3 = I LOVE Running

Today was National Go Hug a Runner Day - aka Go HARD!!!!!  SO, I did.

Last night I went out for a 4 mile training run with fellow Team In Training members and even got to meet a fellow Marathon de Paris runner - we ran 4 miles and we pushed each other which felt great.  I realized how much I love training and running with other and not just by myself.  I still don't like to run on a Treadmill aka Dreadmill next to someone but will run training runs and races with people on either side - LOL tooo funny.  I haven't run with training partners since High School and have done all of my current training for the past 10 months by myself.  WOW what a difference it makes when you train with someone.

The 4 mile run was followed by a Kick Off Conference Call and I learned a lot of things I needed to know and will learn many more - Note to self - renew my passport!!!!

Tonight I went out with some fellow Mama's from my Moms RUN This Town Running Group and we met up and ran a 3 mile fun run for G.O. H.A.R.D.  Globally Organized Hug A Runner Day!  I gave and took hugs from fellow runners and loved every one of them!  I love sharing my passion with others that love it as much as I do.

Tonight my CRAZY Awesome Friend Trisha pushed me and she didn't even realize it at first.  When we started out - she was a bit ahead of me and I kept her in my sights and kept the pace with her.  It was what I needed again tonight.  I love running with her and to be able to keep pace with her makes me realize that I am improving.  I am by no means a Kenyan nor will I ever be one but to run with my friends that push me and will support me - that is better than winning a prize purse.  Like I have said before - my prize is my health.  YAY!

Tomorrow will be another training run - how far?  I don't know but I do know I will enjoy it.  It is going to be a Fun Run with Fit2Run at the Orlando Florida Mall.  Saucony will be there and we will get to run in THEIR Shoes.  I currently DO run in Saucony Kinvara's and really do like them.  I am interested to see what they are bringing for us to run in tomorrow.  When Nike did this - I really liked their Lunar's but my toes don't - LOL Another good thing about running in their shoes - if it rains again like it did tonight - I don't have to get MY shoes wet or dirty!!!

And with that - I am out!  To quote Trisha - I hope you all have a Crazy Awesome day and with that, Runner Babe is out!

Tomorrow we will see what we run - and what shoes we run in.  It is like Christmas or your birthday -

I hope that you are enjoying my posts, and I hope that you will follow me at the following as well:

pages.teamintraining.org/vtnt/paris14/lsouthard

Happy Running!
Linda

Back to Back - AGAIN!

Finished the back to back weekend and had a BLAST!!!!  I was able to spend time with my fellow Mama's, my daughter Shannon and get in some amazing runs.

Like mentioned before - I ran the Peace Love Cure 5k on Saturday with my Moms RUN This Town Mama's.  I had a great time and won my prize - HEALTH!!!!!

Saturday I spent it with Shannon and Derek and then took Shannon with me to the Sunday Orlando Runner's Classic.  I couldn't justify spending $8.00 for just myself to park so I brought Shannon along because she was off from work - SO she thought - LOL

We get to the race and Shannon is showing me the Bear from Build A Bear and she ends up getting to work a few hours with her co-workers because they ended up needing her!  Go Linda, Go Linda!  LOL

The race started and I had an amazing time.  I ended up cutting off 6 minutes from my personal best to make a new PR at 59:30.  I went in with the hopes of getting in at an hour and when I saw the clock, I KICKED IT IN!  I ran it like I owned it and wasn't going to share it!

I then grabbed me some chocolate milk which is amazing after a race and went for a hug - Bearmey didn't mind that I stunk even! 

Then - off to the Expo!  

For a race that was benefiting a food bank - let me tell you, they really know how to feed you and take care of you.  I really did enjoy all of this and the weekend as well.  

I was telling Shannon that when I do these back to back races within a 24 hour period, I use them as training runs.  I have the Goofy Challenge coming up in January so doing this is GREAT practice and training. 

I'm thinking that today I may just have been the most fashion fauxpau runner of the day!  LOL I love my loud shoes and my skirt - thank god I washed clothes at Shannon's and my bright colors.  

Well - tomorrow will be a rest day - because I have a 12 hour shift to work and didn't get my Ibuprofen in before 7 p.m.

Tuesday we are back to running and will be trying to talk Angi in to the weekday runs as well.

Till then - Night all and as Mama T would say - Have a Crazy Awesome Day!

Crazy Awesome Running everyone!

Another weekend of back to backs

Well, here we are, another weekend off so what is a girl to do????

Why RUN Of course.  And those of you who know me know that I can't be happy with just ONE race so I scheduled back to backs again.  I kind of like doing them too - because it is getting me ready for the Goofy Challenge that I will be doing in January.

Today was the Peace Love Cure 5k which was done at a not so well pace however, it was done.  I wasn't feeling well this morning so I took it slow and stayed with another Mama that I run with and we had fun.  This was more like a recovery run for her and a lets push her run from me to her!  I wouldn't let her finish last and I was determined to have her finish strong and hard.  She did!!!!

While we were running - we joked, we laughed, we cheered other runners on and I even got permission from the Sanford Police Department to "Run a Red Light", So, I did!  We also realized a few things and one was that we aren't in it for the prize purse, our prize is in our health and our heart.  Knowing we can go out there and make a difference even if for just one person, we can say we made that difference.

When people ask me WHY do you do this Linda?  I have nothing else to say other than, Because I can and I am able to.  God blessed me with two good legs, two good lungs and the slight misfire in my brain that I have now realized is a part of alllllll runners.

I Run 4 Ben.  Ben is 2 and is just learning to walk and is using a wheelchair and walker.  Ben has a smile that will melt your heart and a Mama that is stronger than any woman I have ever met.  I run for Tyler, he is a patient of mine that I just met.  I feel honored to run for him and blessed that he and his family are allowing me to run for him this weekend.  ( By the way, Tyler picked the 8k for himself - so Sunday is for him)  I run for Bubba.  This adorable little man whom has an amazing mother and a former co-worker of mine.  I run for Tim Boyle and his buddy Michael.  For without them, I wouldn't have met some wonderful people who helped to open my heart and my eyes.  I run for Thomas.  The father to some dear friends who are like family to me.  They lost their father three years ago this month, just like I did my father - but mine, 30 years ago.  I run for my own father Glen.  Without my father's love and affection while I was growing up, I wouldn't be here doing ANY running.  He supported me while I was growing up and running in school.  I run for so many people and I LOVE IT!  I don't have a lot of time to run for myself though.  Maybe one day I will run for Linda but for now, I run for others.  THAT is why I do this, THAT is why I schedule so many races in such a short period of time.

SO, tonight, I will sign off and say Good Night from Florida.  It is a full Moon out there so I am hoping for a PR tomorrow - oh wait, I will have one - because THIS is my FIRST 8k.  LOL PR For Linda - woot woot!
I am going to leave you with a picture or two - LOL - from today's run

Peace, Love, CURE and Out

We are Training for Paris!!!

Well, we are off and running and so far - so good.

Did get in to the gym the other day to get some Dreadmill time in as well as work on my legs and hips. I remember why I hate the legs and hips workouts - UGH! I also remember why I prefer to run on the roads vs. running on the Dreadmill.  Why is it I can run in a race with THOUSANDS of other people but I can't stand to run in the gym on a treadmill with someone on each side of me?  It doesn't make any sense but I guess it does!  It kind of is like when I go bowling - I can't bowl when I see the person next to me so I guess when I am on a treadmill/dreadmill, I can't run when I see someone next to me.  I either need to go when there is NO ONE in the gym, run only on the roads or wear blinders like horses do!  THAT would be a site!

This week we have on tap three planned training runs and hope for a fourth. We also have two races this week as well. We have a 5k on Saturday and an 8k on Sunday.

Here's to a great week - Let's get it started.

Running is Real - And PARIS is in my Future!

Yesterday was a big day for me - I was enjoying my Rest day at work after the weekend of running and was checking my email at lunch.  Well, it just got REAL!!!!  I had a message in there from Team in Training and immediately made that call!!!!

GUESS WHO IS RUNNING IN PARIS BABY!!!!  I don't mean Paris, Texas either!

The Road to $5,900.00 has begun as has the life of a serious runner.  I will be running the Paris Marathon and feel like the Running life of Linda just got real!!!  I know it has been real up to now because I have had some PR's in the past 5 months since I began to run again.

OMG it has only been 5 month?!?!?!?!  It feels like so much longer

Just couldn't hold this in, had to share it -

SOOOO excited that come April 6, 2014 I will be running through Paris France and by the Eiffel Tower!

3 Runs in 24 hours - What did you do today?

YUP, I DID IT!!!!!

I was a little nervous at the beginning but I DID IT!!!!  I scheduled and ran in three different races in 24 hours and COMPLETED all three of them!  I did come to the conclusion that I really DO need to implement Hills into my training.  All I could think of during the Rattlesnake 5 miler was "Killer Hill" from my days of Cross Country while we would run up the final hill at a meet - WE could do it because Coach Knapp would make us train on it and, Rolla has hills!!!!!  Other teams had trouble with it because they didn't get to drain on that hill.  I felt like those other teams that day!

Run #1  Rattlesnake Festival 5 miler
This was nothing but hills - and some off trail.  UGH two of the things I dislike - A LOT!!!!

I was doing the giggle to myself before the race because as I had thought, I was the only one in a tutu and it caught every one's attention - LOVED IT!!!!  Little girls were asking their Mothers about it as well as the tape on my leg - "Mama, what happened to her leg?"  LOL I just pretended I was listening to my music.

There was some cute signage along the course - my favorite - "Yield to Rattlesnakes"  LOL Thankfully I didn't see any.  I did see the bumps that were labeled - Whew - that would have been really bad if I had fallen.  Then there was the decision I had to make - run on the grass up a hill or on the steps going up the hill?!?!?!?!    I opted for the stairs - figured it was the better of the two evils!  I'm glad that I did the stairs - good workout and it was better on my ankles in my opinion.  LOL  I'm definitely going to do this again next year and will make sure that I incorporate hills into my training next year!

Final time for this 5 miles was 1:04:50!  I'm really proud of that seeing as I hadn't run for two weeks since I did the Tower of Terror - YAY!!!!!  I'll take it!

Here is the finisher picture

And with that - we are off Orlando - LOL

After a brief stop in Zephyrhills to see the kids, I found out that I really did stink!  The one thing that I miss with my nose is that I can't smell anything including myself.  After a run like this in Florida - I need to know when I smell - or as Shannon would say - ANYTIME I run - just assume I smell.  Anyway, I stopped briefly in Wal-Mart to see Errin and Sean and to pick up Gatorade Gels and when I asked an associate, he kinda stepped back a step or two.  I wasn't offended by any means I actually thought it was humorous.  Didn't see the kids so I paid and left to continue up towards Orlando.  Made a deal with Shannon that if she would let me shower, I'd take her out to lunch!  AHHHHH the Shower! 

After Showering, Lunch and spending time with Shannon - Thanks again for Febreezing my Car - I headed on up to Brandyn's so that we could get ready for the Neon Run 5k (Run #2)

Run #2 - Neon Run 5k

NEVER Again will I do this one.  I did mention I don't like to go off trail right!?!?!  This was at the Orlando Fair Grounds and if you ever wanted to attend an UN Organized Run - go to this one!  By the time we started - we finally were off and jogging only to bottleneck and stop about 100-200 yards later!  WHAT?!?!?!?!  This was due to they were spraying up with some sort of oily water substance and THEN we were bombed with a GREEN powder substance.  YUP - I was definitely glowing by now!  As the "run" continued - we came to the one and only water stop that had NO water or cups.  Guess what - there wasn't any at the end of the run either!!!!!!!  We ended up getting water at a gas station that we were afraid we would get TB or any other ailment!  LOL I actually had politely declined to checkout at that window - I didn't have any Lysol.  Although I did have a blast laughing with my girls as we drove down I-4!  Have you ever seen glowing eyes glaring at you while you drive down the interstate?  I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Here is the beginning of the run and then the end of the run!!!!

Jazz Hands Anyone?


I "mustache" you a question.... Does this Tutu make my butt look big?

Just wanted you to know that you can turn your light off tonight, I am here to be your nightlight!

Off to shower and bed so that I can wake up for Day #2, Run #3

Run #3 - Pink Feet 10k

Woke up a little tight and stiff but off we went!  Enjoyed running the Pink Feet 10k with all my Mama's and to celebrate Trisha's 40th Birthday!  We've dubbed this the "Trisha's 40th Birthday Run" instead.  

This started out with yet - Another incline and hill!!!!!  there were a couple more here and there dotted throughout the course - the only bad thing about this run - ok there were two things.  First - The HUMIDITY!!!!!  OMG I thought my lungs were going to burst.  Second - about mile 4 my Left Hip went and I knew what was next.  I knew my knee would go.  Next, at about mile 4.1 my Left Knee went and I felt it - I still plugged on and dug deep and carried through.  I did this knowing that at the end of the race, Ad Kore was there and they were going to be giving me a nice FREE Stretch after I finished.  I hobbled over (Thanks Mama's for the ice) and filled out my paperwork like only a kindergartner could and took a seat icing my knee while waiting my turn.  

1:28:33 Not a PR but at least I finished it!

This ALSO meant that when I finished this, I was done with my 14.3 miles for the weekend!

I did realize a few things this weekend though.

1.)   The importance of training on hills - I will now incorporate them into my training routines.

2.)   The importance of Stretching - I didn't get a chance to do any of that before today's race.  I DID however get to stretch rather nicely before yesterday's and rocked it!  Good Race Day = Stretch Good

3.)   I really shouldn't plan 3 races in 24 hours however, this was GREAT training and a GREAT eye opener for the Goofy Race in January at Disney!

4.)   I'd love to take an ice bath and will make sure that I enjoy those during Goofy weekend!

5.)  Running while Dancing - or is it Dancing while Running isn't just a release for myself - it brings laughter and smiles to the workers along the race route.  When you see me running and flailing my arms - it's a pretty good bet that I'm singing and will start dancing soon!

Next up - planning a Training schedule and getting MORE serious about this - time is running out!

Crazy Running Babe Signing Out for now!

Love you all

3 in 24 - Can I do it?!?!!

Tomorrow is another one of my infamous "Hey, I think I will run Three races in 24 hours" days.  WHY do I do this and WILL I ever learn?

WHY?  Because I can and I do it for those who can't.  God gave me two good legs, two good lungs and a slight misfire in the brain - Running is a Mental Sport and we are all a little insane!  LOL   That and my Epilepsy - maybe that will be another entry one day!?!?  I also run because it is that one time I get to get out there and run and let the world go by the wayside.  I don't have to worry about anything  but putting one foot in front of the other.  I don't have to worry about anything or trying to please anyone but myself - I just literally have to remember TWO things:  1.) Breathe In, Breathe Out, 2.) Left, Right, Left, Right.  How hard is that?  NOT!!!!  If you can breathe and you can walk you too can do this - but I wouldn't recommend three in 24 hours - LOL - at least not at first!

WILL I ever Learn?!?!?  Doubt it!  As long as I am capable of doing this, I am GOING to do this.  It goes back to the first one to where I am out there by myself.

Tomorrow I will literally be running 14.3 miles, three runs/races in three towns!  I will literally be running by myself in one of them by that is ok - it is one I have always wanted to do.

First out of the starting block - the Rattlesnake 5 miler in San Antonio Florida.  Race starts at 8:00 a.m. and I hope to be there by 7.  (Guess I should type faster then!)  We will be wearing our Black, Brown and Tan Tutu and I have a feeling I might be the ONLY tutu there tomorrow but you know what - THAT IS OK WITH ME!!!

This run will be my morning wake me up and get right with the day run.  I just want to finish it - it is ONLY 5 miles.  I will be happy running this - only thing is, I secretly wish I had someone there to cheer me on and meet me at the finish line - that is where I will be feeling awkward.  Errin and Sean asked what time the run was but they will have to be at work before I start - so I'm thinking I will go in afterwards and say Hi to them in my tutu - LOL

The second run is the NEON 5k in Orlando.  I will be running this one with my Moms RUN This Town Group from Seminole County.  I am looking forward to seeing all my girls again.  Love when we can get together and have fun.  This one will be fun to run with the girls - every now and then I do like to run with friends - just don't get that chance a lot.

Finally we will be waking up on Sunday and going to run the Pink Feet 10k.  This has also been dubbed Trisha's 40th Birthday Run!  LOL   Again I will be running this one with my MRTT Mama's and we will have a different shirt than what is posted here and I am soooo excited to see them - we are going to be some smoking hot mama's running that race!

Well, I really must go now, I am up WAY past what I wanted to be and I have to get up early to leave here by 6:00 a.m.

3 in 24!!!!

To Quote Trisha - Run and be Crazy Awesome!!!