resolution beer run & frosty 5k.

I realize I already kind of summed up the Resolution Beer 5K on New Years Eve. And yeah, I'm a little late on all of this, but ummmm, busy week?! Yeah, we'll go with that. I actually have been sick though.

So besides enjoying a teensy bit of beer while doing a 5k with some good friends, there isn't much to say about this race. It was ridiculously, mind numbingly, nose freezing, eye watering, cold. And since it started at 5p it got dark before it was over. I think it would have been a much more enjoyable race if it started an hour earlier, but that's just my opinion. Despite the cold and dark, it was a fun race.

*a little pre-race beer to keep us warm, i heart these girls (me, lea, candace and indi)*

After some New Years Eve enjoyment, Indi and I got up New Years Day and started getting ready for the Frosty 5K. Luckily we had plenty of time since the race wasn't until 11a, which was just a perfect start time for a cold winter race. Loved it.

I went into this race prepared to take it easy and I did. The race isn't chip timed and I didn't wear my Garmin (on purpose), but the results said 28:02, which is my second worst 5K time (the worst being that little NYE beer run the night before). BUT, I only took it easy because I promised some people I would, despite a little cursing in my head about it, I need reminders. I have to admit it was an excellent decision. I got to run the entire race with one of my favorite human beings in the UNIVERSE, The Running Lawyer.

What an amazing way to start the year, running side by side with the lawyer, on a sunny day, through my favorite part of my hometown -- downtown and along the river, feeling fantastic. It made me ridiculously happy. Pretty sure not much could beat that. I felt incredible the entire race, I was really surprised about that really. This is always a fantastic race. LOVE IT!

So there you go, an amazing start to my 2010. I'll take it. Of course we all gorged ourselves at our traditional post-race eatery the Good Egg. Mmmmm... it was a fantastic day. Because it sure did end with The Running Lawyer and I dragging Edder to that little Alec Baldwin movie that's out right now. He even laughed once or twice, despite grumbling about it....shhhhh I think he secretly didn't mind.

*indi, the running lawyer and i after the frosty 5K, how sweet is it we all have matching hats, and gloves and not on purpose?*

*who needs a PR when you have jazz hands?! and because no post-race photo is complete without them, that's why, oh i know there was some 'WTH'? going on in your blahggie heads*

can you catch don 5K with pictures (gasp, yep it's true)...

I had a jam packed weekend which started off with a 5K race early Saturday morning, after which I met my aunt and uncle for a quick iced mocha (YUM, essential post race fuel for me), jetted home to take the fastest shower EVER and hit the road with my mom to head to Tulsa to go wedding dress shopping with my sister.

SIDE NOTE: We were successful on the dress hunt! And we even picked the bridesmaids dresses, all of which are stunning, my sister has impeccable taste. I can't wait for this wedding, she is the most deserving person of all the happiness coming her way!

• This was the first year for this race, it was a 'zero hour' race, the point was for everyone racing to eventually 'catch don.' Don is a 72-year-old super active runner, the objective was to catch him!
• The way it worked was that the clock started at 15:00, and every few minutes a new group would run, my group, women 20-something - 30-something started at the 2:00 mark. Women in their 60's started at the 9:00 mark. Don started around the 7:00 mark.
• I started the race with Kristen the Running Lawyer and Emily the Running Lawyer, it was super hot and sticky humid already at 7:45a when our group got to start.
• I struggled the entire race, I was hot and slow and just sweating beyond belief. It was like sucking soup, not air. I hung in there and had given myself the time limit of 27:00, which I stayed within, barely. My legs were burning the entire time and I felt like I didn't have the "GO" factor. I was also really thirsty. I think I was a bit fatigued on top of it, the wine the night before probably didn't help much..... but eh...
• I DID beat Don! My total time was 26:45 (my personal third best 5K time) and Don's time was 30:12. Mission accomplished. Considering my running the past two months, I was happy with my time.
• The race results are hard to read with the zero hour thing considered, but I'm pretty sure I didn't place in my age group, according to zero hour results (time on the clock when I finished which was 24:45, I was 44th overall, there were about 100 people at the race I would guess) but I'm not going to take the time to go through all the times listed to figure it out.
• Overall, this race was a lot of fun, just because I sucked that day, doesn't mean the race sucked! It was a cool concept, something different and super small. I am sure I would do this race again. I feel like I'm rating this, should I give it some stars (or running shoes)? If so, I give it 5 out of 5 running shoes, because it was so unique!

And what the people want, race photos:

*my age/gender group at the start line, taking off with k & e*

*this would be me around mile 1*

*the amazing don finishing the race*

*now i'm just being a turd, your little FWR at the finish line*

*with two of my favorite running buds after the race, i just love these girls! can you tell how hot it was?! gross hot. btw i LOVVEE this running outfit i'm wearing, i just put it together really quickly the night before, but seeing it in pictures, i have a new fave (thanks to my mom and sister who got it for me!)*

getting my sniz kicked, one monday night at a time...

The original FWRs (that would be the running jessica, the running katie and yours truly) decided to renew our relationship with a personal trainer about five weeks ago. As a group (it's how the name Fair Weather Runners even came about actually) we had a trainer a good potion of 2008, up until Katie had her baby, and then we took quite a hiatus.

We have a new trainer this time around. She is evil and wonderful and hardcore and.... a runner. I'm pretty sure we all have a crush on her. This trainer is amazing, I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate running drills, plyometrics and weights in order to get to my running goals. It's been hard to fit it in during my ridiculous summer schedule. Until now. Our trainer incorporates it all in one nice neat little hour, which I can later repeat on a different day all on my own, just like the big girls.

Not only that, BUT... yes a big amazing but, because we are already clients, our trainer lets us join her running club for training in the lazy river every thursday night. And holy snack does that kick your sniz. WOW. PAIN. Running in chest high water, against the current, is no walk in the park. I hurt for an entire week after doing this. Things hurt that I didn't even know I had!

Speaking of pain, I usually hurt for days after our regular Monday night sessions with our trainer. This week is no exception. But after just five weeks I can already tell I'm getting stronger, not sure if I'm getting faster, but am feeling really strong overall. So it's worth the pain. Most days.

I'm hoping all of this, and the miles I've been trying to get in, will get me to my fall goal of running the Wichita Half Marathon in 2:00, or less. But I'm saying 2:00 because the Wichita Half and I have a sordid past (i.e. someone either under trained, or left town for two weeks before the race and didn't run a step, or wound up with a stress fracture, before the past three wichita half marathons, but i'm not naming names), we'll see who prevails this year. This race is the only race that has ever made me cry tears of sheer anger... for an hour. Literally. Yeah... I'm eyeing you Wichita Half.
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Fair Weather Runner Shoes for the World Drive
I'll be collecting shoes until mid-august for my shoe drive so you have plenty of time to donate!

My goal is to collect a hundred pair of shoes to send to Shoes4Africa. If you are interested in donating, send me an email at fairweatherrunner@gmail.com.

now that ed is done confiscating my blog...

This week has been a mess, for both Ed and I. Tonight has been no exception. That's all on that, I just wanted to whine. Oh and I didn't end up running that Rock Chalk 10K, it's for the best I didn't, trust me here. My mental state was in no mood. So no race report from me.

BAK is complete, we drove to Louisburg today to pick up Ed's riding buddy Andy and so Ed could go back and say goodbye to his buddies. I hope over the past week, after all of Ed's posts, you have come to see why I certainly do enjoy me some Edder! He does, point of fact, have is very own grown up blog that he has decided to start writing on again. So if you want to see more pictures and read more about the past few days and more tidbits on his BAK journey, you can check out his blahginess at Clicks and Whistles.

Pictures to come tomorrow... probably. I've been keeping to my empty promises lately, so if I have the drive, I will post!

Good night, and good luck... (anyone who can name where that quote is from gets a gold star, and you are most likely a broadcast nerd.)

storm the dam trail 1/2 marathon...

Two words. Brutal. Awesome.

As hard as this race was, I actually really liked it. I sure didn't break any records, but I keep reminding myself it was my first trail race! It was challenging but I wasn't as fast as I was secretly hoping.

I think I like me some trail running. Not to do all the time, but every now and then I might hunt a trail race down. Plus I like finding a new way to run. I had never done a trail race before, I didn't know what to expect. Some of it was much harder than I thought, some of it ended up being easier.

Here is my report:

• 13.1 miles on a hilly, horse hoof HOLES, muddy, rocky, crevassed (yeah i know that isn't a word), wooded, windy, hot, humid, narrow, grassy, dirt trail course.
• Time = 2:18:29, I wanted to finish in under 2:30 so I'm happy and proud of myself.
• Official race stats aren't out, but I THINK I finished 88th, not sure on that. I have no idea how many people ran the 1/2. I heard it was around 225 total (there was also a 5K).
• It was fun and new and felt adventurous
• The wind was horrid, almost OKC marathon horrid, but we were sheltered from it every now and then.
• Running through the woods on a narrow trail alone after 12 miles is hard.
• I wasn't fast, but I'm proud of myself for finishing in the time I did... part of me wants to be hard on myself, but what's new. I'm trying to remember that it was a HARD race, and again that I never ran a trail before.
• I itch.
• I'm irritated Ed isn't here to check me for ticks, I hate them and get a bit freaked over those evil little blood suckers. I threw up a little in my mouth just typing that.
  
• I have scrapes and an almost blister.
• I got muddy and I liked it.
• I started off at the back of the pack and am proud to say after mile six or seven I started picking off other runners left and right. It made me feel like staying conservative at the start and being careful through the tricky parts paid off.
• I just kept telling myself to keep steady, no sprinting to catch and pass runners, just steady passing, that is a good feeling.
• I felt stronger than any other half (even though i was oddly slower) I ran before.
• I only got four hours sleep last night, not by choice, just couldn't fall asleep (what is up with my bad night before race sleeping habits, grrrrrrr).
  
• I now feel like a hard core runner!

When I post pictures later this week (ed has our camera on BAK, so i have to wait for the girls to send me pics) I'll explain more about the race so you can see the terrain.

I'm going to be posting Ed's BAK stats every day, so keep an eye out!

two weeks to 'm' day and proper race reports (with pictures)...

Dear Interwebs. In less than two weeks I will be on my way to OKC for a fabulous weekend with friends and family. The weekend will be a blast thanks to all the other excitement going on, to be explained at later date! Although I get butterflies lately every time I think of running the marathon, I'm ready to get it over with and look to the next challenge, which I'll tell you about after said race. All in all my calf is doing just okay, hopefully some more massage and PT will help with that. I plan to play my training by ear the next two weeks depending on the whole calf thing. That said, I'm still scared enough to poo my pants that I have only gotten in one 20 miler and it was weeks ago.

*Liz and I before the race, and yes that is a gigantic old school Garmin*

On to the proper race report. It was the Easter Sun Run 10K and it was a beautiful day here in Wichita, FINALLY, after a horrid spring so far we couldn't have asked for a better day. Sunny, low wind, I think it put everyone out there in a good mood. This race was at the Sedgwick County Zoo park, the park I often run at, so it was comfy territory for us. So I met up with Liz and Kristen the running lawyer and we did our thing!

*Liz and I around the 5k mark, I clearly need to work on my arm positioning... and I notice my stride looks really long, is that good or bad? FYI I am the one in the blue shirt ;)*

Overall it was a good race. I intended to go out and just have a good time, and I have to say I had a blast. I forgot my iPod but I didn't care, and actually I found running without it wasn't too bad. I even talked to a few people, got to enjoy the live band and the Derby High School marching band (that was a HUGE pick me up, a lot of fun), it was killer! Like I mentioned no predatory rabbits for me, but I did get a much faster time than I thought, considering I was planning to run it around 9:15 minute miles.

My Splits:
Mile 1 8:46
Mile 2 8:24
Mile 3 8:34
Mile 4 8:37
Mile 5 8:17
Mile 6 8:06

Mile 6.2 2:01
(as you might notice, it takes me awhile to hit my stride, this is the frustrating case in every single run, I don't hit stride until about mile 4 or 5!)

This wasn't a chip timed race so I'm not able to check that and they didn't have stats up on the website yet. But my Garmin said 52:47 and the race clock said 52:59, either way I'm happy with it.

Race Highlights:

• Running the 2-miler with Ed (who I should explain is actually my husband, although I do consider him a friend as well, I think I've confused the interwebs). And running the 10K with Liz and Kristen.
  
• I was mortified by some HORRIBLE woman in front of me who literally yelled and threw her hands up in the air and continued screaming at the poor kid at the 6K mark whose timer watch was messed up so he couldn't offer splits. This woman was an embarrassment to all runners, I wanted to punch her in her saggy gross pantyline showing stupid gray tights... or maybe just give her a straight shot to her ovary, how horrid!Instead I just shot past her, I know this didn't really prove any point to her, but it made me feel better to get away from her.
• Getting my second fastest 10K time, which I know isn't all that fast, but I never really trained for a 10K (that will change this summer).
• Finishing the race with some random kid who didn't want to get chicked (but I edged him out at the last second) I think that was hands down the most fun I've ever had at a race finish. We did the last .2 together and kept each other going faster and faster. Ed said I looked like Phoebe in the episode when she taught Rachel to run in the park, flailing all over the place. He said I looked like a big dork. Newsflash interwebs, I am, point of fact, an enormous dork. It was FUN!

*Last sprint to the finish with the random guy, flailing like Pheobe*

*Me beating the guy! It was really fun having him at the end, he kept yelling, COME ON, COME ON. Hilarious, yet VERY motivational*

*Liz bringing it home*

*Liz, myself and Kristen the Running Lawyer, post race*

*Ed and I after the 10K, but before the 2-mile. He is warm, but he was pissed. I sort of lost track of time between the two races and we didn't have much time to get to the start line. I felt ReaLLY bad about that. But he still took a picture with me!*

Rachel's Marathon Number Two True Rockstar!
Like I said my cousin Rachel did the Illinois Marathon. She raced it with her dad (I should state Rachel actually married my cousin, so we aren't actually related, although she is every bit my cousin as any other cousin I have, but just want to clarify that I don't really know her Dad) who is a veteran 18-time marathoner. And she beat him! AWESOME. Rockstar status right there. Not to mention she moved from Atlanta to Chicago mid-training and had to go on a work trip to the Caribbean (yeah, rough life indeed) last week and got back the day before the marathon. She still managed to beat her dad and beat her last marathon time by 10 minutes.

Here is a photo of her dad and her at the finish. Awesome job to both. I quite enjoyed the race report, including the person who apparently ran the half as a banana (nice) and all the people out cheering them on, and it sounds like an amazing finish down into the stadium. Her Dad's alma mater is Illinois, so I can imagine how great it felt for him to run into that stadium. It sounded like a great race. Hopefully Rachel and I will be doing Chicago together... I am actually more excited about tapping my cousins kegerator during my stint there, than the actual race... what does this say about our family? We rock? You are correct, we do!

Oh and I should mention only 500 women finished the Illinois Marathon and she was 84th. YAY!

This was another long post, but hopefully the fun pictures made it worth it, especially the one of me flailing all about.

Cheers to a great running week my friends!

rockin' my friday photo, 80's style...

Time for Friday Foto with Nikemom. My contribution is a continuation from last week's photo of Kristen and I after the River Run. If you read my entire post, which I'm sure you did, savoring each and every delectible text nugget like a hungry racoon, you would have noticed that I mentioned running the River Run with a gaggle of family members back in the late 80s. But I couldnt' find the picture in time to post it. Well you are in luck cyberspace. I found said photo.

Please enjoy it, in all of it's mauvy-late-80s-hot-socks-glory. I'm the second kid to the end (right), the skinny little blonde nerd with glasses. But don't you worry, you see how I'm rockin' it with my hand on my hip... it's how I rolled, even as a kid... sassy-pants indeed.

So, say hello to my family, the Gibsons! Included in the picture are my three siblings (you have to guess which ones are my sibs), three cousins, and an aunt and uncle. We were standing in front of my grandma's house. The older generation still love to line all the Gibson cousins (there are 10 of us total, not including significant others) up in a 'height' line to this day for excellent photo ops.

After the race that morning, we went to my dad's office, which was right next to the finish line at the time, and had a picnic lunch in the conference room. I distinctly remember all of us fighting over the proper name of chocolate chip cookies, gangly limbs flying over the table and all (an entirely different post). Maybe next week I will post THAT picture and offer the explanation (or pictures of the Gibson cousin line-ups)... you eagerly await I'm sure!

Side note: Meggers, please let KrSh of beeftown know that you have now seen a picture of her in her tweens and she can no longer keep it a secret that as a kid she had creepy yet fluffy man hair, and man shorts for that matter.

my friday photo...

This is for Nikemom's Friday Foto. This is a picture of Kristen the running lawyer and I after the River Run 10K last May. The River Run is the largest race in Wichita with about 7,000 participants (I think) .

This particular race holds a lot of sentimental value for me. The race takes place during Wichita's River Festival every May. There is a 2-miler and a 10K. I have been participating in this race since I was a kid. I don't remember at what age I first did the River Run, but I know it was with my Dad. My Dad is actually the one who got me started running! There are many years when he and I would get up early, hit up Quik Trip for some caffeine and breakfast and go and run the race.

One year I ran it with my sister after zero training, we followed one of the chanting Army Guard groups and they kept us on pace, it was a blast. Another year my entire family (I come from a big family of four kids), plus some cousins and my aunt and uncle did the race as well. I couldn't find the picture in time to post it this morning, maybe that will be fore next week!

I have done the 10K three times, and I PR every year. Last year I had a time of 50:01 (according to my watch, they don't have timing chips so my recorded time was a few seconds longer) after virtually no training. I ran maybe one 6 miler before the race, and had a very late night the night before, so that was encouraging. I look forward to doing this race this year, just a few weeks after the marathon, hoping for another PR!

cramping my style...

The other night, randomly, while sitting on my couch I sat straight up in terror scaring the living poo out of my poor dog, because I realized some of the upcoming races I want to do between now and April might have to be nixed from my schedule. I forgot to consider my teaching schedule when picking races all nimbly bimbly! This means I'm out for the Super Bowl 4-miler on Sunday. I also realized this means the students in my class are going to try and fly through their final in order to get to what I'm sure is their vitally important super bowl parties. I care as much about football as an 80-year-old cares about going clubbing. The race was going to be my super bowl highlight!

I guess when it comes to life there is give and take, when working toward one goal, sometimes another goal has to suffer. This is something I'm finding during the busy time in my life. Because I'm pursuing my dream and goal of becoming a college instructor, running races (which I love to do, any length) is going to suffer. In order to pursue my goal and dream of running my first marathon and eventually qualifying for Boston my goal to become a yoga instructor is going to suffer. It's the domino effect. But I'm okay with that, I've learned over the last two years to be patient and know that if it's meant to be, it will happen.

These are the choices we make in our life path though, right? I think I'll know inside me when the right time is to taper out of one goal in order to meet another. I'm feeling that now in fact, it's time to focus on teaching college and running a marathon, travel and babies will come later, one step and one dream and one goal at a time. Because within those, it's vitally important I maintain a strong relationship with my husband, God and those I love the most. And I'm at total peace with it. These dreams and goals have been handed over to God, they are in excellent hands.

So good luck to all you Super Bowl 4-miler racers in Wichita, I'll be sitting in a classroom while you are out running the race. I'm a teensy bit envious.

new years day, frosty 5k...

After sleeping in on New Years day, I got up, made coffee and breakfast, cleaned the house, forced Ed out of bed and we got ready to run (the race wasn't until 11a). We met Katie, Liz, and Kristen, and together the Fair Weather Runners ran the Frosty 5K in downtown Wichita, which supports the YMCA Strong Kids campaign. This isn't the first year for this race, but it's the first year any of us decided to do it.

We all had a great race! This was Ed's first 5K and he didn't stop to walk one time! It was seriously impressive since he hadn't yet run three miles up to race day. It was my first 5K since 2006 and I got a PR, which surprised me. I finished in 26:45, I was shooting for anything under 27:00 and since I hadn't run faster than a 9:15 mile since my injury, I couldn't complain. It was sunny and 36 degrees, but it got a little chilly as we ran along the river into the wind and up the hills. I think I have a chest cold coming on because my chest burned for quite awhile after the race, I'm attributing it to the cold air, my lack of running in the past week (yep, didn't run a step on vacation), the chest cold, and perhaps all the gasping I did during the race...

Kristen also got a PR, Liz and Katie finished close behind and we were all there to cheer Ed to the finish line. I was so proud of him, he ran one-minute-per-mile faster than his last race (which was a two-miler), and I was excited that he had done his first 5K. He later told me that he even did the race listening to "shuffled" music on his iPhone which consisted of mellow music that he couldn't change because of his gloves, so he gets more mad props for that. After the race we headed to a local breakfast spot and had brunch. In all, it was a delicious and perfect start to 2009!

(race pictures will be added soon)

wichita's 33rd annual turkey trot...

Well I'm pleased to say I was able to do one of the six fall races I had lined up before my stress fracture, and while I didn't break any records and had to walk for the first time ever in a race, I finished it.

I ran the two-mile Turkey Trot with Jessica, Katie, Liz and Ed this past Saturday! This is a really historic race in Wichita, this was the 33rd year! It's older than me! Plus, this was Ed's first running race, he has done a few road bike races, but decided to give running a shot and he really enjoyed it!


Emily and Kristen did the 10-mile and after the races were over we all headed over to a local breakfast spot to inhale breakfast at noon, it was spectacularly delightful.

I think it's safe to say I'm back to running, and it feels great. Ed and I even went for another 2-mile run on Sunday morning. My foot has been tender since then, but I think it's to be expected, it will eventually stop being sore after I run.

The Fair Weather Runners are back on track and with new additions, it's going to be a great spring full of races and friends.