Shamrock Shuffle Sunday!

It was awesome! I had so much...fun!? Really seems weird, but I did! Everyone was out in all their green glory and it was great to feel the excitement as we all gathered on State Street. The weather was wonderful - about 40-ish degrees and sunny. I did stick out my pouty lip a bit when the 10K was called to the start line, but in the end I'm glad I switched to the 5K. I even saw some of my Madison Marathon peeps working on the course.
I am pretty proud of myself for maintaining a steady pace throughout despite the monster that is Observatory Hill, which we all did twice. My legs held out pretty well and I didn't slow to a walk even once. I had been nervous all weekend that I'd end up having to walk the whole thing because of my shin splints, but they hardly bothered me. The best part was that, after crossing the finish line, I felt like I could have kept on going! 10K in April, people! It's gonna happen.

First packet pick up

Wow, I am such a geek. I went to pick up my Shamrock Shuffle race packet today and I was totally excited! It took all of 3 minutes, but I got my t-shirt and my bib and I got so jazzed for the race! I've seen hundreds of thousands of runners pick up their race packets, but now I get it. The race is getting close and it's exciting! I did end up dropping to the 5K out of concern for the shin splints, but I'll be back for a 10 in April. Looking forward to a fun time on Sunday! If you're shuffling, I'll see you out there - I'll be the one in green.

Stranded with splints

It started last night on the treadmill but I didn't want to admit it. Today, it was undeniable. I was at mile two and suddenly stranded by shin splints. I hobbled home and here I sit, left leg propped and chilling on ice. Really inconvenient, since I'm supposed to shamrock shuffle on Sunday. Until then, I guess it's the stationary bike for me. Any advice on how to deal with a case of the splints?

Being THAT person

So I'm out for my Sunday run, chugging along, jammin' to my tunes and thinking about my pre-running days not so long ago. I used to drive down the street and see people running in my neighborhood and think, "Ugh! I hate those people! They make me feel so lazy!" I was so jealous of their determination to run in the rain, cold or heat. I thought I could never be one of THOSE people. But on Sunday, I was.
I gotta say, it felt awesome.

Perfect pace

I have found it at last! My perfect pace. After struggling through a few painful runs riddled with side-aches and near-exploding lungs, I enjoyed an amazing 3 1/2-miler the other day. Turns out, my perfect pace is kinda slow, but that's okay! It's all about crossing the finish line in the upright position.
It was so great to relax into my stride and really enjoy my run. Bonus: I didn't feel like I was going to die when I was done!
I am now looking forward to my tweener race: The Shamrock Shuffle here in Madison. Thanks to your recommendations, I'm going to give it a go. I'm a little concerned about doing Observatory Hill out AND back, but it's just a new challenge to conquer- bring it on!
Maybe I'll see some of you out there. Cheers and good luck!

This is getting serious, people

I am just back from my first shopping experience at what I would formerly have called a "snooty running store." I guess I'm a snoot because I totally loved it!
My running shoes are old...like years old, so I thought it was time to pick up some new kicks for the big show in May. Wow, there is a lot more to picking out running shoes than the color, which is my usual criteria for shoe selection. My only requirement going in was that they be purple. Alas, it turns out the best shoe for me is yellow, which the salesperson said made my feet look fast :)
I also picked up a hydration belt. I cannot believe it. I occasionally see runners in my neighborhood with their fancy-pants hydration belts and think, "Geez, they must be serious." When I mentioned this to the salesperson, he said, "Yeah, but you ARE serious, right?" It's true. Though I still have difficulty feeling like I am a "real runner," here I am at the snooty running store buying hydration belts and sensible shoes. This is serious, people. I am becoming that which I have always feared and never totally understood.

From Zippy to Zombie

I did it! I conquered the 6-mile long-run day! I didn't do it quickly or without pain (or without thinking I was going to quit a zillion times) but I got through. I was so happy I nearly skipped home after I finished. My elation lasted the rest of the day, but my batteries sure as heck did not!
Now, I am not a napper. I actually really hate taking naps because I always wake up feeling groggy and often more tired than when I started. But, here I am at 4pm barely able to keep my eyes open. My husband took me for a coffee, but even my caffeine jolt could not shake the absolute exhaustion I felt (feel, really) throughout my entire body. Must sleep.
Is this normal? Do any of you need to run, shower, eat and nap? After my 10K in December, that's exactly what I did. Is it just me?? Man, what will I do as the runs just get longer?? Should I expect to go into a brief coma after my half marathon?