Lake Houston 10K

Nick and I ran our second 10K on August 24th, the Lake Houston 10K in Kingwood, TX.  The weather was a tolerable 81 degrees with approximately 84% humidity, and the scenery was beautiful.  We ran over Lake Houston, an amazing site at sunrise.  

Nick and I ran together for the majority of the race.  This was good for me, bad for him - I beat my previous 10K time, whereas his time increased.  But, I have to say, it was really nice to be able to run next to him, especially when I was getting tired.  

Official results for Lake Houston 10K held on Saturday, August 24, 2013: 
Emily's Official Time:  1:16:29.4
- 344 of 397 finishers
- 162 of 206 all females
- 69 of 89 females aged 30-39

Nick's Official Time:  1:16:31.6
- 345 of 397 finishers
- 183 of 191 all males
- 70 of 75 males aged 30-39

The Hangover Run Virtual 5K

Just finished my first virtual run.  In an effort to complete 13 races this year and because the weather is so awfully hot outside, I decided to sign up for The Hangover Run.  I ran this race on the treadmill at my convenience.  It was actually quite nice.  

Emily's Race Time:  36:52

The race is based on the honor system.  You sign up, complete the race on designated dates, submit your race time and photo (optional), and after the race closes your medal is sent to you in the mail.  Proceeds go to support a charity.  Simple enough!  I may do more of these races in the future.  

Bottle a Feeling

How do you bottle up a feeling so you can remember exactly how you felt at a certain moment in time?  

When you are sad and want to be happy, the days you are lonely and wanted to be comforted, or maybe you are just feeling lazy and need to be motivated.  When I'm motivated and have energy to spare, why can't I save it to be used at a later date?  

There are so many things to say and do. Some days I don't have a minute to spare, yet others it feels like I am stuck in time - the clock has stopped and minutes feel like hours. 

Today is just one of those days. I wish I could go back in time and remember how I exactly how I felt at a certain moment in time. 

Rhythm & Blues 5K

On February 10th, Nick, Kellie and I ran the Rhythm & Blues 5K.  There were several bands scheduled to play along the course, but the weather threatened, so many of the bands canceled.  The course had several inclines, so music along the route was a great way to keep me motivated.  

After our race, there was a half marathon.  While snacking on post-race goodies, we became spectators of the half marathon.  It was fun and entertaining.  The course made three laps, so we were able to watch the front runner and cheer for him.  


Official results for Rhythm & Blues 5K held on Sunday, February 10, 2013: 
Emily's Official Time:  34:06
- 525 of 1174 finishers
- 67 of 159 females aged 30-34

Nick's Official Time:  30:20
- 296 of 1174 finishers
- 36 of 62 males aged 30-34

Galloway 10K Training Week 6

This week was run out of order, but all workouts were covered.  

Week 6, Workout 1
30-35 minute run
Nick is out of town this week.  When I got home, I took the dogs on our usual 2-mile walk.  Then I put on my running shoes and hit the road.  I had to take a few walking breaks, but that didn't stop me.  My plan was to only run the minimum time.  When the clock hit 30 minutes, I felt like I could run more so I did.  Total time was 32 minutes, 2.5 miles. 


Week 6, Workout 3
5 mile run
Kellie met us for this run.  Total time for me was 1 hour 22 minutes, total distance was 6.1 miles, I ran 4.24 of those miles.  The weather was humid and cool.  It was nice to get home at 11am and already have over 18,000 steps for the day.  


Week 6, Workout 2
30-35 minute run
I ran the Rythm and Blues 5k.  Rain threatened the entire race, but all was good.  The course had several inclines, which usually discourages me.  I had a great run, considering I ran 5 miles the day before.  

Color in Motion 5K

Color in Motion 5K was my first "color" run.  I have to say I was a little disappointed that it is advertised as a 5K, according to my Nike watch the course was a little over 3 miles.  That aside, it was a pretty fun run.

The race started at 9am.  We got there early so we had time to walk around.  They had heats every 5 minutes, we chose to run in the second heat. At the starting line, there was a dj playing music and tossing promotional items into the crowd.  There were a few overzealous runners, who used their color packets prior to the race.  We were able to remain clean until right before the race began.  

There were 4 color stations along the route:  red, purple, red green.  There were a few uphill spots along the route, which made me glad we've been running on a pedestrian bridge during our workouts.  I saw several people with strollers, pushing little ones.  I was surprised how many people were running with kids.  

At the end of the race, the route narrows to about two people wide.  There were plenty of people cheering at the end.  Kellie and I finished the race together, she caught me on an uphill.  By the end of the race, we were pretty "colored".

We ran with a few friends, and met up with one another at the post-race party.  

The post-race party included the dj playing music and sponsors handing out more goodies.  If you didn't have enough color from the race, the dj encouraged the finishers periodically to throw their color which created huge clouds of color!  And if that wasn't enough color for the color enthusiasts, there were buckets of color scattered throughout the dance floor.  

Once you had all of the color you could handle, there were two "blow stations"- two guys with leaf blowers that will blow the color right off of you!  

Galloway 10k Training Week 5

Week 5, Workout 1
30-35 minute run
The weather was cool out and breezy.  Nick and I ran 30 minutes, 2.64 miles.  This is 1/10th of a mile farther than my best run which was in Week 3, Workout 2 where I felt Unstoppable!!!  Pretty excited that I  am getting a little faster.  

Week 5, Workout 2
30-35 minute run
This was the Color in Motion race.  It is advertised as a 5K, but Kellie and I both clocked it with our Nike watches, and came up with approximately a three-mile route.  I ran 3.02 miles in 35:15.  I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a full 5K, but really enjoyed the race.  More about this run in the Color in Motion post.  I will say, this is the first time I ran the entire 3 miles, so I was pretty darn excited about that!

Week 5, Workout 3
4 mile run (Actual:  3.6 miles)
Apparently, I was so excited about my run yesterday that I forgot to charge my watch.  Therefore, 2.6 miles into my run, my watch battery died.  I estimated the rest of the route, not knowing how long or far I was running.  I knew I'd be short of the 4 miles, but I gave it a good effort.  When I got home, I used Google Maps to figure out the distance of the remainder of my run, which was an additional mile.  Therefore, my total run was 3.6 miles.  I did take a few walk breaks; I was expecting this because I ran the Color in Motion yesterday and my body isn't used to running two days in a row.  Overall, I'm satisfied with this run.  

Galloway 10k Training Week 4

Week 4, Workout 1
25-30 minute run (Actual 1 mile)
Went for a run today.  I was in a time crunch.  I got off of work, took the dogs for a walk, had to run, get washed up and dressed for dinner with coworkers.  Therefore, my run was a short one.  It was cool outside, so my breathing was a little erratic. I was glad that my run was only 1 mile, time 11:08.  

Week 4, Workout 2
25-30 minute run
The weather was nice today, temperature 70 degrees with humidity.  We ran outside today.  I'm a little disappointed because my GPS on my Nike watch never picked up, so I only have the foot pod data.  In the first 10 minutes, I always want to stop running and start walking.  I realized if I can make it past the 12 minute mark, I usually can continue the run without any problems.  I ran 2.1 miles in 25 minutes.  Overall, it was a good run.

Week 4, Workout 3
4 mile run
Well, it's been a week since my shoes have hit the road.  I was determined to run today.  Nick and I walked the dogs, and it started raining at the end of the walk.  The rain subsided and we decided to take our chances, there was no way I was going to run 4 miles on the treadmill.  I ran the first mile, then I did run/walk intervals for the remaining 3 miles.  The weather was very humid, making breathing a little difficult.  

This was my longest run ever.  After my first mile, I thought there was no way I would be able to finish the rest.  Nick ran at my pace and walked when I needed to walk.  This was helpful, and probably why I didn't give up.  It took 50:03 to complete the 4 miles, making my average pace 12'29"/mile.  

ABB 5K

The ABB 5K was an incredible experience; it is held in conjunction with the Houston Chevron Marathon.  This was my second 5K and I was hoping for a little better results, but the fact of the matter is I completed a 5K and I am proud of that.  There were 3183 runners, so the streets always seemed a bit crowded.  I felt like I couldn't keep a steady pace because I was slowing down due to the person in front of me or I was having to speed up to pass people.  The weather was approximately 70 degrees and humid, very humid.  The roads were wet, which means some spots were pretty slick.  Although rain threatened the race, it held off, and I was very grateful for that.   

The picture below is me and Kellie after the race, showing off our finisher's medals.  

Official results for ABB 5K held on Saturday, January 12, 2013. 
- Official Time:  36:07
- 1812 of 3183 finishers
- 133 of 262 females aged 30-34
- 856 of 1826 all females

Galloway 10k Training Week 3

Week 3, Workout 1

25-30 min run
Well the weather has been pretty awful lately.  It's been cold and raining the last couple of weeks.  Today was no different.  I decided to run on the treadmill this afternoon.  I ran for a total of 25 minutes, covering 2.2 miles.  At about 12:30, I walked for about a minute and a half, then I ran the rest of the way.  I couldn't get my Nike watch to create a lap, so times are estimated.  The run was decent, would have been better if I would have ran outside.  Oh well, maybe next time.  

Week 3, Workout 2
25-30 min run
It finally stopped raining today.  The weather has been so miserable, that I'd almost given up on running.  When I got home from work, I took the two dogs for a walk.  They did not do well.  They've been cooped up inside for the last two days due to the weather, and today was like they had never been on a walk before.  They had to stop and sniff everything.  Crossing other people on the path was a pain; they barked and jumped and just overall misbehaved.  By the time I finished the two mile walk, I was ready to give them up for adoption.  I had convinced myself I would just run tomorrow.  

Then I got home, and put on my running shoes.  I needed to go for a run.  I needed to burn off some of this frustration.  So I ran.  It was ah-mazing!!!!  The weather felt great, refreshing.  I ran 30 minutes, 2.54 miles.  I could have just kept running.  The weather calls for rain the next few days, but at least I had a good run today.   

Week 3, Workout 3
3 mile run
Make that a 3.1 mile run!!!  Kellie and I ran the ABB 5K this morning.  The weather was cloudy, temperature about 70 degrees with 90% humidity.  My goal was to run the entire way, but I ended up walking approximately 3 minutes.  Regardless, I finished!  

Emily's 2013 Goals

On January 1st, I made a list of goals for 2013.  I am only going to have 5 official goals, so I can focus my efforts on them.  My only other "goal" for the year is to go on vacation.  I want to get away for a few days, not worry about work or anything else.  I just want to be able to relax for a little while.  

Emily's 2013 Goals

1. Weigh 130 by June 2013, and maintain through December 31, 2013
2. Complete 13 races in 2013
3. Drink 64 ounces of water each day
4. Read 12 books
5. Post on blog at least once a week

2012 in Review

I've noticed there are vastly different opinions about the year 2012.  Some people say it was a really good year, while others say it was a really bad year.  I agree with the latter.  My opinion has nothing to do with politics or finances or anything like that; 2012 was just not a good year for us.  I am not going into detail about the year, I'm just glad that it's over.  

On November 1st, I decided to write down some goals for the end of the year.  Something to work towards.  I read that not only should you set goals, but they should be written down and end dates set for each goal.  It was also suggested that your goals should be visible, don't hide them in a desk drawer to be forgotten.  So I printed out my goals and put them on the refrigerator.  Below is a review of my 2012 goals.  

Emily's 2012 Goals

1. Run 3 times per week 
• Completed
2. Complete the Couch to 5K Program
• Finished C25K program
3. Complete a 5K in December
• Rudolph Run 5K
4. Weigh 140 lbs. by end of year
• No weight loss
5. Drink 64 ounces of water each day
• I did not always achieve 64 ounces, but have become more aware of my water consumption.  

Overall, I am satisfied.  I am proud to say I completed a 5K, something I never thought I would be able to do.  Now it's time to focus on 2013!

Galloway 10k Training Week 2

Week 2, Workout 1
20-25 min run
My first attempt was a failure.  I got on the treadmill and only lasted 7:48.  I was overheated and couldn't run any further.  

Take 2.  We were visiting my parents, and ran down their road.  My little nephew stayed in the driveway and cheered us on as we passed him.  The road is right at 1 mile, so we passed him twice.  Let me tell you, it's pretty encouraging when you have a cheering section.  The weather was nice and it felt great to run outside.  I ran 23 minutes, completing 2 miles.  

Week 2, Workout 2
20-25 min run
I ran on the treadmill again.  This time I ran 21 minutes, for a distance of 1.8 miles.

Week 2, Workout 3
2 mile run
The week has been hectic with the holidays, and it's taken me almost two weeks to complete week 2.  I promise I will stick to the program in the New Year.

This evening we walked the dogs, and I was freezing the entire time.  The temperature was in the mid-40s.  We are running a 5K next weekend, and I know if I don't run this week I'll have a hard time finishing the race.  Today Kellie pointed out that I used to only run on the treadmill and refused to run outside.  My, how times have changed. 

I really didn't want to run, but I finally convinced myself to get on the treadmill.  The run was okay.  My breathing was decent, and my legs didn't hurt, I just really don't like running on the treadmill.  I ran the entire 2 miles in 21:45.