Race Report and Miscellaneous Stuff!

Beautiful Morning for a run!

My training partner Jeannie, and her Cincy friend Ron. This guy is hysterical!! Had me in stitches up until he decided to blow us away!

There's something about running that makes Jeannie want to kiss people!

Not the best looking pic of me, but I'll take it!

I'll especially take the above pic of me after seeing this guy finish the 1/2 in about 3:30. Just more motivation. You go guy, don't let it hold you down, no excuses!!

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Haven't been keeping up with blogging due to finals at school, and final preparations for the Columbus Half Marathon. So, this is my attempt, albeit crazy, to catch up!



The race was incredible!! What a gorgeous day we had to run! It was about 55 degrees when we took off, and I was a bit chilled but it felt sooo good about 4 miles in. I had no idea that Columbus was so beautiful. When people ask where I'm from I always say Columbus, because they really don't have a clue where I'm really from, if I told them.............they'd say "huh, where's that?"..............I'd say..........."Columbus".................so I just skip all the in between stuff. So, to say I had no idea it was so beautiful really would be true.



We started right at Broad and High. 10,000 runners right up Broad Street. We passed right in front of the Rhodes Office Tower where my mom has worked over 30 years. When my brother and I were kids we used to go to work with her sometimes. We would hang out in her office running stuff through her paper shredder until COSI opened. Then we would walk the 5 blocks or so to COSI and hang there all day long.



So, running right down that street was pretty cool. We then ran through Bexley. Wow, kids that place is just...........hummm.........well......it's just drippin with money! I even thought I saw a few trees with some cash dangling from them in a few front lawns! Beautiful, sprawling mansions. Gorgeous lawns. Tree-lined brick streets. It just blew me away! I even saw the governor of our great state! I had to ask someone what his name was.....but, I still saw him out there cheering for us. Great guy............now that I know his name and all!!



Then I saw it...............yes.................I saw it....I almost kissed it.........and I almost bowed down before it............I thanked God for it..................yes it was.........the first turn off for the HALF MARATHON!!



Those poor, poor marathoners kept right on going and I celebrated as I once again loved my decision to stick with the 1/2 this time around! It was so liberating to turn off!



The "full fools" (get it....full marathon, fools............yeah, yeah I know it's a bad joke) re-joined us about 1.5m later. I didn't realize that they had come back in with us until I asked why all these people were passing us. We had kept a pretty good pace (9:40-9:50) and had not been getting passed, but then people were flying by us. But, it was okay!



I saw Ceito at mile 9. I think he was surprised to see us so soon. I felt great and was telling him to get moving to the finish area 'cause we were haulin' it in to the finish. 4 more miles to go! Wheee Yeahhh!



Then it happened. Mile 10 1/2. The right side of my abdomen started to cramp up. I had been drinking gatorade diluted with water at every water stop. Not too much just enough to wash down the spit! But, here I was cramping or so I thought. I tried to run it out and ended up walking about 2 minutes at a time every 1/2 mile or so. It just really sucked!



I got to mile 12 and just said "suck it up and get this over with". My training partner had pulled ahead and I let her go. There was a bit of an incline right up to the turn off to the finish and she just really likes those little inclines, so I just thought, let the girl sprint it, it's okay, let her go! She did! I saw a friend at the bottom of the incline and she jumped onto the course purse and all and ran me up the incline to the turn off. What a great friend. She told me later she was going to have to have oxygen therapy for a week after that little trick!!



I turned off (away from the full fools for the last time) and coasted down, yes down, oh my down to the finish line...............2:15:36.............I was thrilled!!!! 2:15???? I was expecting a 2:30. I knew we were well below that pace, but I was so excited with my time! The Full Fool Winner finished after me, which was also very liberating!!



When we walked through the finish chute we were corralled into what felt like another 1/4 mile walk through some of the best finish line food and drinks I've ever witnessed!! I really do believe it was for the pure fact that I finished before the Full Fools that I witnessed such a spread. Usually I'm in the back of any idea of a pack, so the food tables are usaully being washed down by the time I get to them. They had panera bagels, all kinds of fruit, protein bars, cheez-its, cookies, COKE ZERO.........oh, my you've got to be kiddin' me I said...........this is my fave!!! Then, get this, they had Starbucks Coffee!!!!! Oh, how I wish I could eat right then. I picked up a cinnamon crunch bagel and ate about 1/4 of it's mammouth size, and could go no further. I did down a coke zero though, but refused to stand in line for a Starbucks!!



So, all in all.............great day! I looked at my ranking a few nights ago, and was even happier to see that I actually finished in the upper 1/2 of my age group, and that my finish time was actually faster than the average (2:20). Granted that's only 5 min. faster but..........3 years ago I weighed 214 pounds and could not even climb the stairs without being out of breath. I never would have thought then that I could do what I've done in the past 2 years!!! I'm very proud of myself. I'm not fast. I'm not slow. I'm not miserable. I'm estatic (most of my waking hours)



The abdominal thing turned out to be a muscle strain. I didn't feel right until yesterday. It's better today and I actually did a few crunches this morning to test the buggas.



This post has rambled too long so I will post my Miscellaneous stuff later.



I will post now, however, that you can go to my Team In Training fundraising page at

www.active.com/donate/tntnoh/racewithtiffany to donate or just check out what I'm up to next.



I will not stop moving for I know that I am happier and better as an active person! Although, this week off felt good..........really good..........but, not as good as training feels! I did eat some great sugar this week though! Oh my, pumpkin donuts are just divine! When you work hard at eating to be able to train it pays off, but I'm pretty sure that those pumpkin donuts can fit somewhere in my marathon training!!! Fat chance, no chance to get fat!!!



For now enjoy the pics and thanks for cheering me on!

2008 in honor of John

It is hitting me quickly that 2007 will be over in the blink of an eye. I realized it today when it was only 52 degrees outside and I couldn't wear my favorite capri pants with flip slides to school! Fall is here, and as soon as I say that it usually turns to winter around here, thus the thoughts of a NEW YEAR!

So, I've been thinking about where I would like to take my training in 2008. I'd been thinking of another marathon......It amazes me to read some bloggers lifestyles of going from one big event to another.....I've never been able to do that.....I'd like to, but I just am not there yet. The answer of the marathon just fell into place this week. My training partner works with the wife of a very sick young man in our area. He has Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma........you know where I'm going already don't you??

................I'll be doing the Cleveland Marathon on May 18, 2008.....training with the Team In Training Program for the second time.............in honor of this young man who is fighting for his life as I sit here healthy, relaxed, happy, content, whole, and at peace. I will be raising money to help in the fight against horrible diseases. Children, women, men, daughters, mothers, fathers, and sons are right now on a cliff between life and death.......while I sit here munching on popcorn and organizing my "busy day tomorrow".

Why?

Because I can and he can't;

Because my life should be more than just stuff about me;

Because I lose motivation to just train to stay fit, or healthy, or so I can eat more;

Because Christ had a spirit of mercy for others so why shouldn't I;

Because, Lord forbid, should anyone in my family have one of these horrible cancers, maybe my fundraising will help to find a cure when we need it;

Because at Wildflower in '06 I met a man who had to say goodbye to his 6 year old daughter who had Leukemia, and the thought still right now brings me to tears;

Because I want to teach my kids about giving to others in need;

Because I am really so truly blessed beyond any degree of measure with the most wonderful life, so.............Why not?

Don't be surprised when you hear from me asking for donations. I will exceed the fund raising minimum and will cross the finish line in May in honor of John, and all the others before him and after him who fight for life with every breath.

Can. She. Do. It?

Yes. She. Did!

Set out for my longest run in about 6 months yesterday. 10.7 miles. Not a lot to some, but a lot for me right now. Left the music and the watch at home (thought hard about the music, but glad I left it). This was a solo run so I was a tad nervous about covering the distance alone, but I got it done.

I dropped water bottles at 3.5 and 6.2 and those really were my goals......make it to each one, walk about 1/8 of mile, then run again. It started out great along the lake.....nice breeze. Then, I turned south and the 84 degree heat hit me hard. I kept running though and got to 6.2 pretty soaked. I walked a bit more than I wanted to after the water stop at 6.2, but kids it was just blazin' hot, and I really didn't care who saw me walkin'!!!!

I'm happy with how it went. I have no qualms about the time since I don't know what the time was. I really just wanted to run it without thinking about it, and that's all that matters. I know I won't get pulled off the course. I can maintain a 9:50-10:00 min. mile pretty comfortably. I did come home and check weather predictions for Columbus on the 21st, but it's too far out. I'm hoping for 60-65 degrees, no rain. So, I'll probably get 80 degrees in a snow storm...yeah, I know that makes no sense but that's the point!!

Yankees just went up by 2 and I'm not happy about that!! This is INDIAN SUMMER, no Yanks allowed! Kick 'em down, then fire Torre!!

Slacking 101

Haven't blogged in over 2 weeks basically due to lack of time and very little energy. Between training and family and a very full school schedule for 4 more weeks I'm just burnt out by 8pm most nights. But, I have to put down a short blog about some of the slacking going on around me lately. Albeit short for now. It's just amazing how lazy some folks are and how dumb they think I really am! So, In the spirit of academia I have decided to give an impromptu lecture on how to be a good slacker. Not that I am one, just that I happen to have been one before, and really am overwhelmed by the amount of slacking I deal with on a day to day basis in a university setting.

1. Do everything in your power to keep your professor from calling on you in class. Put your head down really low, write non-stop even when she isn't talking, take large gulps of your coffee/pepsi/water/red bull.

2. Look really busy in lab, even when doing absolutely nothing other than copying notes from the last class you just blew off.

3. Ask the same question that someone else in the class already asked just in a different way.

4. During a staff meeting re-do agenda items that we already discussed last month because you didn't follow through with what you were supposed to do the first time around. (this happens every stinkin' month in our department meetings!)

5. Tell your professor that the reason your weekly computer homework isn't done is because your computer crashed. Try not to do this while she is standing in the middle of the brand spankin' new computer lab filled with 50 gorgeous computers that are free for use by any student on campus!

6. Whine about the amount of work you have to do by the end of the semester loud enough so your professor hears you. OOOHHHH this burns me up! This is a UNIVERSITY people, NOT HIGH SCHOOL!

7. Complain about how difficult the program exams are all. the. time. Yeah they won't complain when they come out of their national board exam....they'll thank me for challenging them!

8. Sit in the lab right in front of a huge pile of towels, gowns, shorts that need to be folded and put away and text message your friend sitting across the room! I'm not lyin' folks!

9. Leave the lab early at every possible opportunity then try and complete 6 skill check-offs one day before midterm practical exams. Then act really mad when professor tells you she cannot possibly do all of that in one day.

10. Come to class late every single day. Day after day after day. Then just saunter in like nothing's wrong with interrupting 22 other students trying to take a quiz in peace and quiet! Then plop down and proceed to get a 2/10 on your lovely quiz!

So, class that's all for now...........as you run for the door happy to be out early enough to get home to watch your soap operas!

P.S. GO TRIBE! BEAT THE YANKS!