46 Days

Anyone else run in that rain yesterday? It was so much fun...tough, but fun! Today, the weather is suppose to take a turn for the better, so enjoy it. Run long, run fast, just run! If you're feeling discouraged, just think to yourself "Elissa would keep going...the girl will run through anything, pain, bad weather, shin splints, anything"...it's what I do. Then I realize, I'm not Elissa, and sometimes, I stop! But sometimes it works.

47 Days

Rain before the hurricane, the moto of the week.
I hope I get to run today, I've got 7 miles to go.
But runners, we are a breed unique
We'll run rain, sleet or snow.

Further and further and further we go
This running we all do
The more we run the more we know
I'm addicted and so are you.

48 Days

Folks, this is the last week of the first half of our official training for the mini, and it's a day off. Good luck running in the rain all week!

49 Days

Folks, 7 weeks from today, we'll be running the Louisville Fall Mini Marathon. In 5 weeks, we'll have our longest run of our training, and in 6 weeks, we'll finally be cutting back mileage. If you ran your long run Saturday, the weather was a nice break, but if you went today, it was yucky again.
Oh, and I hit a goal today. It's always a goal of mine to break 1,000 each year. Because I start the year with low mileage...it's cold outside...it usually takes me until sometime in November to hit 900 miles, and sometime in October to hit 800, etc. Well, it's still August, the 8th month of the year, and I'm over 800 miles this year already! It's so exciting!

50 Days

50! What an exciting day it is too. The weather should be cooler for a nice long run. I think we're all at 8 or more miles for our long, quite the accomplishment. It's not so bad, it just takes so darn long. What else is going on today? The fantasy football draft. If only to give me something else to obsess over! I'll finally know who is going to help me win the league this year....I hope I get Peyton, I hope I get Peyton, I hope I get Peyton....but, chances are only one in 8 that I will. Oh well.

51 Days

Hey, kids, we're getting there. Almost down to 7 weeks. Hang in there, it's Friday. Time for a day off! And oh, I can't tell you how much I just need some sleep! All this running has made me SOOOO tired!

52 Days

Runner Spotlight: Jen Morris
Jen went on vacation last week, as we all know...we missed you Jen! And what did she do with those high altitudes? She ran her longest run yet, 7 miles! Way to go Jen!

53 Days

Tragedy! Not two houses down the block, and my IPOD Shuffle dies! Nothing, no power, no sound, and the computer no longer recognizes it! So, I went to the Apple site, and they're sending me a new one. Thank goodness I was within the 6 month warrenty, if only by 2 weeks! Well, the temperature has dropped, but it is due to rise toward the end of the week. Two ways to beat the heat...the Kris method, readjust your schedule so the longer runs are on the cooler days, or the Elissa method, go for your Thursday run at 6a.m.! Now THAT's dedication!

54 Days

A nice cool day outside, and it's about time. Tonight, after going to the Klapheke visitation, I'll be doing a moderately long run, provided my knees hold out. We've got 6 days down for school, and 169 left, that is if we work in Fayette county. I believe Lalah is at least 4 up on us. But, none of that matters, until these next 54 days are over anyway. Good running to you all!

55 Days

Here's to a much needed day off! Welcome back to Jenn and Steph...I hope you had a great vacation!
The results are in from the Mid Summer Night's Run:
Parmer 23:26
Cook 23:55
Roycraft 24:24
Sundheimer 27:37
Weber 27:42
Holmes (Matt) 28:17
Holmes (Elizabeth) 30:09
Yeany 40:40
Nutt 45:19
Peck 45:19
Matt's Dad 47:32

56 Days

Congratulations to everyone on a race well run last night...and I do mean everyone. Nutt, Peck, Weber, Yeany, Parmer, Cook, Holmes, Holmes, Holmes...you get the idea, and especially Roycraft! Jason, you'd better be careful, she's gaining on you! Long run today for those of us mini-marathoners. The weather is finally giving us a bit of a break.

57 Days

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELISSA!!!
Good luck to all in the Mid Summer Night's Run!

Drink lots of fluids. It's going to be a hot one!

58 Days

I'd better not hear of anyone running today! It's the day before the Mid Summer Night's run! I think most everyone has their race packet, but just in case, you can still sign up at the race.
Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS ELISSA!!! If you don't know what I'm talking about, just ask her. I'd hate to spoil the suprise!

59 Days

Gosh...are we into the 50's already? We're within two months? My legs are tired just thinking about it! But, today is the last day of the first week of school...well, sort of. We have to go tomorrow, but the kids don't. SO, a 7 miler for me today, then off to Space Between! See you guys there! If I look tired it's only because I slept in all summer :)

60 Days

Short day. Good thing too because it's been hot and muggy. Thanks to Elissa for helping me make it yesterday, I never could have done 8 miles on a Tuesday afternoon without her! Oh, and my new shoes are here! Yeah!

61 Days

Another tuesday, another medium run. Three more runs before the MidSummer night's run. If you haven't signed up yet, make sure sign up on the web, or stop by John's by Friday. If you sign up on the web, you can pick up your race packet at the race or at John's, or if you sign up by Wednesday, just let me know, and I'll pick up your packet for you since it's near my work.
Happy Running!

62 Days

Sixty two days marks a special time for me. No, not because it's two consecutive 31-day months, but it's because it's the first day of school. Now, I'll join the rest of you in this mini training in having to run after work during the week. I can only hope that the temperature starts taking a break. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you guys have no sympathy. ;)

63 Days

9 Weeks from today...we're getting there. We are officially 1/4 of the way through our 12 week training. Just a little bit of motivation today. Remember, the conditions under which we train are far worse than those under which we will compete. The weather will be nicer (at least not as hot), we will have more motivation, we will have rested for 2 days before hand, and we will have eaten right.

64 Days

Long run day. At least for a few of us. Pete said he was going to try to run 7 miles this morning before his sister came in. Jen has a 5 mile run scheduled before her big trip. I have a 10 mile run planned on this hot saturday morning (and after all the wonderful food I had yesterday all day at school, etc... I need all 10 of those miles!), and Elissa has elected to hold off until tomorrow and put in her 9. I'm sure Jules is in there somewhere for her long run. Just think. Nine weeks from today, and we'll be headed to Louisville, resting up, and eating some pasta in preparation for the 13.1 miles we'll be running the following day.
Oh, and Jay...let's make that "Definate mabye" a "yes! I'm in! I can't wait to run 13.1 miles! It sounds like so much fun!"

65 Days

Ahhhhh, TGIF! No running, no work tomorrow, does it get any better than this?

66 Days

Hot day for a longer run. Yesterday was short, today, is a medium day. It should be just over your daily mileage average. For example, my average run for a day is about 5 miles, and my long run is 10. So, today, I'll be doing a 7 mile run. So, if your normally run 3 and your long run is five, today is a nice day to run 4. Just be careful of the heat, it is suppose to get up above 90 again.

67 Days

Well, for all of you who missed John's Cross Country Challenge #3 this year, you missed a great race. They changed the course to make it faster (we ran it in reverse), and at the low low cost of only $5, they gave away door prizes to everyone (they included t-shirts, hats, dry fit shirts, etc...), as well as registration gifts of a water bottle and a pair of socks. No, I didn't win anything in my age group, but I did have a PR for the course! Ha, I've never run that particular course before! So, today is a 3-mile day. Short run to recover from the race and prepare for a longer one tomorrow. Good luck to all. Oh, and congratulations to Pete, my shoe guy, he got a promotion and will no longer be working at the local New Balance Store. However, you can still go in and drop his name there (he hired everyone in the store, so they'll be extra nice to you), or you can head over to John's, and look for Laura, his wife. She'll treat you nice too.

68 Days

Tonight is the last of John's Cross Country Challenge. It's tougher this year than last year, even though it's the same course. There are more participants this year. This is always the hottest and most humid of all three races, and it looks like tomorrow will be no exception. It's a good thing it's only a 5K, and not a 10K! I'll be out there around 6:40 to sign up and warm up. The race is at 7. I hope to see a few of you out there. Last year the third race also came with some very good door prizes.

69 Days

Ahhhh, a day of rest! Jules, drive safely. Just to give you guys an update on local races, there is a 5K at Masterson Station Park tomorrow night at 7. The cost is only $5, or $2 for students. It is a cross country race, so be prepared for slightly slower times, and a slightly tougher course!

70 Days

Well, here we are at the 10 week mark. I've discovered something kind of strange. This morning, some random man that I see a lot when I'm running told me I'd lost a lot of weight. He's the second person this week to tell me that, which wouldn't be so strange if I had lost weight! So I came to the conclusion that when your scale says you've lost weight, sometimes you really haven't, you've just lost water, and when it says you haven't, perhaps sometimes you really have, or at least you've toned up! I don't know, perhaps it's just a theory.
Anyway, today is a good day for a nice slow recovery run if you did your long run yesterday. If you don't feel like a recovery run helps, then by all means, take the day off.

71 days

Long run day! And what a perfect day for a long run it is. It's not to hot, the sun isn't really out, but it's not raining either. Hmmm, how's the weather in Pittsburg Jules? Nine miles today. No worries, we still have 10 weeks and a day!

72 Days (really)

I'd like to do a shout out to Blair, who went on his first "real" run with Julie and Peter last night, and possibly Jen? I have not heard yet how far they went, or how he did, but I'd like to applaud the effort! Blair, please, let us know how it was, if you felt pretty good, etc...

New Count 75 Days

Alright, it's August 2, and the race is October 16. If I count, I think that is 75 days. For real this time. It's humid again, and the difficulty with breathing is back. The good thing about that is we appreciate it more when we can breathe easy again. 7 miles today, tomorrow is a much needed day off for me. From what I hear, everyone is doing well with training.
For those of you who are just starting out running, I'd start by running 1 mile, walking 1 mile, then running one more. After a week of that, try running 1.25 miles, walking a half mile, then running 1.25 more. Keep increasing your run, and decreasing your walk until you are running 3 miles at a time. Then, you're ready to start adding miles!