Minding Your Cyber P's and Q's

Here's a topic that's been on my mind later: blogger etiquette.

I've had my bloggy home for a little over a year. I've enjoyed writing about my experiences and races as well as sharing my epiphanies with the internet world, but the thing I've enjoyed the most is the personal interaction with other runners and health enthusiasts. I'm grateful for this community that has accepted me with open arms, regardless of how I look or how fast (or slow) I run.

Over the past year, I've discovered some stellar blogs and some outrageously awesome people. However, I've also stumbled upon some blogs (and their respective creators) that have really rubbed me the wrong way. So I wanted to share some things that I think we should all be mindful of in the blogging community.

People don't care what you know until they know that you care. I first heard this phrase when I was preparing to go on a church mission trip, but I think it applies to the blogging community perfectly. Find a way to acknowledge the presence of your readers and those who make comments. People will know that you're in it for more than just the numbers.

I found a blog that I was getting interested in, but every time I would make a comment or try to engage in conversation with the creator, she ignored me. But I noticed she often left comments on the "big time" blogs, but never the smaller ones. Eventually I got tired of her elitism so I gave up on her blog.

Likewise, sometimes I comment on a blog that has a million readers, and the author actually responds to my comment! Among the dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of other comments, they will actually respond to little old me. I don't expect it every time, but it makes me feel like the person cares about their readers. We're not just a number to them.

Be nice. It's far too easy to say something mean to someone when you're not saying it to their face. While there might not be immediate repercussions to your words, people will still be hurt and you could definitely lose readership!

I had been reading a blog for a while when they decided to post some inflammatory opinions about my Alma Mater. I was amazed and also sickened to read the dozens of hostile comments that used word "hate" over and over again. I lost respect for the author and haven't been back to their blog since. Find a way to share your opinion while still respecting the opinions of others.

Speed is relative. Ah the infamous "what is slow for me is fast for you" debate. This is a tough one. It's so easy for me to say "I had such a slow run!" without thinking that my "ridiculously slow" is someone else's normal. But then again, how many times do bloggers need to specify, "it was slow for me?"

It's a tough pill for me to swallow when I read someone's race recap where they talk about the terrible, awful, embarrassing, pathetic, etc. race they ran only to find out their finish time would never be attainable for me. Or my favorite, "I just had a baby and I'm so fat and out of shape, and I could only manage 15 miles at xx:xx pace." Yep, that pace is faster than my PR, thanks for making me feel like a loser.

So be sensitive to your readers when you talk about what is slow and what is fast. And don't constantly whine about how you're "not fast enough."

Accessibility. Make it easy for your readers to follow you. Whether it's by e-mail or Google Friend Connect, we need to be able to know when you put a post up. There are some great blogs out there that I'd like to keep up with, but there's no 'follow' option. Boo =(

Don't use fancy text or bright colors. The end.

Don't be long winded. Use short paragraphs. We have short attention spans.

What are your biggest blogging pet peeves?

What etiquette would you add?

Do you respond to your comments and/or follow back your followers?

How do you acknowledge to presence of your readers?

NC Half Marathon Race Recap

Other titles for this post:

My Big Fat Redneck Race

Git-r-dun Thirteen-point-One

Running in Circles is Less Exciting Than Watching Cars Drive Around in Circles

***Before you read this recap, go watch Talladega Nights if you haven't already. If you don't like the movie, keep watching it until you do.***

I kind of registered for this race on a whim, but I'm so glad I did! I can't say I've ever really watched NASCAR, but being in the Charlotte Motor Speedway and running on the racetrack was pretty freaking awesome.

For those of you who don't know, Charlotte is one huge NASCAR mecca. I'm not up to snuff on my car-racing knowledge, but I know Daytona/Fl, Talladega/AL, and Charlotte/NC are the three big homes to NASCAR racing. And in case you didn't know what NASCAR stands for, it means: Non Athletic Sport Created Around Rednecks.

Just kidding ;)

Ok, on to the race recap.

I got to meet Gail, who came to the Queen City to run her third half marathon. If you haven't read her blog or seen her on daily mile, go find her! She's awesome and even way cooler in real life than on a computer screen (not that you're not cool on a computer screen, Gail, you're just cooler in person). We got to the Speedway Saturday evening just in time to grab our bibs and t-shirts, then headed for some pre-race carb loading- pizza!

Sunday morning came way too early- with a 5 AM wake up call and two squirmy dogs to take care of. We arrived at the Speedway about an hour before the race began, which gave us plenty of time to park, walk into the infield, and "take care of business."

and by "take care of business" I mean taking a picture. What were you thinking?

David, who ran the 5k, said adios to us as we lined up in the start corals. I stayed and talked with Gail in the "elite" section of 8:00-9:00/mile pace. She tried to talk me into starting with her, but I didn't want to be "that person" that everyone has to dodge because they're so slow. About 3 minutes before the start, I told her good luck and headed back to my 10:00 land where I was nice and comfortable.

These ten minute runners are my peeps. Especially the guy with the orange sweatband.

Having just PRed in the Alston Half two weeks ago and being two weeks out from my next long race, AND dealing with a temperamental knee, I had no plans of pushing myself for another PR. Instead, my plan was to go out nice and easy (something on the bottom end of 9:00) and then pick the pace up on the second half if I felt good (which meant- if my knee wasn't being a punk).

The national anthem was sung and a racecar did some donuts and revved its engine, and then it was time to shake and bake! We ran around the 1.5 mile speedway until... we came back to the start (speedways are circular you know...). Then we snaked around the infield and eventually made our way outside the stadium. It was a little strange running around in circles for the first two miles.

weeeeee!!

Around mile 5, we passed the dirt track, which I thought was way cooler than the racetrack. I'd take big wheel trucks crushing 4 door sedans over cars driving around in circles any day! Unfortunately, the dirt "arena" was empty.

Somewhere around mile 6 there was a high school drumline playing, which was more motivationally effective than I thought it would be. Although it did bring me back to my marching band days in college when we had to sing "8 to 5" over and over to our school's fight song while marching in straight lines across the field. And on the off chance that anyone gets what 8-to-5 means, please leave a comment saying so. You'll make my day.

Mile 7 was down the zMax Dragway and back, which the race director swore you'd "get your fastest mile!" It was pancake flat and ridiculously long and I did not care for it at all.

When we got out of the dragstrip, we passed an Army rock band playing, which was pretty cool because it's so personal to me. I wanted to stop and talk to them, but I had this whole race thing going on...

We snaked around the parking lots and walkways until we made our way back into the speedway at mile 11. At this point, I picked up a running friend and we started talking about races in Florida (he was from Jacksonville). I was grateful for the distraction because A) I was getting tired and B) we started running in circles again.

Eventually my newly acquired race friend dropped back, which made me feel like a BAMF for out-running a 20 something year old guy. But with about a half mile to go, he caught back up with me and declared he wasn't going to let me beat him.

Now- we're ALL guilty of picking "that person" at the end of a race and vowing to cross the finish line before them. But, um, how often do you actually tell that person you're gunning to beat them? He was probably joking, but that was all the motivation I needed to pick it up. I gunned it across the finish line and then congratulated him on a race well ran. As I sauntered away, I faintly heard him say he was going to vomit. Bam! That just happened!

I collected my medal and met up with Gail, who ran a great race as well. We stretched, grabbed some food, and ogled over our flashing medals. They're probably the most awesome medals I've ever seen. And dare I say it, TOTALLY worth the ridiculous entry fee!

I think I could wear this medal during my runs and use it as a weapon if needed.

In fact, the whole race was worth the entry fee. I thought it was pretty well executed, had great crowd support, good food at the end, and it was pretty cool to run the a NASCAR playground. I'm glad I took it easy and my knee behaved, but I agree with Ricky Bobby, "I wanna go fast!"

Is faster really better?

After my lovely Leprechaun fail (by the way, you guys gave me some great advice on dealing with stomach problems!!), I took a solid three days off. I rested, iced, stretched, and made threats to my right knee that it better start cooperating or else...

And on Wednesday morning I headed out for what I hoped would be a pain-free 20 miler (yeah yeah, I know how to be conservative, don't I?). I met my running buddy at mile 5 and somehow convinced her to do 15 with me.

My goal was to run slow and just get the time on my feet. But after more than a year of trying to run faster, I was befuddled: how do you run slower? The mere thought of running slower being a challenge kind of intrigued me.

It was a great run. I had minimal knee pain for the first few miles but after I got warmed up, it disappeared. We ran back and forth on a 5 mile out-and-back course, which meant every 5 miles we could refill our bottles, take a potty break (dear Summit Coffee- thank you for being so awesomely runner friendly!), and take a stretch break. I fueled on 2 Gus and a Snickers Bar.

My father has bestowed upon me much of his great running wisdom, but perhaps the wisest thing he ever taught me is this: never underestimate the power of a Snickers bar. It's purely magical.

Word.

I finished 20 miles in 3:55, with an average 11:45/mile pace. It's not fast, but hey I've been meaning to ask, who ever decided faster was better?

Yesterday I thought it would be fun to walk 4 miles on the treadmill at 15% incline. I'm not sure why I thought it would be fun because in fact, it was pure torture. It was like I was hiking up the Grand Canyon again, except I didn't have the pretty views (or the altitude sickness).

Now I'm on a prescribed two day rest period before I run the NC Half Marathon with none other than Gail. Not only do I get to meet Gail in person (please don't be a serial killer, Gail ;) ), but we get to run on the Charlotte Motor Speedway AND there are awesome finisher medals that light up. They're so cool, the race director deemed it necessary to take a video of them and put it up on the race webpage. You can see it here, on the right side half way down.

Why is faster better? Is it because of the competition to get into the Boston Marathon? Aren't all finishers winners?

What is your favorite fuel for long runs?

Leprechaun Loop 8k recap

Saturday evening I headed up to Davidson with David where we participated in the inaugural Leprechaun Loop 8k.

A few things were making me worry about this race, but my biggest concern was my stomach. I've run in the evening only a handful of times, but every single time I have some kind of tummy problems. Sometimes it's a weird heartburn feeling, sometimes it's a strange bloating/gassy feeling, and sometimes it's just a plain old breathing cramp that wont go away.

My stomach, coupled with a morning race, convinced me to just take easy for this one.

The first three miles seemed to be pretty much all downhill (which meant the last 2 miles were going to be what some would call a female dog). I tried to keep my posture relaxed and breathe deeply. Approximately .15 into the race I got a wretched breathing cramp. Luckily, I was able to work through it in time to be assaulted with that lovely vomit feeling (and this time, I didn't have any ice cream, cheese, or milk right before my run).

A few miles into the race though, I think my body finally accepted that I wasn't going to stop. Things calmed down and I was starting to enjoy myself.

Mile 1- 9:01

Mile 2- 8:55

Mile 3- 8:55

Mile 4 started the hills. I must not have looked too good because a volunteer rode up to me and asked if I was doing alright, said I was looking a little pink.

This is a public service announcement: white people turn red when they run outside in the heat. We're not dying.

After telling him things were fine, he assured me "the worst of the downhills are behind you."

Thanks, buddy.

There were some STEEP hills in the second half of this race. In fact, I'm quite sure the uphills were steeper than most of the mountains I've hiked up. I did plenty of walking.

If you think doing a double workout is hard, try doing a double race. Yep. I was naive thinking "oh it's just a little old 5k and psshh, what's an 8k? I'm a marathoner!"

I don't think I did enough hydrating and stretching through out the day. Yep, I think that's it. That explains why my stomach flipped me the bird from the start. I think the tightness in my legs was also to blame for the horrendous knee pain that brought me to a sad, pathetic limp in the last quarter mile.

And I mean, pathetic. Like, I can see the finish line and all those darn, cheery spectators are yelling, "you're almost there! you can do it! run run run!!" and all I can do is limp like a loser across the finish mats.

Mile 4- 9:57

Mile 4-4.88- 9:27

Final time- 46:16

After my stomach finally settled, I got some post race refreshments to help ease the pain. Beer and pizza is good for upset stomachs, right? Whatever, it made me less cranky.

Lynn did an awesome job, finishing this difficult race a mere 7 days after her first half marathon (in a while). David also met his time goal of under 1 hour.

In my morning runs, I have an ironclad stomach. I can seriously eat whatever I want and be fine. But I turn into a colicky 4 month old when I run in the evening. What gives? What should I do to insure my insides don't explode? Help!

What's your tummy trouble go-to quick fix?

Did you race this weekend? Tell me about it!

Angels 5k Race Recap

This morning I ran the Angels 5k. With a later than normal start (9:00 am) and the proximity of the race, I was able to take my time waking up, drinking my coffee, and heading out the door. It was nice not to be driving before the sun woke up =)

There were a little under 200 people running the 5k. The course was relatively flat, save for one decent hill at the beginning. Now, this is the kind of hill that is really fun to drive in the car (you know that feeling when you "lose your stomach?" oooh yeah!).

But running? Not so much. It came at at the end of the first mile and pretty much did me in. I just wasn't feeling it today. I was tired from the start and I just didn't feel like making myself want to die in this 5k (running 3 miles at a suicide pace is way harder than people think!).

As we came up to the first hill, this little kid (seriously- I've seen trophies that were taller than this dude) started saying "oh no! a hill! hills are scary! hills are hard!" And I thought maybe, just maybe the disdain for running up hills is an innate trait, not a learned one.

Knowing how young and gullible kids are, I told him "nah- it's not that hard! you can do it!" Then he changed his tune to "ok hill- I can do it!" Then I powered up the hill and he fell behind.

Less than a minute after clearing the hill, the midget runs past me and says "I'm passing you again!" and that's the last I saw of him.

Kids just say the darnedest things, don't they?

I finished with a respectable time of 26:15, snatching 2nd in my age group. These small town races are really spoiling me =)

Come back tomorrow for my Leprechaun 8k race recap!

Have you ever had a little kid beat you in a race?

If "geezered" is being passed by an old person, what is the term for being passed by a kid?

How safe are your streets?

I haven't address the issue of runner safety on my blog, mostly because I feel it's pretty well covered on most other social media sites.

Tonight, that's going to change.

Earlier this week, a woman fought off an attacker who tried to sexually assault her. And it happened in the evening on the same roads that I often run on. You can read the story here.

But basically- a woman who was driving stopped at a stop sign when a man "came out of nowhere" and forced her out of her car. He brought her to the median where he allegedly tried to assault her. She bit his hand and then reached for her keychain where she blasted him with pepper spray. (how she had her keychain on her when she was driving, I have no idea...)

The woman escaped unscathed and the man got away, but the police and news crews have been out on my beloved running streets in full force since then.

I was completely aware of this when I headed out for my run this afternoon. But I wasn't expecting my run to be interrupted by a news camera and reporter sticking a microphone in my face.

They asked me how I felt about seeing the picture of the man's face. How I felt about it happening right here. How I felt about my safety. And I, in all my sweaty splendor and glory, was a blubbering fool.

"Um... I don't run at night, I feel safe with all the traffic, dur dur dur I'm a moron" is kind of what came out.

But here's what I meant to say:

There are sick people all over the place. And unfortunately, this kind of thing happens more than we runners care to admit. But that doesn't mean you stick your head in the sand and stop living life. You just have to be smart. Don't take unnecessary risks. Don't run after dark. Run with other people. And run in a highly trafficked area.

But it got me to thinking: how safe are we really? I mean, how safe did Sherry feel the morning she was abducted and ultimately killed?

I've recently just begun to carry my phone when I run, but how much good would it do? Of course, I tell my husband when and where I run, but I don't usually run with other people. What else can I do to ensure my safety? Carry pepper spray? Take a self defense class? Never run outside again?

But the thing is- I feel safe where I run. I make sure I run during a time when there are other people around. Either during the morning commute, or in the evening (but still daylight hours) when there are tons of other runners, walkers, and cyclists out.

Now I can't help but ask myself, is it a false sense of security I'm feeling? Is my running route any more unsafe now than it was last week?

There seemed to be something different in the air today. Everyone was acknowledging each other. Runners from across the road waved; walkers nodded, even the cyclists (who never acknowledge our presence) lifted a friendly hand to say hello. It's like we all knew what had happened a few nights earlier and were banding together. "We're out here doing the same thing, and we care about each other."

It's a weird, sick world we live in. But we can't stop living our lives simply because something bad happens. We just need to live smarter. I, for one, will make some changes to when I run and where I run. And I'm going to do my darnedest to start running with a running group, evening if they are a 30 minute drive away. The sickos aren't going away, we just need to make wise decisions.

Now, if that news reporter knows what's good for her, she won't dare refer to me as a "jogger."

What safety precautions do you take when you're running?

What safety precautions do you recommend taking?

Something to do...

You guys, thank you for your kind comments about my half this past weekend! You all are an integral part of why I blog- I love reading your stories and I love interacting with you all. Thank you for your encouragement, congratulations, and support!

This week… I've been wallowing. No, it's not because of anything running related.

Let’s backtrack a bit. I’ve been working at a publishing house for the entire time I’ve been here in Charlotte. From day one, my boss told me she was planning on selling the business in the coming years. Well, in December of ’11 the papers were signed, in January of ‘12 the company moved, and in February… my job ceased to exist.

I was actually very calm through the process, knowing that the time was finally right for me to pursue my dream of becoming a military musician. Two weeks ago, I took an audition with the Navy and nailed it.

I got a phone call on Monday with good news and bad news.

The good news? They like me and really want me.

The bad news? There aren't any spots open. At least, now right now.

Do you know how frustrating it is to know you’re qualified for a job that doesn’t exist for you right now?

So now I'm on a wait list- as soon as a spot opens up they'll call me. It could be 6 weeks or it could be 3 months (or longer). I can't really get a job during the wait because I can't guarantee an employer I'll be around long enough to make it worth it.

So I did what any sane person would do: found another 50k and a marathon to sign up and train for. I figure- I’ve got enough time on my hands to train and I'm in half decent shape, so why not? And at least it will give me something to do with myself.

I'm one of those people that needs to have a plan, I live to be busy. I need to keep myself occupied during this time of waiting, so knowing I have goals to work towards gives me… a purpose.

So this is my race schedule for the next 2 months:

March 17:

am- Angels 5k

pm- Leprechaun 8k

March 25:

NC Half Marathon with Gail!!!

April 7:

Croom Fools 50k

April 14:

Pawz to Run 10k (or maybe 5k, depending on how the previous weekend goes)

May 5:

New River Marathon (the elevation chart is in kilometers... and that scares me a little)

What's on your race plate?

Do you want to run any of these with me? You get free room and board while you're here =)

Alston & Bird Corporate Cup Half Marathon recap

AKA: I finally ran a 2 hour half marathon!!!!!!!!

Ok sorry, no subtlety there =) But you guys know how long and hard I've been working for a 2 hour half marathon and how much it means to me (even though I always said "sub 2 hour," I still consider this a win!!).

Ok, on to the recap...

My goal going into this race was pure and simple: enjoy myself. Of course I wanted to run fast, but I also wanted to run strong and feel good. Afterall, what good is succeeding in something if you hate every minute of it? Jordan said it perfectly:

I'd say this race could be broken into three parts: the first 5k, the last 5k, and everything in between. Supposedly, this is Charlotte's largest road race (though I'm not convinced). The half marathon and 5k started at the same time and there was nothing resembling a wave start.

If you're a walker, get your butt to the BACK of the freaking start line! I feel better now.

It was a chilly 30 something at the start. Have I mentioned yet how done I am with winter? Luckily, I found some big dudes (and ladies) to inconspicuously stand awkwardly close to before the gun went off.

My Garmin didn't end up getting signal until half way through the first mile (Garmin FAIL). I suppose that was ok though, since the roads were pretty congested (ehemmm.... walkers!). I ran with my running buddy for about 10 feet before we said adios to each other.

I spent the first three miles basically warming up and trying to slow down. It took a lot of self restraint not to hop and skip around the slower runners in front of me. I was also feeling full of energy since Gail told me to take two days off preceding the half (and that lady is a little speed demon, so I took her advice!). I was also reminding myself my goal was NOT to go sub-2... my goal was to ENJOY myself.

Shortly after mile 3, the crowd thinned considerably with the 5kers peeling off. After we lost them, I started preparing myself for the first hill.

Charlotte isn't terribly hilly, but it's not entirely flat either. One Charlotte road race's motto is "flat is for sissies..." if that gives you any idea. I didn't think this first hill was so bad, but I wasn't getting cocky just yet.

As we ran through downtown Charlotte and its suburbs, I started to relax and enjoy the city that I've come to love so much. It was a gorgeous day, the trees were full of blooms, and I felt awesome.

There was another substantial hill at mile 7, which took a bit out of me. I was keeping an 8:30 pace, so I figured a short walk break would help me more than losing my energy to the climb would.

I was perfectly on pace to finish in 2 hours, but I didn't get my hopes up- the last 5k of this race has a reputation of being pretty tough.

Miles 8-10 were pretty unexciting. I cheesed it up for the camera guy, was eating my chomps like I was suppose to, and thanking every police officer and volunteer I could for being out there. At one point, a guy told me I looked too happy.

At mile 10, the clock read 1:33. I knew if I could keep my pace, I could finish in 2 hours. For the first time, I let myself hope. Maybe today would be the day? But I was getting really tired, and I knew the megatron hills were waiting for me.

Mile 11 came in at 8:59. Holla!

Mile 12 brought the worst of the hills- nearly the entire mile was an incline (talk about soul sucking...). As I reached mile 13, I told myself the worst was behind me. All I needed to do now was run my little heart out and let the time take care of itself.

For some demoralizing reason, the race course ended on a gradual uphill. I could see the finish line and could hear the people cheering me on (my UF shirt and bright blue socks got me lots of attention) but I was sucking wind so hard I could barely turn my head to acknowledge them.

I saw the clock tick past 2:00:50, and knew I wasn't going to get a clock time of 2 hours. Knowing my chip time would cut some seconds off, I gritted my teeth and gunned it. I crossed the finish line with an official time of 2:00:20.

A volunteer held out my medal, but I think my greenly tinted face told her I wasn't going to be able to grab it right away. She put it over my head as I tried not to toss my cookies all over her feet.

My Garmin stats (minus the first .5 miles)-

I headed back to cheer on the other runners as I waited for Lynn. She ended up running a a great race- finishing just over 2:30!!

We headed back inside to grab some grub from Great Harvest Bread company and listened to the awards ceremony (more like laugh at them... people are ridiculously fast in Charlotte!).

I could get all mushy and sentimental about how hard I worked to get a 2 hour half (a year in the making) and how thrilled I am that I finally achieved my goal... but words can't express my happiness. To understand something like this, you have to experience it for yourself. You have to want something so bad that you work your butt off to get it. Once you achieve your goal, then you know what a true sense of accomplishment is.

Half marathon? You have been OWNED!

NROLFW Stage 4

...DONE!

computer fail: I can't rotate this picture. just turn your head sideways.

(read stage 3 recap here)

I started stage 4 in mid January. With 8 workouts, it should have only taken 4 weeks (I lift 2x/week), but here I am one week into March. What happened?

Well, I took a week off here and there for the Croom 50 and the Gainesville marathon, and then I was out of town one week, blah blah blah.

This stage didn't seem to captivate me as much as the other stages, though that's probably more from being so wishy washy in my schedule. I'm also pretty sure I could have lifted heavier weights had I really stuck with it and not taken so many days between work outs.

Stage 4 is the same as Stage 2. I thought I had thrown away my cards from stage 2, but alas, they have be rediscovered! Without knowing it, I was lifting heavier weights this time around than the first time (or equal weights with more sets/reps), which can only mean one thing: I'm getting stronger. Woohoo!!!

My ending weight from stage 2 is listed bolded and (in parenthesis).

Stage 4A

Front Squat Push/Press: (10lbs) 10lbs -- 15 lbs

Step Up: (30 lbs) 25 lbs -- 30 lbs

Dumbbell 1 Point Row: (30 lbs) 25 lbs -- 30 lbs

Static Lung, rear foot elevated: (20 lbs) 15 lbs -- 25 lbs

Cable Horizontal Wood Chop: (60 lbs) 60 lbs -- 70 lbs

Stage 4B

Wide Grip deadlift from box: (15lbs) 15 lbs -- 30 lbs

Bulgarian Split Squat: (25 lbs) 20 lbs -- 45 lbs

Underhand grip lat pulldown: (100 lbs) 80 lbs -- 110 lbs

Reverse Lunge from box with forward reach: (25 lbs) 15 lbs -- 30 lbs

Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch: (20 lbs) 15 lbs -- 25 lbs

**I went easy on my legs in this stage since I had two high mileage races going on.

I'm hoping Stage 5 will be a little more exciting since it's a repeat of Stage 3, a stage I really enjoyed.

I haven't noticed much change in the mirror (or in my running) from this stage. Again, I'm sure that can be attributed to not keeping a consistent schedule. One thing I have noticed is serious muscle soreness! I've been spending lots of time with the foam roller, the stick, and a tennis ball. But it seems that as soon as I work out the soreness, it comes right back!!

How do you recover from hard gym sessions?

How is your weight lifting program going?

New Tommie Copper Winner

Since I never heard from the previous winner, I've chosen a NEW winner for the Tommie Copper sleeves. Drum roll please......

Congrats Adrian! Who says it doesn't pay to wait until the last minute? Except when e-mailing me... pretty please e-mail me by Thursday, March 8, at daniellerunner at gmail dot com for info on claiming your TC sleeves!!

Regular blogging to resume shortly....

Race Addicts Anonymous

Carly, where are you?? I need to hear from you soon or else I'm going to have to pick another winnner on Tuesday morning. E-mail me at daniellerunner at gmail dot com asap!!

Yesterday morning I woke up to the sudden realization that my next half marathon was in fact in one week, not two weeks like I was thinking. I told David in slight panic, "oh crap! I need to get in a long run, like, today! BYE!"

He just rolled his eyes and mumbled something along the lines of "you just keep signing up for those things..."

It's true, I'm signing up for races like they're going out of style. So in preparation for the Corporate Cup Half Marathon next Saturday, I set of for a 10 mile run. My goal was to stay under a 10:00 pace and not be blown over by the wind.

I rocked that stinkin' run!

This gives me a glimmer of hope that there might be a slight possibility of a 2 hour finish time, but my little PR heart was broken too hard in Gainesville a few weeks ago to get my hopes too high. If I could keep this pace, I would be very happy. The race course is hilly (as was my training run) and who knows how I'll feel on race day. While I'm not ruling out the possibility of a PR, I'm not holding out for one either.

I do know one thing for certain though. Neon colors make you run faster!!!

I'll be pairing these bad boys up with my obnoxiously bright orange Gator shirt for U of F pride on Saturday!

Are you a race addict? I think we need to make a club for race addicts anonymous. We'll call it RAA.

Did you race this weekend? Tell me about it!!