Permission

Yesterday, I headed out for a five mile run.

If I was smart, I would of got up early and ran before everyone was awake.  Instead, I woke up at my regular time and waited until George was on the bus and off to school.  I stepped out my door at 9:10.

It was already warm, but not unbearable.  My first mile was mostly shaded and I felt good.  Mile two the sun was starting to really hit me and there was no breeze.  It was here I thought that I would just do three and call it good.

This is where two voices in my head started to argue.  Does that happen to you?  Part of me said you can do it and just go and the other part was all, turn around what's the big deal!

Positive voice won and then I hit three miles.  It was here, I had to make another decision.  My goal was five miles and I was running toward the beach and even though there was little shade, a breeze had just started to hit me.  I liked it.  If I turned around, I would be running again with the sun beating down on me and no breeze.  I chose to go forward and planned to call for a ride home.

Mile four and five were really good.  The breeze was on and off and there were two hills to contend with.  The first hill was open road and really hot.  I made it to the top and than gave myself permission to take a quick walk while I drank some water.  Why do I feel like I need to have "permission" to do this.  What rule am I really breaking?  I am not officially training yet.  I am running for the enjoyment of it, right?  I hate being so hard on myself but I think we all do that.  The walk was just what I needed.  The water was just what I needed.  I was ready to finish my run, which was ending on an uphill.

I am still going back and forth with training plans for my marathon and I am considering one that involves a walk/run method.  I will admit it, is on the bottom of the list but I do have a hard time seeing myself run for 26.2 miles.  I am guessing we have all doubted ourselves at some point or another but this doubt has been with me from the moment I decided to run a marathon.

For my first half, I walked up to each water stop, drank my water and then ran again. This worked well for me and maybe that is what I just need to do in November.

Are you as hard on yourself as I am?  Do you feel you need to have "permission" to walk or stop?  Have you used a run/walk method for a marathon?

Like I said, I finished up mile five on an uphill.  I stretched my calves and called home. Trust me, I considered running home, but I was not prepared.  I was out of water and did not have fuel with me.  I would of never made it.

My parents are here for a visit.  Gracie had her preschool graduation last night and they were here to see that.  My dad answered the phone.  I told him where I was and started to walk in the direction he would be coming.  Once I crossed the street and walked about a minute, my Garmin beeped to tell me it was shutting down.  No way, I am going to run till I see the car!  I hit go and off I went.

Gracie and her Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop

The sun was hot but I felt good.  I ran until I saw my dad and got in the very nice air-conditioned car.  He had a nice bottle of water for me too.  Thanks Dad!

When I looked down at my Garmin it read 5.95 miles.  Oh, man so very close to six! That made me laugh.  If I was not getting a ride, I would of finished it up at six miles but I couldn't do that today.  Oh well, just need to move on.

Are you a stickler for the numbers?  Even or odd?

I had a nice run, and so happy I got out when I did.  I am heading to Boston for the weekend with my church and our schedule is jammed packed with our mornings starting at 6am.  I am not sure if I will get a run in, but I am packed for one.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.  We are staying in Cambridge and I would love to run along the Charles.

I hope you all have a nice weekend.  Don't forget to enter the Shubeez giveaway which is ending next week!

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole

Boston Shubeez Giveaway!

It's time for a giveaway!

I have been waiting to do this one for a few weeks now.  We have all been looking for ways to help and honor those who lost so much on April 15, 2013.

By now, we have all run for Boston and continue to do so.  And we have donated or purchased something with the funds going to The One Fund.

One of the things that I love is the Boston Shubeez.   As an affiliate for the Shubeez company, this was the perfect way to raise money for a cause that is near to my heart.  All proceeds go to The One Fund and affiliates do not get credit.  Very cool!

If you have already ordered, than thank you.  If not, then here is your chance to win one and wear it proudly!

There will be two winners for this one. And here is what they look like.  One ribbon and one 26.2 is up for grabs.  I can't guarantee which one you will receive but feel free to tell me if you prefer one to the other.

Cute, right?

Use the very easy Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post to enter.  It will run for a week.  Good luck!

If you haven't checked out the Shubeez site yet, than hop on over and see what they are all about.  If you decide to order any of the non Boston ones, than I hope you will chose Running While Mommy as your affiliate.

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole

a Rafflecopter giveaway

10k By the Bay Recap

On Saturday, I ran in my first 10k.

I woke up to a wet and cold morning.  I was so warm in my bed when my alarm went off. I laid there trying to figure out why I paid $30 to get up and run in these conditions?  Who does this?  Oh, yeah, just us runners.

Up until the late morning on Friday, I was running in this race alone.  I was thrilled when Elaine sent me a message, saying she was going to join me.  Hooray!!!

I drove.  Parking was easy and we had plenty of time before the race.  Elaine had to register and I just had to pick up my number. We got our shirts, and then sat in the car to stay warm.  One last potty stop, and then we were lined up ready to go.

This was a 10k and a 5k run and walk.  It was a pretty small race.  There were 92 people running the 10k and less than 50 doing the 5k.

The weather forecast was showers and cold.  My least favorite running conditions.  When we lined up, it wasn't even drizzling.

Before the race.

I knew I had gone out too fast once again, but even though I did, so many people were passing me.  My first mile was 9:31.

Elaine had a goal of her own and she was gone pretty quickly.  Once we were out of the first mile, I was running alone.  I could hear people behind me and see people in front of me.  When I had looked at the map of the course, it had a ton of twists and turns. I was a little nervous that I would get lost.  I have to say it was very well marked with flaggers and the best thing about that was they used American Flags instead of the bright orange ones.  I thought that was really cool!

Mile two was in the woods.  It was a paved trail and it was really cool.  It was a loop and you could see the water for a short time.  It was here that 7 people passed me.  First it was three women and then 4 more after them.  They all seemed to know each other and I tried to stay with them but found it difficult. They were so in-tuned with each other and I was guessing they ran together frequently.

I wondered if Beth and I looked like this and than I got mad that I couldn't keep up with them.  They were not going much faster than me.  Mile three was my slowest, 10:57. However, when I hit the 5k point, it was at 32:25 and that would have been a new 5k PR. Why didn't I run the 5k?  LOL

Mile four, things got interesting.  I passed a man tying his shoe.  No big deal right?  Well, than he passed me and when I caught up to him, he was tying his shoe again.  Then, he was on the side of the road for a third time tying his shoe.  Really?!  Why did he not double knot at this point?

When we hit mile 5, the flagger was yelling out our times.  Mine was 52:40.  I looked at my Garmin and it read 52:42, pretty cool.

And then, there was Shoe Tie Guy again.  He was running in front of me and I literally saw his shoe come untied!  This time he ran with it untied for a bit before he stopped.  I was wondering if he really had laces that wouldn't stay tied or if he just used it as an excuse to stop.  When he was running, it was fast, maybe he needed that break?  I don't know, but in the end, he came in before me.

Mile six, was my toughest.  It wasn't my slowest, but I just wanted to see the finish at this point.  I was pretty sure Elaine was finished by now and I was looking forward to seeing her.

At this point, I was behind a women in gray sneakers with yellow/greenish bottoms.  She had a good pace and I stayed with her for most of the mile.  For some reason, I focused on the bottoms of her shoes.

Then I saw Elaine.

She snapped my pic and then started to run with me.  I passed Miss Gray Shoes and Elaine and I started chatting.  She had a really great race.  My speed picked up and I saw the finish.

Hi Elaine!

I heard the steps behind me first.  As soon as we were in the cones to the finish, Miss Gray Shoes came flying past me.  Technically, she was leading in front of me for the whole race and I guess she didn't want to lose it at the very end.  She beat me by one second.  I am not very competitive and this did not bother me and I was happy for her. She wasn't in my age group either so that was another plus.  Shoe Tie Guy came in right before her.

Speeding into the finish!  Miss Gray Shoes had just passed me.

I finished my first 10k on 1:05:13, 9/11 in my age group and 75th out of 92 runners.  My pace was 10:30 which is my pace, no more, no less and I am very happy with that.

At the finish, they had coffee and doughnuts, bananas and oranges and hot dogs and hamburgers.  It was a very nice spread.  While we were eating, it really started to rain. We hung out and waited for them to post the results and then we headed home.

Elaine kicked some butt.  She finished in 51:08 which is an 8:13 pace.  Woohoo, way to go my speedy friend! 

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day.  We have no big plans but I am happy that we will all be together.  My parents will be here this week so that they can see Gracie graduate preschool.  She is so excited and I am thrilled for her.  I can't believe my baby will be in Kindergarten in the fall!

How are you celebrating and remembering this Memorial Day weekend?  Are you racing?

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole

Friends

Last night I ran with the Narragansett Running Association for the third time.  I have joined on with this group because of Beth.  I was hesitant at first but so happy that I gave it a try.

This group is fast!  I am not.

Their Thursday night runs are described as their "fun runs".  That sounded perfect to Beth and I.  The first week, two gentlemen stuck with us for about 2 miles to show us where to go.  The second week, we were on our own but had such a great run.

Then Beth went away and we missed two weeks.  I did not run with the group for a couple reasons.  First, 6pm is not that convenient with two little kids.  And second, I knew I would be alone and I can run by myself anywhere at my connivence.  Third, they are fun runs and what fun is it without a friend!

My back has not been feeling so good this week and I wasn't sure if I would be up for five miles.  I woke up feeling a little better and was really looking forward to my evening run.  I messaged Beth to tell her I was a go and asked if she wanted to grab a drink after.  She was on board.

We met at our spot and there were a few new faces.  At 6 we were off.  It was dark and windy, but looking at the radar, the rain was going to miss us.

We fell into conversation right away and this is what I really love about these runs.  The friendship.

I am blessed to have some wonderful friends in my life and running only made that better.

My oldest friends are Dawn, Elizabeth and Deserie.  I hardly ever see them but I met them all in high school!  When we talk or get together, it is like time never passed.  I love and miss each of them every day.

Then there is Barb, who I met in 1994 in training to become Flight Attendants.  We worked together and even lived together for a while.  She is an Badass Mother Runner who has been one of my biggest cheerleaders.  She will be running with me in my first marathon.  It will be her 5th.  There is distance between us but that just makes the friendship even stronger.

Some of my newer friends I made when I had my son.  I joined a Moms Club and met some of the funniest women ever.  Not only have they made me laugh but they got me to a good place.  I was clueless when I had George, as a lot of us new moms are, and they helped me figure it out.  I have learned so much from them and continue to each and every day.  It was one of those moms who asked me to run with her and I laughed at her request.  That was in 2011.  I have come a long way since then and shared some miles with these fellow running moms.

And now, through my blog and FB page, I continue to meet women runners who amaze and motivate me.  Connie a wonderful women who ran her first 5k at 60!  She is now training for her first 10k.  So proud to call her my friend.  Michelle and Deb, who I drove with to the Another Mother Runner party. I had so much fun with them and look forward to the next time we will see each other.  And of course, Beth, who with each run, I love more and more.  There are a few others who I have not met yet, but continue to share stories and laughs with through email and FB.  Some of them, I can't wait to meet.

And I can't forget my Running While Daddy friends, especially Andy.  His story is truly amazing!  He is funny and smart and an incredible father.  He has been a great supporter of mine for a long time now and I have loved following him with every step he has run and every word that he has written.

I guess what I am trying to say, there is nothing like a good friend.  I don't care if you have 1 on 100, it doesn't matter.  My friends are all different, yet we all get along.  I can laugh with them and cry on their shoulder.  I can run with them, drink with them and sometimes both at the same time.  My kids can play with their kids and they are making lasting friendships also.  That's pretty cool!

Do you have a best friend?  Any crazy stories you want to share?  What are you teaching your kids about friendship?  

I am running in my very first 10k tomorrow.  I am pretty excited except for the rain.  I will be running with my friend Elaine and that makes it all better.

Any races for this long weekend?  How will you celebrate Memorial Day?  Will it be with friends?

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole

Block Island Getaway!

I have a very good friend who is moving to Kodiak Alaska.  They are a Coast Guard family and this will be there next stop for the next 3-5 years.

When we asked Katie what she might want to do as a "going away",  a girls weekend in Block Island is what we decided on.

On Friday, we boarded the 3pm ferry and our girls weekend began!

I am not a fan of big bodies of water, boats, or drowning, so this was my least favorite part of the trip and the longest 50 minutes ever!

Once on the island we cabbed it over to our Inn with the meanest driver ever.  Seriously, she yelled at our friend Jill for not knowing how to put the seat down so we had access to the last row in her truck.  Really?!  And BTW, way to go Jill for standing up for yourself!

When we got to the Inn, we met the inn-keeper and he showed us around and we picked our rooms.  We told him about our ride over and he said, "Oh, you must of had Monica."  Too funny, yes it was Monica.

We made it and it's colder than we expected!

Once we dropped our bags in our rooms, we sat on the patio with wine, beer and snacks.  That first couple of hours, we just sat and talked and laughed and it was one of the highlights of the weekend.  I have some really funny friends and even though these getaways are few and far between, I am really happy that we get to do them once in a while.

View from the back porch.

I am really going to miss Katie and her family.  Her daughter is really great friends with my Gracie.  Gracie does not know she is moving yet.  I am going to wait to tell her until after her birthday, I think.

We freshened up and then headed to dinner.  We ate at a restaurant near the ferry as we had another friend coming in on the 7pm.  Once we were finished with dinner we headed to one of the local bars and had a few drinks before calling it a night.  The first day was a great success!

Now, I was really looking forward to running in Block Island.  I would be running with friends and it would be a new place.  Technically, still RI, but you know what I mean.  Jenn, my very good friend and fellow runner was coming in on the 9am ferry on Saturday. I was only planning on running once, so I had to wait for her to get in.  Jill is also a runner and I was thinking 3-4 miles would be great for the three of us.

Once the girls arrived, we headed out for a 6 mile hike that brought us to the bluffs.  It was a spectacular view and a fun walk.  After that, we had lunch and shopped.

Our 6 mile hike.

Beautiful view!

Hi!

It was warm, so an evening run was going to be perfect.  However, drinks started to flow and with every sip, I was pretty sure this run would never happen.  It was during this time that Ethel said she was going to run with us.  She has been dealing with a foot problem and has not run in months! Plus, she said this after two mud slides and a beer in front of her.  She must be teasing me, right?

We walked our mile back to the inn and when we got there, they had wine and snacks out for us.  Almost everyone grabbed a glass and we sat and talked and laughed again.  After about 45 minutes, Jenn asked if we were going to run.  Guess what, we ran!

Jenn, Ethel and I headed out and Jill said she would catch up.  As soon as we started, we were laughing.  The jokes were flying about drinking and running and they wanted to know what I would call this blog post.  @&*#faced While Running was a popular choice.  Honestly, we were ok. If I was drunk, I would not be able to run.  I stopped drinking at the bar and I didn't even finish that drink.  I only had snacks at the inn so I knew I was ok.  I was a little dehydrated and was happy I had my water bottle with me.  Block Island is also hillier than I had expected.

Ethel was struggling and said she was going to quit.  She walked, she ran, we all laughed.  She made it a mile and then laid down on someones lawn.  I was so bummed that I did not have my camera!  It was here that Jill found us.  We were a quarter mile from the inn, so we got Ethel home safe and then continued on.

Jenn and Jill are a bit faster than me and I was behind them for most of the run.  I didn't mind.  I was happy to be out running with friends.  I didn't even have music with me.  I was enjoying the sights.  We passed a house with a toilet on their lawn with two pink plastic flamingos sticking out of it.  What?!  We past goats and horses.  And Mean Monica passed us, twice.

The final result was 3.27 miles in about 35 minutes for me and less for Jenn and Jill.  We walked about 5 minutes and then showered and met everyone for dinner.

I was sharing a room with Jill and that night when we got in our beds we started chatting.  It was a fun conversation that lasted late into the night.  I felt like a little girl having a sleep-over and it was so much fun!

Because of the late night, I was the last one down to breakfast.  A few of us were going on the 11am ferry.  Myself, Ethel and MB were going on the 3pm.  It was sad to say goodbye and see our weekend coming to an end.

Our afternoon was filled with a little more shopping, and a nice lunch.  We boarded the ferry and said goodbye to Block Island.  Another great girls weekend in the books!

I was thrilled to see my family and head home to my own bed.  I love going away, but there is nothing better than your own home with the ones you love.

I have a pretty busy week ahead of me and a race on Saturday.  I need an idea for a teacher gift.  Not just your ordinary teacher.  I need something special. Any ideas?

Anything new with you?  Do you ever plan weekend getaways with the girls? If you could plan a race destination weekend with your girlfriends, what race would you choose?

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole

Narrow River 5k Recap

On Saturday, I ran in the Narrow River 5k.  I ran this race last year and, at that time, it was only my third official race.  I like this race for a few reasons.  First, it is in local race, just a few miles from my home. Second, it is a mostly flat and fast course.  And third, it has a 10am start. My favorite time of day to run is late morning and it is rare when I actually get to do that.

The day before the race, I did a few things wrong.  Basically, I ate hot wings, a doughnut and pretzels with cheese sauce.  Not all at once, but you get the picture.  I also went to bed a little later than I normally do, but I slept really well.

A half hour before my alarm was scheduled to go off, I woke up with terrible pains in my stomach which had me running into my bathroom.  Not good!  After about 20 minutes, I was dressed and trying to decide if I should eat breakfast.  I had more than an hour before I had to leave and pick up Bridget, so I made my usual waffle with peanut butter.

After two more trips to the bathroom, I decided to skip the banana.  (sorry for the TMI)

I seriously considered not going but 15 minutes before I was to leave I started to feel better and took a chance.

Bridget lives just a few miles away and I was thrilled to be able to pick her up and drive together.  Before this race last year, I knew Bridget just in passing but it was this race that made us friends.

When we parked and got out to get our numbers, the wind hit us and it was cold.  I was not prepared for this type of weather but I was fairly certain that it was just here at the beach and not at the start line.

This race is a 5k and a 10k.  For the 10k runners, they start and end at the beach.  For us 5k runners we are shuttled to the start and run back to the beach.

I decided to just run this race for fun and just see what happens, especially with the way I was feeling.  I wasn't sure if I would get a PR, but I was sure that I would get a course PR.  Last year, I finished in 35:04, 8th out of the 8 runners in my age group and 64th overall out of 77 runners.

When we took off, I was behind Bridget.  She is a faster runner than I am and after 4 1/2 minutes, I was still behind her.  She was either going really slow or I was going too fast, too soon, again.  My Garmin read 9:31 pace, so I slowed down a bit.  Believe it or not, my stomach was doing ok and I was having a really great race.  Mile one flew by and I started to think about a PR again.

When I hit 2.6 miles, my stomach started to burn.  I was hungry and was wishing I ate that banana.  I was also closer to the beach and the wind picked up and I was running into it.  I ran as fast as I could despite the feeling in my belly because I just wanted to be done!

When I ran through the finish chute, I missed the clock.  I also turned my Garmin off late.  I was pretty sure I had hit a PR though.

We headed over to the water and snack table, snapped a few pics, found out that we did not win anything in the raffle and then they posted the results.

I did it!  31:32, 4th in my age group, 24th female, and 57th overall out of 112 runners.  Seriously, I am thrilled.  These are my best numbers yet!

I have to give a big shout-out to Bridget who place second in our age group and only missed 1st by 3 seconds!  Way to go my friend!

On the way to the car, Bridget said we should run this race together every year, now it's a tradition.  Yes, I couldn't agree more, Bridget!

Bridget and I after the race.

When I was leaving, I drove out of the parking lot and I ran over an orange cone.  I had to pull over and the cop that was helping people cross the street had to come over, stop traffic and he helped me remove the stuck cone from under my truck.  That's not too embarrassing.

My family was here visiting for Mother's Day.  It was a lovely weekend and we had such a nice time.  My kids made me some very special cards that made me laugh and cry.  It was a perfect weekend.

Me and my babies!

Dad, sister, mom and me.  No one told me how wrinkled I looked.  Thanks everyone!

Look at that cute face peeking out under George's arm.  Love this picture!

I hope your weekend was filled with fun, love and laughter and, of course, running.

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole

Running For Fun

If you read my last post, then you remember that I wrote that I would run for fun and just enjoy it while putting together my marathon training plan.

Are you able to do that?  Just go out and run without any worries about time or distance.  "Maybe I will go 4 miles today, maybe 6?  Let's just go and see what happens."

I got a few miles in that were good and then on Sunday, George wanted to run with me. We went to church in the morning, then by the time we got home, it was lunch all the while, Mr. RWM was installing our new front door.

He mentioned that he needed to go to Home Depot, which I thought would be in the next half hour, so I moved on to other things and told George we would go later.  Mr. RWM and I were not communicating well, because 2 hours later, he was still here!  George and I so could of run!

A little after 4, George and I were finally on our way.  No real plan but I was hoping for at least 3 miles.  As we started up the hill, it was clear, George did not want to be running.  I decided to give him a chance and see what happens.  I mean, I have started plenty of runs wanting to quit just to go two extra miles in the end because it became such a good run.

Anyway, after just about 17 minutes and ONLY 1 mile, we were back at the house.  He went in and I was about to head up the hill and finish my run when Mr. RWM, called for some help.  The door would not fit!  I stood and held the door up for a few minutes while he figured out why. Then before he moved on, he went to our neighbor's house who is a carpenter for some professional advice.  I stayed with the kids.

When he got back, it was time to start dinner, give the kids a bath and make sure everything was ready for Monday morning.  I never got out of my running clothes as I had every intention of still going.  With just about 20 minutes of daylight left, Mr. RWM went to Home Depot.  Umm, ohh, ok.  Can someone please hand this girl a margarita!  I should of started my Cinco De Mayo celebration hours ago!!!

That night while I was thinking about running, I knew that this weekends 5k would just be me.  George is not going to be ready and, I am pretty sure he is not interested.   So, of course, now I have a PR on my mind.  Time to beat is 31:44.

Fast forward to Tuesday.  I really needed to run and I had Gracie with me.  My plan was four miles, shower, get Gracie lunch and off to school.

After 10 minutes of Gracie trying to decide which pillow pet would make a good companion on our run, we were off.

Gracie will be 5 in June.  Her weight plus the stroller is about 70 pounds.  I did not fair well going up the dreaded hill.  We made it to the top and she started in with, "I want to run, I want to run."  I told her she can run at the end.

When we hit a mile, she needed to stop because she was too hot and needed to take her coat off.  On our way again and she lost her drink.  We had to stop and find it.

At a mile and a half, I knew I would not have time to fit in four miles.  I turned around and headed home.  At this point, I was frustrated.  I wanted to run 4 miles and I have a PR on the brain.  What was I thinking running with Gracie?

And then it hit me...

What about those fun runs I was talking about?  I am out on a beautiful day with my baby and I am not having any fun.  This does not make sense.  Wake up Nicole!  Why does this run have to be so serious.  Three miles, four, who cares.  Stop and go, stop and go.  To help out my little one, well yeah, of course, just go with the flow.  She is getting big and will be in school full time in the fall and I won't have this extra time with her.  I can tell you already, I am going to miss it.

My attitude changed after that and the last mile was more pleasant.  We had to stop, of course, to put her jacket back on, get another drink and watch a squirrel run up a tree.

When we got back to the house, we parked the stroller and ran together and she was all smiles, until she fell and then cried all the way home.  The total was 3.27 miles.  It took us 40 minutes and I am OK with that.

We should have more runs because we are just happy to be running.  Training is good too, but I bet most of us did not start running to chase a PR.  We ran because we wanted to, because we needed to.  It changed us, made us happy and healthy.  It makes us strong, physically and mentally.  It clears our heads and sets a good example for our families.  It challenges us and all that, makes it fun.

True!

I will run again on Thursday, not sure how long but at least 3.  On Saturday,  I will run the  Narrow River 5k and maybe I will have a PR, maybe I won't.  Right now, I just want to be there with my fellow runners and just enjoy the ride.

Now on to some other news.  One of the very fun things about running, is the community that goes along with it.  I have been lucky to meet some wonderful friends and it excites me to follow along with their blogs and successes.

One of my friends, Darlena, of Run Find Your Happy Pace, is raising money for Breast Cancer Research.  This is a cause that is near and dear to her heart and she wants to help instead of sitting on the sidelines.  She has several family members who are dealing with this disease and she is asking for our help!

By donating just $3, $5 or $10 dollars, you will not only be helping but you will be eligible for some fabulous prizes.  Please take a moment to check out her blog and help if you can.

For my mommies out there, have a wonderful Mother's Day!  Take some time to have fun and enjoy a good run!

Run Strong, Think Big! ~ Nicole