Time, Turkey and Some Running

So the holidays are in full swing now and time is becoming more precious. It has been over a month since my last post and you might wonder if I've done anything at all. I have kept up my running "fairly" consistently - at least until this past weekend.

Since Lilli's 1st birthday, I've run a trail run at Fort Harrison State Park and kept up my weekly runs. My in-laws came in from Arizona this past week (Tuesday) and spent almost a week with us for Thanksgiving. Amazingly, it was not enough time for them to see everyone, but they did spend some quality time with Lilli - something they really hadn't done much of previously. In fact, she would scream when they would come over because she didn't know who they were! This time was quite different. She really latched on to her Papa and Nana, and I think they latched on to her. They got to see just how wonderful she really is. So I suggested that a web cam would be a good idea (and a good Christmas present for them).

Thanksgiving was good. I made my best turkey to date - juicy and golden brown. I was quite proud of myself (I am typing this while finishing up the last of the turkey in fact... so sad). I didn't get out to run the Drumstick Dash this year - just too tired and too busy, but I did get out the day before and the day after for a good run.

Friday pretty much had me at home all day - no early shopping for me this year. I just didn't feel the need to get out and shop, which leaves me with even less time now to complete this daunting task... ugh... I have ideas though, just need to follow through.

Saturday we went up to Muncie to see Steph's other family members - her grandmother and aunt and uncle. It was a long day and I was very tired by the end.

Sunday the in-laws went out shopping and I relaxed a little at home, though I never got around to reading the Sunday paper, let alone get a run in. We ended up going out for dinner on Sunday so we didn't have to eat any more leftovers or cook anything and a way for Steph's parents to see the grand kids one last time. It was fun for all and then it was time to head home as they had to get up at 3am to head to the airport for an early morning flight. They got back to Arizona well before noon here.

I did get out for a run this morning - just 5 miles. There was a light dusting of snow on the roads, so I wore my trail shoes. About a mile into my run I realized that the sole inserts weren't in my shoes. I had them out when I was drying them out from my last trail run and I didn't notice it. By then end of my run, my knees noticed it though. Surprising how much cushion they provide. So I ended that run at an 8:51 average pace, which isn't bad, but still seems too slow. I am desperate to work on my speed, but may need to wait until spring. I am looking forward to getting back to the trails, so hopefully I'll have some more running to post.

Until then, Happy Running and Happy Holidays!

Weekend Update - Birthday Party

So I've taken a week off from running since the half marathon... no particular reason other than I needed the mental break. Also, with Lilli's birthday party on Saturday, it gave us plenty of time to get the house ready for the party... we actually finally got around to spring cleaning... we steam cleaned the carpets, vacuumed, mopped, dusted high and low and even did windows. On top of that I finally got our bedroom painted - which really started out as just refinishing an armoire for the bedroom to replace my chest of drawers. As part of this "refinish" job I got to remodel the bedroom with a fresh coat of paint - something brighter and more cheery. We went from a gold color to a pale blue.

Lilli's party was not what I thought it would be, it was a little chaotic and I think a bit boring for some (though in all fairness if everyone showed up on time it would probably have gone smoother). Lilli took a good nap in the late morning into the early afternoon, so we cleared that hurdle. The party was to start at 3pm, but half the people did not show up until 3:30 - almost 4. Everything we read said that a 1st birthday party should last about an hour - it's really more for the parents anyway. So the thought was we'd be done by 4, but the last guest left around 5:30 (the one who was last to show). Needless to say, we worked with the hand we were dealt.

We got Lilli in her costume and she didn't care much for it, so that did not last too long - just enough for some photos.

Once everyone was there, we did the cake. Lilli played mostly - not really into the cake just yet.

Afterwards, we did the presents to keep things moving.

Once that was over, people slowly departed. Lilli was clearly tired from all the excitement too.

We are taking the day off on her actual birthday and getting family photos taken. Hopefully it will be nice weather so it can be outside...

Countdown to Lilli's 1st Birthday party

Lilli's 1st birthday party is this Saturday! We have been trying to get organized for this and still have a bunch to do. I at least was able to get the invites designed, printed and sent out in time. It will be a small party, since it will last only an hour - not much to do at a 1 year olds birthday party anyway. I'm looking forward to it - it is a halloween theme and kids can dress in their costumes. Should be fun... stay tuned for photos of the event...

Here's Lilli's birthday party invite (without address or phone #)

Race Report: Indianapolis Half Marathon

The week leading up to race day was a tiring one. Lilli spent most of the week sick with a fever. After two doctor's visits and many sleepless nights, her fever broke on Friday and it ended up being some viral infection - not the roseola we thought it might be. Needless to say I was not well rested for the race (though I had only run one time all week).

It was a cool, crisp morning - about as perfect as it could be for a race. The leaves were almost at peak and it was a picturesque autumn day. I got to the race site about 45 minutes before the start. I met up with John and Jason. Jason was running in the marathon relay and would run the first 6+/- miles with John and me. The race had grown even more from last year (which was capped at about 4500 marathon and half marathon participants). This year there was a field of about 5700 runners for the full and half - pretty exciting. They made some more improvements to the race this year. Packet pick up was at the local YMCA, which offered a little more room for the expo - and better parking. There was a little more course entertainment (at least on the front half - not sure how the other 13.1 miles were). Great fan support in and around Fort Harrison (the first 6 miles, and last 1.1).

We started out at what seemed like a very comfortable pace. Unfortunately my GPS shut down because I started it too early, so I am unsure of our exact pace, but it was right around 8:30/mile. We were conversing back and forth for quite awhile and everything seemed to be going pretty well. I wasn't sure if the pace would hold, but through mile 6 it had. Surprisingly around mile 5 I was getting warm, but I kept the long sleeve shirt on - my plan was to ditch it at mile 7 (my home) if I was too warm. Surprisingly I got cool when the sun went behind the clouds, so I kept it on, but took off my gloves.

At mile 7 we were in my neighborhood and there were Steph and Lilli waiting to cheer me on. They were about the only ones in the entire neighborhood out that morning - a bit too cool for everyone else I guess. I got a boost of energy and we pushed on.

By mile 8, I was feeling a little sore in my right knee, but it was slowing me down or changing my gait at all, and then around mile 8.5 we spotted Brooke and she joined us for a run to the end, to keep us on pace. Miles 9-11 are the toughest part of the course and the part I was dreading, even though I trained on the very hills we were going to run. It was all mental, because when we hit the hills we were up them before I knew it - though it did slow down our pace a bit. We exited the park and headed for the finish with about 2 miles to go. Not feeling too bad, I knew I'd finish strong. At around 12.5 miles the half and full split off. I had some flash backs to last year's marathon and then realized that there was no way I could have run a full...

We turned into the final stretch and worked hard to pick up the pace - it probably wasn't until the last 1/4 mile that we pushed it and picked the pace up to 7:30's. We got finished and got our medals and I felt pretty good - not that I expected to feel bad after just a half, but it was a pretty good effort - just not a PR for me. We came in at 1:53 - a 8:39/mile average pace.

Speaking of medals though - this year's medal rocked! Sad to say, my two other full marathon medals don't even equal in weight the one I got for this half! Oh well, it's more about the accomplishment - but the medals are cool too.

Race Report: DINO Trail Run #6

Just a mere 5 days to go... I am not feeling prepared for this half. I can run it, sure, but I doubt that I'll be setting any PR's (which I really need). At least that is how I am feeling after my run on Saturday. It was the DINO Series Race #6 at SouthWestway Park.

It all began great. I met up with Brooke, whom I haven't been able to run with all summer. Our last run together was the Geist Half Marathon in May, so we had a lot to catch up on. I am pretty sure we did not have enough time during the drive there and back and all throughout the race. So, we'll need to try to get runs scheduled more often than every 5 months...

We began at what I considered a very easy pace of 9:00/miles, but around mile 2 or so, it seemed to get much harder... sure there was a huge hill, but even that shouldn't have been that big of a deal, but it definitely was work to get up it and left me feeling tired. The course itself was beautiful. Nice paths to run along and with just the one big hill, a somewhat challenging course, but not the toughest I've run on. In all fairness, I have only run trails once since the Dances With Dirt Race back in May, so I wasn't necessarily prepared for the race in terms of dealing with the terrain, but the distance wasn't a big deal.

Brooke and I kept up a conversation most of the time. John had started out with us, but he maintained the 9:00/mile pace and we didn't see him after mile 2 or so until the end of the race. We touched on quite a few topics, but it still seemed like we ran out of time to talk. It was a beautiful day out - sunny, blue skies and cool in the morning. A great day for a trail run.

We finished in a respectable 1:31 (John finished in 1:24) - so it wasn't a bad run, just not the pace I thought I'd be running - especially this close the the half marathon. I keep trying to tell myself that it is a different kind of running than a road race, so I guess we'll have to see in 5 days if I am right...