AHHHH mazing.... a peppy run for me today... not the rest of the running world but me.... I am built like a body builder, not a runner, so when I get an 11:23 min average pace for 3 miles... I am a happy camper!

still coming to the sad reality that I won't make my fund raising goal which means I won't be doing the Team In Training Event on October 1... but I'm going to keep training as if I WILL make my goal... but I don't have much more time is the reality and over $1700 still to raise....

Long runs are typically Saturday's... but this one got done Sunday... it wasn't pretty... 12:36 avg pace.... but hey it is done....

I'm loving the temps in the south... I truly am... but I will say the humidty makes for some nasty hard fought running..... its like or feels like someone is sitting on your chest the entire run its so humid... and I got started when it was still dark out.. it was before 6am no sun in sight.....

so the recommit date is coming up soon... not sure of exact date but its mid August... basically you sign papers with team in Training saying that any funds you don't raise toward your minimum come out of your pocket... well as of today I am at $785... my minimum for this event is $2500.... Listen I know money is tight for EVERYONE, I get that... hell my money is so tight it squeks when I use it..... so there is no way under this earth that I can personally make up that difference... the money just isn't in my checking, savings or any other account I own...so bottom line is... if I dont' raise the money then I just can't do the event... and that saddens me on many levels.

I know I'm not a runner... and for me running is a means to an end.... but this cause meant something me... and I just didn't think people were so damn tight they can't come off a buck or two.... I don't need everyone to donate $100, or $50, or $25... but Praise God for those that felt lead to give that, those that could and did... I seriously appreciate every single donation be it $1, $5, $10.... whatever - truth is those that have the least to give are the ones that do... in our world, our gov't and life in general....

Well I will give it to God and pray that He can impart upon the hearts of those in my life, be it real life or internet life, to give to this worth while cause.... I guess when I am asked to donate to stuff like this... I always think... I never know when it could be ME or someone close to me needing the benefit of these raised funds... so even if its a $1 or $5 I will give what I can... I hope others will feel the same before I have to make that final decision on recommit date...

Well really less than a day really..... my intent last night was to run 4 miles.... well that didn't quite happen... nothing... and I do mean NOTHING went right.... Rhapsody wouldn't work, couldn't find tunes to get into a groove on iPod or Pandora, water bottle holder just wouldn't sit right, new shoes, and I was missing my Kelly and my Bre.... ya ya so what I was get over it... LOL.... it was one of those runs where every step sucked and I wanted it to be over..

And today less than 24 hrs later I got up and out about 4:45am and ran 2.5 and while Rhapsody still wouldn't act right, everything else flowed.... i must say that running in my neighboorhood when its still dark is a bit daunting.... at least when I'm running over in Sangaree there are street lights everywhere to light my path.... in my area we have a lot of dark areas... I'm not worried about some prowler or something waiting for me.. i mean if some idiot is ready to pounce at that hour of the morning more power to them.... but dark areas where you can't see your path/footing can prove dangerous to an ankle if you mis-step...

Saturday is my long run... 7 miles and then moving Elisha into her new place... I hope we get it done quickly... I don't want to miss to much of Breana's games....

Training schedule called for 2.5 but my route took me 3.... there was the threat of rain the entire run... by the end of it I wish it had rained on me.... it was MUGGY.... the temps have dipped below 95+ degrees in Charleston this week but the humidity has not left the air so the rain would have felt great...

My run was, for me, rather peppy.... 11:45 avg pace WITH negative splits!!! WOO HOO..

And right at the end of my run I was encountered with the cutest group or gaggle or whatever a bunch of baby ducks are called and their momma....

She was very generous in allowing me to snap a picture of them....

,

somedays you have a good run and others, well, its just get it done... today's 6.5 miles was just get it done... of course having had some wine, going to bed late, and 80 muggy degrees at 5:30am (before any sun was peeking out) all made for a slow go run... it was seriously one of those times were ever mile seemed like forever... and I wanted to cut it short specially at the 5mile mark when I went back by the house...but in the end the only person I'm cheating is myself... so sucked it up for one more mile and then some...

Tried to entice a neighbor to do my last mile and I'd mow his lawn... since he was getting it prepped thought it was worth a try.. no taker sadly...LOL... training schedule called for 6 and long run is generally saturday but traveling north tomorrow so best to get it done today.... but when garmin hit 6mile mark I still had at least another 1/2 mile to get back to my start... so most of that last .5 mile was walked briskly...

ok time to get motivated to get some things done....

this weekends long run will be another 6miler.... I'm ready.... I will be doing my long run on Friday instead of Saturday since got some traveling north a couple hours to do on Saturday - picking up precious cargo.... I'm excited to hear all the stories from the week...

Will update tomorrow after the run... stay tuned....

Seriously... WHERE has the year gone already??? It really feels like it was just NYE weekend and I was in Asheville NC with some uber cool ladies doing the touristy thing and checking out the Biltmore Estate and the Gingerbread House display at The Grove Park Inn...

Nothing over the top exciting... Runs are 'feeling' better... I'm keeping a faster pace (for me that is not general running population) and keeping heart rate out of zone 5 on my garmin (175+ BPM) - guess I'm getting more cardio vascularly fit because I'm able to run, again faster for me, with less strain/stress....

will soon be time for new shoes because I need to get them broke in before Oct 1....Was hoping to be able to head down to FL on Sept 29th and have a private room, rather than rooming with another TNT member, but rather take a friend with me... but not sure THAT is gonna happen, since other 1/2 of room is over $80 a night - granted we ARE in Disney but considering its a benefit race the hotel would offer cheaper accomodations... plus the tickets for the after event another $60 or so... eh who knows how it might work out... I really hate the thought of going there alone, not having someone I know personally there to cheer me on....

Why does life ALWAYS come down to flipping $... even this event is proving difficult to get people to donate... I won't ride anyone's ass about it, that isn't my style - so I am SUPER grateful to those that have donated thus far.. Y'ALL rock....

Today was 4miles for me... 1.5 on training schedule, but hey if its feeling good I'm gonna do it.... today's pace an even 12 min mile.... Yes I'll take it since I've been averaging 13+ min miles since this started back in May...

Saturday the 16th was the longest training run to date.... 6miles.... now its not MY longest run ever.... but it IS my longest run in last couple of years....

I'm finding it extremely difficult to get to downtown Charleston to train with the group.... on Tuesdays after work just seems like a million other things need to get or be done... and by the time I'd get there, run with group, and drive 45ish minutes home, clean up and get to bed.... well it starts eating into my 'I need to be in bed by 9pm to get up at 330am' time. And Saturday's, well by time I'd get up, drive to d/t Charleston, run, get home, etc... half my morning if not all is wasted - just seems easier to roll out my own door at 5 or 5:30 am, get my run in, then start my day - so while I'm feeling isolated it is my own choosing I guess.

But all in all my 6 miler (and some change) on Saturday was great... an avg 11:52 pace and it felt good... and I wasn't as stiff/sore as I'd anticipated to be.... afterwards my day was spent with KB and BB watching her team, The Carolina Fire, play ball all day.... it was a GREAT day beginning to end....

I've not been very good about keeping this updated and for that I must apologize, sometimes there are only so many hours in the day ya know... I've also not be strict and diligent with my training, but again there is one of me, and 24 hrs in the day, and you do what you can do.. truth is, I'm NOT a runner, I'm nothing but a wanna be runner... someone that uses running as a means to an end, but there has always been a secret unspoken desire to try a longer distance... and having a best friend lose her battle with leukemia at the young age of 12 made me think perhaps I should give this a whirl in memory of Kim....

Tuesday, July 12... I got in 2 miles on the treadmill in the morning, then after work in spite of the 115 heat index.... i got in another 2.25miles.... I must be made for the heat n humidity... I just run more smoothly, for me, the run was peppy... I don't get it, but it works... just gotta find a way to keep the sweat out of my eyes and it would be perfect... well that and figuring out how to get rhapsody to cooperate so my tunes play....

.... 3.5 miles in the heat.... not sure of pace and walked another 1/4 mile... I should have gotten out earlier in the day but, well, doesn't always work that way... most of it was run in the sun as there was not much shade at all....