One, Seven, and Thirteen point one

One more day.

Tomorrow will be our last day as a household of five.

  I will miss my eldest son, now to be known as Army son, simply being here.  I took comfort in his presence within our home.  Like many teenagers he spent the majority of his time in his room or behind his computer gaming not discussing politics or social views with his mother. 
I will notice the void created by him not being here. 

Why mention this personal issue on my running blog?  If you have been a reader long or even not a reader for very long you know that my Army son is my biggest running supporter!  He encourages me to get out the door when I'm tired or the weather is less than ideal.  He watched his little brother more times than I can count so that I didn't have to push the jogging stroller.  He was a cheerleader for me while I was trying to be an example for him.  I wonder who taught whom more?  I have been blessed to be his mom.


Seven Random things about Shelly

I was tagged by Heather Here to come up with seven random things.  So here goes

1.  I won a blue ribbon for square dancing at the State Farm Show.

2.  I have never put my hands inside a turkey and never will.

3.  When I was younger I lost the ability to walk.

4. I named my children to spell my father's name.

5.  I make up words all the time and use them as if they are real.

6.  I laugh dozens of time everyday.

7.  I was tackled during a highschool football game.

Thirteen point One

Today I was in need of some mood elevation; I decided that (after reading about everyone who is going Goofy at the Disney Marathon today and tomorrow) I was going to run a half marathon today to be there virtually with those lucky enough to be able to be running.  Since life rarely allows me to participate in destination races, I will have to settle for doing them in spirit.  That is what I did. 

I imagined all the characters cheering me on as I ran!  I was holding a great pace because I was WAY out in front of all the other runners.  At least in my mind that's how it was going. 

To all those who ran the half Congratulations and Run Strong tomorrow.  I won't be running that with you but I will be thinking of you and eager to read all the great race reports! 

We will be taking Army son to Harrisburg for his processing and signing on Monday.


Welcome to all the new journey joiners!  I will make a better effort this week to make it around to say Hi!  Thanks for sharing in my little path.  Hopefully you will find some inspiration or at least a few laughs to help you along your journey.  Thanks so much for all your comments.  They really help me stay motivated!

NIttany Valley Half Marthon Race Report and the Lessons I've Learned

My day started last night when I got up the first time at 12:30 with littlest and then at 2:34 and then at 4:26 and then at 6:31 hubbs got up with him. I do not know why he decided to pretend to not understand the concept of sleep on a night before a race but honestly I don't think it matter very much.

While hubbs took care of littlest I went through the per-race drill; potty, shower, getting dressed and fueled. It was a bit different for me because we had a drive of a hour and twentyish minutes I am used to either staying over night in the vicinity or participating in a somewhat local races.

Familiar or not the morning went smoothly and quickly until we got to the end of my google map directions. LESSON #1 NEVER trust a google map. LESSON #2 or SUB-LESSON of #1 ALWAYS call the race director (of smallish race anyway).

As it turns out no one on the street in State College actually lives there and is familiar with where Beaver Stadium actually is. At least not the first 35 people we asked. That wonderful 36th person a lovely dark-hair young lady with EXCELLENT local geography and direction giving skills!! Thanks wonderful girl!! Because we were getting there none too early...that could be because first you HAVE to drive around a bit before you ask for direction, right? It's a law, right? My hubbs tells me it is. It must be so.


We arrive. Hubbs drops me at the door and I go in to pick up my chip and lovely long sleeve shirt. Cute logo It reads, " Nittany Valley 26th Annual Half Marathon. If you haven't ran it...you don't know the half of it!"...more on that later.


The building is crowded with runners! Ekkkk! There are a LOT of people here. I do not love lots of people. There are hundreds more out side. Ekkk!


With the late arrival, there is only a potty visit an a quick mile warm up jog. Hubbs and I pose for a snap shot thanks to a nice lady who is in the crowd of runners gathering outside. Having heard announcements earlier I assume that there will be an announcement that the runners should gather at the starting line (which was where?). LESSON #3 Pay attention to the race...not so much the pictures.




My hubbs is the one who realizes that we are in the back of the pack of runners and the front appears to have started. Ekk! I don't want to start at the back of the pack! Too late. Oh well, I have a chip so that should be okay. I am hoping.

The race starts with 2 laps of a mile each around a mostly gravel ...road...path. It was narrow. It was snow covered. It was ICE! Remembering all my bloggie friends and everything I already know about racing I think that I will just use those 2 miles to start out slow. Not go out too fast. Well, ice is not starting out slowly. Ice makes the hundreds of runner in front of me run like snails. And some of them fall down. (don't worry. No injuries. And I helped a lady who was running near me up when she fell.) After a little more than 2 miles I was at 9:48. A MILE. I was freaking out. As soon as I hit the dry-ish paved road I started to run! I spent the next 4 - 5 miles weaving through people to try and find a way back to a decent pace while remembering all the warnings about the second half of this half marathon being SO hilly.


With the hills and warning is mind I tried to tell myself that I wanted to enjoy this race, the scenery (it had just snowed the day before and it still hung on everything), the other runners, the whole experience. So I did. As I passed other runners I chatted briefly or ran with them for a little while. I looked around and took in all the mountain and fields. I was having a great time!


The miles were not marked very well. In fact after the first two miles, I only saw the 6, 8 and 10 mile markers. At the six mile I had made up a little time and knew I still had lots of energy and felt like I could run a full marathon so I picked up the pace for 2 miles. During that time I fell into running with a younger girl dressed in black head to toe. She is one of those runners who just look effortless. We chatted a bit. Then I made the mistake of running her pace. LESSON #4 NEVER run with someone when you have a goal time WITHOUT asking theirs. (Of course, if I had borrowed my hubbs Garmin this would not have happened so I apologize to all those out there who use Garmins for being...thick headed/stubborn enough to not just use it.)


I had been told that after about mile 7 the grade/hills really amped up. The graph on the website had also confirmed this. LESSON #5 I do NOT know how to accurately read an elevation graph. (This my hubbs had tried to tell me was true prior to the race. Sorry honey for not listening to you) BECAUSE. The.hills.in.this.half.are.NOT.bad.at.all! Maybe if you are a flat-lander and train on flat land this half would hurt but I absolutely save way too much for the hills that never came.

By the time I saw mile 10, that last marker I would see, I keep thinking, "okay maybe the next hill will be bad so don't push too hard and then have to walk." I was still out pacing my young girl making-it-look-easy runner friend so I held the pace. But the next hill was just a hill. "Okay the final mile or so has been advertised as 'making you see God,'" I told myself so again I didn't push. Until I saw the final stretch. This was not anything that I don't run every day. Often twice a day. My favorite 6.5 loop has hills (both ways) just like this (with the exception of a 6% down hill at mile 7ish which was great to fly down!). I was very upset when I realized I was going to finish this half way slower than I was easily capable of.


I only allowed my pitty party to last a couple of strides. Reminding myself that I had (would soon) finish this half marathon in less than great conditions (27 degrees on ice and snow) and I was going to finish feeling GREAT and I would have an okay pace 1:53 (8:42 non-chip time) . Yeah that last one really does upset me but I learned many lessons at this race or was reminded of things I forgot that I should already know. And next year if life brings me back I will look forward to running this race smarter.


So as I neared the finish line I was all smiles knowing that with the knowledge I had about the course I had run a very smart race.


Feeling so good I went for another 2 miles to even out my day (HBBC points!) hoping to see the age group tallies. We didn't get to stay that long so I will have to wait and see how I did against the pack we needed to head home to get our wonderful kiddos (aka rescue the oldest from the younger two).

After crossing the finish line. All smiles!

The weather I'll be running in...

...and the reason I won't care.

Have a speedy weekend everyone!

One More Run...

....and then what will I do?

I will put in one more run before the half on Sunday. I am filled with so much nervousness and excitement you would like it’s my first and that it was a full marathon.

Race organizers should not tell us so much about the race. I mean really! Do I really know to know in graph, street view and topological map styles that their course is going to try and kill my legs? NNNNNOOOOOOOOO! No. I do not. Did I really NEED to see this?

Maybe they could just give us a quick glance over of the course, a general feel of the race might suffice. Who is to say that I would not run better if I did not have this battle going on inside my head knowing that I am going to run 13.1 miles (if the course is accurate!) of some of the steepest and longest grades I will have ever run in a race. Did I really need to know that before hand? Again. No.

I keep trying to visualize a successful run. An enjoyable run. However, this picture keeps popping into my head. Information, Ugh! I only need to know one thing; how far do I have to run. That is enough!

Okay, my rant (attempt at humorously ranting) is over. I wanted to show Tara (http://diylibrarian.org/) what I will probably look like at the race. She is volunteering since she recently ran a marathon. Thanks! She has offered to cheer for me. Thanks again! I may be running this completely alone. (Don’t cry for me. I have run full marathon all by myself too. It’s my unfortunate situation.) Hubbs may stay home with the kids. The details are not worked out. Anyway, here I am:

I thought this picture was funny since I have gotten really overtly long hair right now. I thought I’d share it to amuse you. My son caught me turning into the driveway after my run. I got out this morning for a short 3.5 (28:08/8:02). My dogs were excited. They had just chased a black bear across the property and into the fields behind me; hopefully he was headed to the mountain in the background. I was an exciting morning. What will the day hold in store?

Good Luck to all the runners this busy weekend!

Leave me a comment with your mileage over the weekend. Let’s see what kind of a total we can come up with (race or training). It might make for a great competition to see just how many miles we can do!

November 30th - Monday

Kitty update. Our cat is still missing. No sightings. No kitty found along the road. Nada. I don't know if that is a good sign or a bad one. She could come back on her own or she may have fallen in love with being wild. Time will tell so we will wait.

Monday on the workout front, I unintentionally took the day off. I know I am supposed to be tapering but I just love to run. A N D the HBBC http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/2009/11/holiday-bootie-buster-challenge.html is still going on so there are points to consider! And for Monday I got a big fat 1. Sorry team mates!

December 1st - Tuesday

Today was a great day. I got an early morning run. Okay, yes regular readers you know I did my favorite 6.5 mile loop (52:47/8:07). I did wear my new Nathan's High Visibility Vest. I didn't want the hunters to shoot me! So far so good!

After a great energizing morning run I had the normal daily routine of sitter, work and kiddos pickup.

On Tuesdays my middle one has gymnastics so I squeeze in errands before her class starts. Today one of those errands was a return trip to the eye doctor. Drum roll. I know you all have been just dieing to know which glasses I chose. So wait no longer...Number #2 !

Okay not a great picture but an 8 year old took it and she is already upset since she did not pick those glasses!

After ordering my glasses, we grabbed a bite to eat (yes more fruits and veggies for me!) and then dropped off the middle one for class. A quick drive home and hand off of the littlest to my oldest for round 2 of my favorite loop 50:31/7:46 A little fast but I didn't have a lot of time. You know I think I could run a sub 3:30 marathon - easy - if I could run it in the moon light! I just LOVE to run at night. It is amazing! Tonight I didn't even need my headlamp at all. It was so amazing. Okay I already said that.

After all the running fun, I still had homework to enjoy with my middle one and baths and diaper rash (my littlest does not tolerate dairy and the sitter still gives him ice cream from time to time...grrrrr!). Whew! It's been a full and fulfilling day. If they all could be like this.

Lastly, 5 days to the Half Marathon. I am excited. I am hopeful for good weather. But mostly, I am getting more and more convinced that I will train to do the Tussey Mountain Back 50 mile Ultra http://www.tusseymountainback.com/ on October 16, 2010.

November 27th - Friday


After my long run Thursday I took Friday off and got some things done around the house. Finally. We have a pellet stove so hubbs and my brother-in-law picked up 2 ton of pellets for over this winter which I know will eventually arrive. Hubbs had to head back to work in the afternoon. He wasn't home nearly long enough!

After hubbs left I realized that our cat, Perc hadn't come to eat that evening. Our cat never leaves the house. She is naive to the wild outside world. She sits and terrorizes the birds outside our windows knowing that she is really a terrifying predator, if only she could get out. I search the house. No kitty. I search outside. No kitty. I panic. The weather is to really get cold over night. I send out an email and post on Facebook. I call my neighbors to be on the look out. I sit out her food to try and tempt her. No sign of her all night.


November 28th - Saturday


We planned to go see a movie in the afternoon so I go out for my favorite run early in the day. 6.5 miles 52:11/8:02 It was not an enjoyable run. It was cold and windy. Have I ever mentioned. I.do.not.like.wind.

Middle daughter, littlest and I go see A Christmas Carol. I will clarify. My middle one saw the movie. Littlest and I saw the previews, the hall way, the bathrooms, the vending machines, the movie, the hallway, the other movie theaters, the hallway, the movie, the vending machines...you get the idea. It was still an enjoyable evening.

November 29th - Sunday

Today I was eager to enjoy what turned out to be an amazing weather day. 60 degrees!! Okay there was w.i.n.d. but not as strong as on Saturday. So I ran 13 miles. 1:40:41/7:45 I so wish I could run the race (Nittany Valley Half Marathon) this coming weekend at the pace. I hold no delusions regarding the difficulty of the course so I will temper my goals based in reality. 1:40 would be great but won't be my first tier goal.

I got a package in the mail. After I open the lovely plastic wrapper I found this nicely tied package inside.

I ordered from a website, www.onemoremile.net I ordered2 tees and a visor (no photo of my visor, sorry - it's white and reads 'Running is cheaper than therapy') The shirts are super comfy. This time of year I am usually running with an Under Armor base layer and a shirt over so these will be great. I like making a statement with my shirts. In a race it's usually good for an extra photo or two.







What a great long weekend. Ugh! I have to go to work tomorrow a.m. Glad to have a job but it's hard to go back after the long weekend. Tomorrow morning is the first day of deer season so I may not be able to go for a run safely. I will have to wait and see what the morning holds. Maybe the treadmill. Hopefully a short extra early run.

A Happy Thanksgiving

Wednesday - November 25th

With no school this morning I thought I would get out early for my run and start my day off on a high note - FAIL. I will blame that one on all the extra activities yesterday. I did however keep the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge in mind and got in my 7 servings of fruits and veggies (easy for me I can live on veggies and fruit!!). After picking the kiddos up I got out for my run, in the darkish.

I was super great. Slightly moonlit and I LOVE that! I did my favorite 6.5 loop and could have done it twice if I would have had the time. 49:38/7:38


Thursday - November 26th Thanksgiving Day

Hubbs got home for the holiday. It is our first Thanksgiving together in 3 years. So I lingered in bed instead of hitting the road early. After a formal breakfast for the family, I got out for my long run to prepare for the Nittany Valley Half Marathon next Sunday. I had my nephew riding his bike with me so the mile passed rather quickly. 13miles 1:38:/7:34 I am happy with my pace but I realize that my route is not as challenging as the Nittany Half will be. I am still hopeful for one more long run on my trail half that does have similar grades as the race course will have. Either way, I know that I will finish the half and that is what I am looking for in this race. First time on the course I'll set realistic goals.

After the run, I did some cooking for our evening Thanksgiving meal at my sister's home. We were joined with about 25 extended family members. After an extra filling meal and, of course multiple desserts we played some board games, Clue and Blokus. So fun! We all get a bit competitive.

It was a wonderful day. I hope everyone was enjoying their Thanksgiving with friends and family close.

Great day, new glasses, naturalist running and shoes to fill

Today was just a great day! So I am grateful for today. I am not sure what made it so wonderful, maybe just getting through it all was great.

After the early a.m. bus routine with my middle one, I quickly got out the door for my morning run of 6.5 (50:31/7:46) which always starts my day out great. It was a nice run too. Cool and foggy. I love to run in the fog. It's just so peaceful.

Following the run, I was able to get cleaned up, tend to the littlest and get us both where we needed to be for the day relatively on time. Which was a good thing considering I would be leaving work early for dentist appointments for the middle one and myself.

Another great thing for the day was the great checkups at the dentist! No cavities! Yipee! We were both in and out in less than an hour. That even included chatting with my little sister who works at the dentist office. AND chatting with a friend who also loves running, Lisa. She was bringing her daughter to a dentist appointment. It was fate. I had wanted to find someone to run the Nittany Valley Half Marathon with me since I am some what intimadated by the grades in the race and would love not allowing myself to get caught up in the pace/speed issues that I struggle with focusing on during races. So I ask her is she'd consider it. Yes! She has to double check with her hubbs but she is pretty sure she a Go for the half! Yipee. It's a great day. THEN I just blurt out that I was thinking this fall I would like to attempt the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 mile Ultra, would she be interested in doing it with me? (She runs Ultras - she's done a 100miler twice) She is smiling as she says she thinks she might be interested in that too! Score! Could my day get any better. I think NOT!! I am on cloud 9..no cloud 10!

Middle one and I go pick up the littlest and grab a bite to eat since the next appointment isn't for a hour. It was nice to not have to rush (very much). After eating (including another serving of fruit and a vegetable for the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge! Thanks to Amanda at http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/2009/11/kc-vegas-miami.html ) I took middle one to her gymnastics class while littlest and I went to my eye doctor appointment. It's been 7 years since I had contacts and if you've been following for very long you might remember the "getting lost during the 5k because I had given someone my glasses and couldn't see" incident. I also have three sets of frames that I'd just love your opinions on. My middle one took the pictures so they are not the greatest.


# 1 the hardly see #2 the sorta notice
them glasses them glasses



#3 only notice
them glasses

I am notoriously bad a picking glasses (odd because I have wore them for the majority of my life!!) So chime in with your vote!!

After the eye appointment littlest and I go the gym to get the middle one. We run a quick errand, chat with hubbs on the phone (yeah, I know I shouldn't talk on the phone while driving but it was hands-free) and finally arrive back at home!

As I said earlier, could my day get any better? Yes. I checked my e-mail and our own wonderful bloggie friend Mel http://tallmomontherun.blogspot.com/ has sent me a link to another site that has the hand-held she reviewed that was sold out and I wanted to try to the half!!! SCORE!!! Thanks Mel! Soon I will join the ranks of runners with STUFF. Formerly I was just running around naked. I mean fuel belt, no. Gu, no. Water bottle, no. Body glide, no. Garmin,no...okay I had one briefly but it was too much bother. I have been missing out on all this good stuff. No more my friends. I am going to try it all. Well, I still think I will end up being a bit of the naturalist and will like keeping my running as simple as possible but anything that will make it possible to run farther and stronger is worth a try, right?

And as if that were not enough. I had a pile of mail on the kitchen table (courtesy of the oldest son). There was a package from Kelly. http://www.runfastmommy.com/ It was the awesome t-shirt she sent me to wear when I ran for her sister Cathy. Check it out. Sweet! I will have to wear it in another race since I couldn't get it in time for my last 5k. Thanks Kelly!!






So you can see I had just the greatest day! Tomorrow has some really big shoes to fill that's all I've got to say. But I think the tomorrow is up for the challenge and Thanksgiving is looking amazing if this keeps up!



I am grateful for days like this one.
I am grateful for new glasses.
I am grateful for foggy mornings.
I am grateful for packages in the mail.
I am grateful for new things to try.

Opinions Wanted

I am seriously thinking that I want another longer race before the weather really gets wintry here in PA. This is the race I am looking at:

http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing/club-sponsored/nittany-valley-half-marathon

It is the Nittany Valley Half-Marathon. This course is part of the 50 mile Ultra that I looked into doing before I got pregnant with my littlest and got long distance side-tracked.

I am interested in your thoughts concerning the grades in this half. You can see them if you click the above link and scroll down. Some of what is said about this race is a bit intimidating. With only 2 weeks to "get ready" I don't know how much training I would get in aside from a long run on the up coming weekend. Of course, if I do this race I would have to go into it knowing that I would NOT be looking at a great pace or PR. It would have to be more about finishing and seeing how I felt about the course and looking forward to the possiblity of doing the Tussey mOUnTaiN BACK 50 mile ultra marathon.

So, thoughts?

On my running front, I only got 6.5 in today. My middle one had two friends sleep over. Ugh! That was a hand full. My run was a a super pace tonight with my nephew on his bike. 44:57/6:55. He had bike trouble at first...flat tires!! But we stopped at a friends house and got them pumped up and they held. After that problem was solved, I think he was worried that he had held me up in the beginning and he really pushed me to move it!! It was a busy but great day. Where does the weekend go???

Congrats to all those race finishers this past weekend! So many of you did such amazing things!!!