Good morning, everyone!

Not much to report on yet another good morning here in the Upstate.

The Candlelight run was a great deal of fun for me, personally. My C25K group all finished with smiles on their faces... some of them finishing sub-35 minutes. I could not have been more proud of them.

My goal for the race was to go all out. I knew it going in and I was not going to lie to myself in the least. Well, I did just that and racked up a 28:02. So I was a minute off my PR - not bad considering NO training for this event and the fact that I am carrying 35 more pounds on me than I was at the time of my PR. So, there is cause for hope.

I generally disliked 5Ks as I am just not destined to be good in them. In the grand scheme of things, it matters little. I enjoyed pushing myself like that on Saturday (average HR of 167). The challenge is the part that lures me in the most.

So, while I am aiming for the Spinx Runfest Half Marathon in October, I may consider an occasional 5K just to take part in the competition with myself.

Being in the Candlelight really allowed me to see how seriously I once took my self-care plan and how far I allowed it to slip. Priorities. It is all about priorities. I am sore today - still - from the race. Not surprising since I rarely if ever do a drop of speed work. As soon as my legs feel road-ready, I am getting back out there. Before work, after work - I could care less. The key, for me, is getting out there. My long runs will be on Saturdays and, in an effort to keep my Half Marathon training simple, the goal will be to work up to a long run of 2:00 or 2:15. I figure if I can make that, I can finish the Half.

Anyway... enough rambling.

I shall return later on.

Be well,
Dan

My sixth marathon is now history. According to my finish time this was was my second best marathon. It went from going ever so smooth to a struggle and than to I can do this. At the moment this one is the second most memorable because I think I came ever so close to dropping. The first will always be the most memorable.

Prior to the marathon it was great to meet up with another runner that I met over the last year. She was doing her second marathon. It's always nice to have a friendly chat with someone prior to the run.

Shortly after arriving at the start area I felt a pain in my arch of my left foot. One that I had not experienced for quite sometime. Sure felt like planter fasciitis pain. That is something that I did not need. I worked on stretching my foot off and on for about a half hour. I was hoping to get the kinks out as best I could. Walking into the starting chute it seemed a bit better but still a slight pain.

In the starting chute you can always count on conversing with fellow runners. It's quite a joyous atmosphere. This year there was a young gal in front of me who had a T-shirt on indicating she was in the 50 state club. That's a group of runners who try to run a marathon in all 50 states over how ever long it takes them. She had about a dozen or so states crossed off. I asked her how many she planned on doing this year. She said 10. Wow was my response. I told her good luck as we begin to move towards the start. The amazing thing of talking and being part of the crowd all things just seem to fade away which included the pain in my foot.

From the start all the way to the halfway point I felt in total control. Things were going very smoothly. I was on a pace that I felt was comfortable and was well within a range of getting to the end in the 4:30's. Life was good at this point.

It was just after fourteen miles when I noticed things were starting too change. The heat was starting to take its toll not only on me but others. I actually become a little confused and couldn't remember which mile marker was up next between 16 & 17. Fortunately it was 17. My pace at this point was slowing but still okay.

I had people waiting for me at nineteen. Two of my nieces and a pseudo niece were there with some items for me, cold Gatorade, an orange and a nice ice cold wet towel. It's a great pick me up to have someone along the course.

Shortly after meeting my support crew I got the biggest scare of my marathon running career. I begin to get quite light headed. It was a weird feeling. One that I haven't felt since way back in my late teens. The only difference was there was no inhaling this time. My theory now is it might not have been a good ides to drape an ice cold wet towel over my head. A quick cool down may have been too much of a jolt. I of course chose to walk at this point. Thoughts of "okay what do I do now?" were racing through my mind. Do I stop and sit or what? I chose to walk and try to focus on staying upright. I did the very best I could to stay calm and breath nice and easy.

Things started to get better after a few minutes so I slowly picked up my pace to make sure I was doing okay. There didn't seem to be any aftershocks so I started back up again. I walked the water stops from here on out. Making sure I drank water and cooled my self down with just putting water in my hat. At this point my time no longer mattered.

As with the 5 prior Grandmas marathon once I got to the top of what is called Lemon Drop Hill, I knew I was going to make it. Saturday was no different. I walked it to the top and than begin a nice easy pace down the long descent and onto the street that heads through downtown Duluth. I relaxed quite a bit at this point and did the best I could to focus getting around the next couple of bends.

I had no idea what my time was. I guess while I was getting my carbo chew thing out of my waist pack just after mile 12 I must have hit the pause button on my Garmin GPS device. When I looked at my Garmin at mile 15 I knew 2:02 couldn't be correct and saw that the time had stopped. I restarted it but that didn't help my mind was still a bit clouded and I wasn't able to do any calculating. Basically the CPU in the head computer was down.

Again as in the previous marathons making the sharp turn toward the end at mile 25 is a big rush. Run down a hill than walk up a hill and from there it's a run as best I can towards the finish. I'll admit a few short walks in there this year. I did manage a couple of smiles and poses for the camera when I went by the photo op spots about a ¾ of a mile to the finish. The crowds along this last mile stretch are quite encouraging.

Finally the turn for home and once again a big adrenaline rush. I have always been able to run this section. The crowd just cheers you on and I know my family is pulling me. I was scanning the crowd as I ran down the chute. I see my daughter hanging out trying to see me. We wave pretty much simultaneously and than I see the clock and by god I am getting in under 5:00 and better yet I'll be in the 4:40's. I tell myself "Never mind the watery eyes just get it done". Last year my I was able to have my oldest grandson to cross with me so this year I grabbed my granddaughter and the youngest grandson to cross the line with me

I may renege on my statement that this would be last Grandmas Marathon. I think it's a bit more of a spiritual thing than I thought. Being there is more uplifting than I think I can put into words.

Morning, all!

It sure felt good to sleep in my own bed Saturday night! Yesterday was a DOR and shopping for flowers and planters for our patio. I am finished with travel until July 9th (Leader training in Milwaukee for three days) so hopefully I will be able to give my flowers the TLC they need to get a good start. DH hung the planter boxes last night and I have tons of flowers to plant today along with getting my permanent crowns this PM. For once, I can't wait to go to the dentist - just hoping the permanent crowns solve the problems I had with the temporary ones.

I got my leader training information while I was gone and need to switch to Core for two weeks - they want all leaders to have been on both programs and I have only used Flex in the past. So - how difficult it is to switch to Core? I know a lot of you prefer Core - I'm planning to start tomorrow. My weeks are Tuesday through Monday so figure I might just as well go for it. My biggest fear is not knowing when I'm satisfied!

Good to see Tim checking in last night to let us know he was doing well - can't wait for his RR. I am going to try a short run outside after my yoga class. Yesterday was the first day I wore sandals all way (very supportive sandals btb) since the marathon and my foot was none the worse for wear.

Welcome knowican55 - sounds like you are doing a great job with WW and your training. I ran my first 5K last September and it was the Race for a Cure too! I ran my first marathon 5 weeks ago and found it amazing how much running has become a part of my life. I lost 42 pounds with WW two years ago. This is a great thread for encouragement in both running and WW.

Happy - congratulations on your WI. You are definitely headed in the right direction. Those fancy dinners can certainly wreck havoc occasionally but now it's behind you. Hopefully your foot will continue to take those two steps forward for the one step back - at least you have been forewarned so it wasn't a total downer. I think I will be getting new shoes soon - I'm wearing the ones I ran the marathon in and bought them in March. Those were the weeks of my highest mileage and have worn them pretty consistently during my rehab. Hmmm - maybe I should have them bronzed. LOL.

Dan - Glad the Candlelight 5K helped you mentally and physically. I like your HM plan - trying to figure out one of my own too!

Time for yoga and my run - have a great day everyone.

~Darlene

Again, thanks for the cheers on Saturday and Sunday. Knowing that I was being tracked did help me occasionally along the way. Very much apreeciated.

I'll be taking the next few days off. Probably will not doing any runs until Saturday.

Next up for me is a Duathlon 3.3 run 20 mile bike 3.3 mile run on July 5th I think. I get my bike back from the bike shop on Thursday. Having it tuned up. So this weekend I will be doing some biking and a bit of running. That will carry into next week.

later

Tim

Hi everyone!!! What a weekend!

Tim: Excellent race report, I am so glad that you were ok, and so happy that you didn't have to stop. Congrats on your time and your experience, we are all so proud of you.

Dan: That is a great time! Even more impressive is that you did it with the extra weight you said you have. That is amazing. I hope that you found the inspiration that you were looking for.

Colleen: Glad your party went well. That cake looks about as big as the one we got for Tessa's party, and we had way more than half left. She is so pretty - she won't have any trouble hooking a Navy man! Wink wink!! Oh, and that pool?? Hello, im waiting for the invite!! HEEHEE! No joke though I am so glad you are able to do that race with your son, I am sure he will love it. I have such wonderfully wonderful memories of my first 5K - I just know he will now too!

Happy: Thanks for the well wishes. The immobilizer has had to go to the wayside, I just can't do ANYTHING with it, and I have the kids alone this week while DH is on a business trip. Not the best scenario, but I can't drive my 5 speed w/ it, and I have to go to work!

My weekend was certainly memorable. Amelia's birthday was Saturday... pictures attached....

Then when we got home....

We are putting away Amelia's birthday stuff the afternoon in the kids' room. Both girls are playing on the floor. All of a sudden Tessa starts coughing, nothing too exciting as she always has a cough. It doesn't stop and I turn around from what I am doing and she is changing color! I grab her and start pounding on her back to get the hymilic thing going she is breathing and coughing so I know her airway isn't blocked. DH calls 911 and off we go to the ED via ambulance. Amelia was FREAKING out worse than Tessa was screaming "don't take my baby sister to the hospital, don't take her blood!" It was so horrifying. Long story short and 3 x-rays later (and a scope down her esophagus to make sure no plastic thing was there that they couldn't see on x-ray) she swallowed something plastic and small enough that it will come out the other end. Knew she must be ok before we even got there becasue by the time we did get to the ED she was already smiling at the EMT's in her melt-your-heart way.

KIDS! Jeesshhhh!!!!

Oh, Amelia is ok now too, when we got home with Tessa she grabs her by the shoulders and looks her in the face and says (I swear the kid is like 25 years old sometimes) "Tessa don't ever scare me like that again, oh and only food goes in your mouth - SILLY!" What a piece of work she is!

Thats it for me... sorry for the length!

OH I have news about my knee, but I will post that later, I have to put the kids to bed..... stay tuned!

Whooo hoooo I am back online!

We are currently in the Two rivers campground in Nashville TN, for someone such as me who detests country music this is a pretty uncool place to be but it does have wireless net so for a few hours all is well in my world or would be if the campground band would call it quits for the night We are not staying here long, tomorrow we head down to Panama City and hopefully we get that leg of the trip over in one day.

I survived Iowa, we had to go thru Cedar Rapids to get to Lowden and that was very sad to see I don't think we even say the river that caused the problems but as we drove we went past block and block of homes with piles of ruined possessions out on the streets. It was a very thought provoking leg of the trip.

Since leaving Rapid City it has been a boring drive...I want my mountains back LOL I was bummed today that the nearest I got to Chicago and an awesome Leany massage was 200 miles, boy do I need a massage too! I keep undoing my seat belt and telling DH not to crash as I adjust positions in the seat

In the morning we are running up to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, I think they serve oatmeal there, if not I will eat 10 pancakes instead...JK! After breakfast we will either run or walk back, depending on the contents of our belly's then it will be on the road to PC.

It sure is good to be able to check in with you all! I will catch you either in the morning before we leave or in the evening from my hew home with personals

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I'm a Weightwatcher runner

Lifetimer still learning to maintain

Starting weight 228.5
Goal weight 135
current weight 139