Fall is arriving and a Half Marathon

So the weather has begun to change here in Michigan. Fall is slowly but surely making it’s appearance. This is my first real fall in over 8 years! The crisp cool weather in the morning and evening, with a slight bit of warmth in the afternoon.  But with this cooler weather I am slowly learning that my blood has also became very thin from my time living down in Alabama. Most of the runners here in Michigan are starting to love the cooler weather, and probably still in their shorts and t-shirts for their runs, me I am starting to break out my cold weather gear. I actually enjoy running in the 60’s, I am one of the odd people! I would much prefer to run comfortably in shorts and tanks then gloves, and 3 layers of tops! I will say I am happy that the cooler weather is starting now, so that I can start to get adjusted to it well before the Detroit Marathon in October. But don’t worry I am very aware I live in Michigan there is always a small chance of warm October day that can occur!  The one sad thing of fall and winter weather is that all the cute Lulu summer running wear must go into the bottom of the drawer. 

Kristen, Chelsea & I prior to race. Can you tell who the cold one is!?

Over the weekend, it was a fun and great running weekend. It was the Capital City River Run half marathon . It is 6 weeks out from Detroit Marathon so I get to race to see how I am feeling going into the marathon. The scheduled actually called for 22 miles on this day, but got the approval from the coach to get at least 20 in for the day! So I started with a 1.75 mile warm up prior to the half marathon. I had hoped that warm up would had actually made me warm, but not so much! I was still a fridged soul at the begining of the race.  The plan for the race was to plan for a 2 hour half marathon. It was also my 1st race running with my new running buddy's!!  Chelsea and Kristen were hoping to break the 2 hour mark for the 1st time! So we got into the 9min pace group. And we set off at 8:30am. It was great weather for racing, after the 2nd mile I was warm enough and very happy that I went with tank and shorts. Over the first few miles I was happy to be in the pace group, it did not allow me to go all out as I sometimes do at the start of any run, the rush of starting! So we kept great strides and conversations through out. At mile 4 Kristen had to make a porta-potty break, but told us to keep on. So Chelsea and I kept on. We both kept with in the pace group, conversation pace, and both had said to each other "this feels great". So at mile 7 we decided that if we still feel like this towards the end we would pick it up a bit. At first I thought ok, pick it up at mile 11 or 12. But by mile 10 as I looked at my Garmin we already started to pick it up to an 8:45 pace, so we just kept with it. And the last 2 miles went in between 8:30-8:45 pace. She had an awesome sprint to the finish!! 

Into the finish

We finished at 1:56 and some change. She had busted the 2hour mark, and had almost 8 min PR (or more!) as for Kristen....She didn't catch up with us, but once we crossed the finish line, we had a chug of chocolate milk and water, we went back up the course to run the finish in with Kristen! She may not had broken the 2hour mark, but she did have a 10min PR and came in at 2:06! I was very happy and proud of them!! 

As for me, I was very happy and pleased with how I ran. This was my 2nd fastest half marathon since I started running! And it felt easy! And that's how I had hoped that running at 9min pace would. I feel 6 weeks out from Detroit I am right where I need to be! I feel that all the training and guideness that I have been doing and given from Coach Alex is paying off! I am really excited to get to the Detroit and get into the 4hour marathon pace group! 

After the race, there were still miles to get in! Chelsea who is also training for Detroit had more miles to run as well. So we started off to get our extra 6 miles in! And let me tell you those were some slow slow miles! But we got them done!

With 5 weeks until the Detroit Marathon I am feeling great and ready for it! In 2 weeks I am going to go run in the Brooksie Half Marathon +8 miles! Marathon training doesn't stop just for a half marathon. But with that one, I will be at training pace no race style pace that day! Plus it will be a hilly route which will be good seeing that I have been in the flat lands here in East Lansing. And I get to meet some new running, twitter Friends,! But, I did get to finally meet Jen @redheadrunning even if it was for a short meeting...those silly marathon additional miles got in the way of talking longer! But I think for my next race I need to run with her a few times....she's got speed!!


How was your running weekend?

What is your favorite season to run in?

........until next time always Run Happy :)

10 Miler & 10 Thoughts Tuesday

I know it has been such a while since I have last blogged. But life just got in the way! & I have to admit when I had down time I was just lazy about writing! But I can Promise I have been running!! Actually just finished my 10th week of my training for the Detroit Marathon! And still feeling great and feeling strong. Today I had a 10mile run scheduled and while I ran it I thought I would do a list of 10 things going on in life!

10. We are finally fully moved in and unpacked in our new house! Such a nice feeling to feel back to a normal life since we have made our move from Alabama back to Michigan.

9. It's the start of Football season!! One of my favorite times of year! & it all starts off this weekend with Michigan vs. Alabama. GO BLUE!! and seeing that I have just moved from Alabama there has been a little back and forth 'smack' talk going on! Even have a small little wager with Michael, from Alabama. That when MICHIGAN WINS he will have to wear a Michigan Shirt for at least 1 mile with his Running Group, the Village Runners. And if (by chance) Alabama wins then I have to wear a Bama shirt while running in East Lansing. 

8. The weather!! Oh my I am loving it! Just perfect!! I have already had one run in Capri's and long sleeves! I am so ready for fall. but check back with me when Michigan winter comes around!

7. Signed up for another marathon!! Flying Pig Marathon!! It has been a race I have looked at for awhile, so one day I just signed up for it! Plus it will keep me running during the Michigan winter.

6. Trip to LA!! Our good friends got married a couple weeks ago. I also had 19 miles scheduled for the Saturday of the wedding. But with my luck we were less then a mile from the beach! So 19 miles on Venice beach, Santa Monica, Marina Del Ray made for the best sight seeing trip ever!

19miles along the Pacific Ocean!

5. Few weeks back, signed up and ran a 5k Race here in Lansing! It was a great race. I ended up with a 

huge PR! A 2min PR from Last year!!  Also was 1st in my age group! yes it was a small race, but still 1st is 1st!  In addition to running the race, I had the rest of my training run to finish, 9miles after the run. Not the greatest way to do a recovery run, but had to get the miles in!

4. Have made some new running friends with the Mid Michigan Running Group. Great group and like most runners have one thing in common in addition to running, beer! Wednesday night runs ending with beer always a good idea!

3. Still on the hunt for an actually job, but not having a job has been nice for me and getting my runs in! No early early wake up calls! :)

2. Training plan. I have been asked by a few I have run with what plan do I use. Well I am using the plan from Resolute Running. Coach Alex devised the plan to tailor the needs for my goal and pace. I met Alex in Alabama and we discussed being my running coach for the Detroit Marathon well before I knew I was moving. I am very thankful that he still took me on as a 'student' even though moving to Michigan. I have learned so much from this training cycle and still have so much to learn. I am very excited to see the end result! which is only 2 months away!

1. I will try to blog more often, I do have the time to do so again! 

But until the next post Run Happy!!

~~Summer is coming to end....are you ready for Fall to Start?

~~What type of training plan do you use? 

~~It's FOOTBALL season....Are YOU READY!?

~~Are you training for a full or half Marathon for the fall? How is your training going?

Where did July go??

It is August 1st and I'm still not sure where July went?! Well...ok I do! It was one of the busiest months I have had in a very long time! We closed on our new house in Michigan on June 29th and the rest has been a blur! 

It's OURS!! 

For the 1st week of being in the new house, it was an empty house as all our stuff was still in Alabama. But Mom was nice enough to let us borrow an air mattress and a tv, because we were able to get DirecTv hooked up! But there was plenty to do, remove wallpaper in 2 rooms and then paint them plus 2 other rooms! Had to make the house ours. I was able to finish all but 1 room before we made our trip to Alabama to meet the movers. We had Rose Moving company (Allied) as our movers and they were AWESOME! I was actually taken back by how quick and efficient they were! We were originally quoted that it would take 2 days to pack our house and 1 day to load!

Packing up Alabama

Final run in Alabama, finished at the Bamma

 So I had my whole week planned out to meet up with my running friends while in Alabama! Well with them only taking a day and half to pack and load and a thunder/lighting storm...meeting up with some of my friends didn't happen :(  I did get one run in with some from the Helena Running group. It was great to see the few that came out even if it was a bit wet with the rain! That just means I have to make a trip back down! & I am looking to do so for the Mercedes Marathon in February. I did have one final run around the neighborhood, and it took me almost 5 minuets to start, I had so many emotions as I walked out the front door that the tears started to flow! But made it through it and it was my speed work 6miler for the week. 

So Mike and I arrived Tuesday in Alabama and on Friday morning with an empty house and our boat loaded and ready and in the truck we started our trip back north! And yes the tears started again! We had lived there for 8 years and we have grown so much and of course met such great people and so many memories, but it was time to go home. 

Ready to unload in Michigan.

Once we got back it was a nights sleep and on Monday at 8am that orange truck showed up again and the boxes started filling up our house. Over 400 items which included our furniture and boxes were packed into our house! Who knew we had so much stuff??! And it seemed like it just kept coming and coming, and at 12:30 it was all off the truck and my house became a maze of boxes! So for the past 2 weeks that has been my life, unpacking and organizing. But our house is starting to feel like our home again! 

Lululemon Birthday! :)

During the month I did celebrate my 36th birthday, yes that's my age and not afraid to say it! And it was the 1st time in 12 years I had not spent my birthday at Ocean Isle Beach, NC which was a little sad, but with all that was going on and being home I was ok with it. Plus my Mom made it a very happy birthday! Also during the month Mike and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary!! 

Mike did good with my gift!

10 years ago! my love

Running! 

Yes I have been running! Running has been keeping me sane through this whole process! And I had one of my highest mileage months ever! 172 miles!! All for training for the Detroit Marathon in October! But last weekend I did a crazy running Sunday! I had 13 scheduled for the day, but I had also signed up for a 5K race. It was a small race, the Hall of Fame run in Lansing, MI, but I wanted to run it to see how I was doing! So I started with a 1 mile warm up, and then ran the race in a HUGE PR time for me! A 2 min. PR from last year!! And ended up 1st in my age group and 18th overall. Yes it was a small race, but the PR was what was most Important!!

PR in 5K

Then seeing that I still had 9miles to get in to get to 13, I started back up and ran 9 miles on the River Trail! Yes it was a crazy day of running but a good day! 

Now that life is starting to settle down again, I hope to get back to blogging my journey to the Detroit Marathon, which is now only 2 months and 19 days away!! I am really excited about running it and the training has been going well even with all the crazy life events happening now!

This sums it up! 

How was your July? Was it a blur or month of memories?!

How did you fair with running in the July heat?