+6 miles-- 81* & 79% humidity--BLECK! I am not proud of my time but I am proud of the miles. I ran past my van at mile 3, grabbed a drink & kept running. I turned around thinking, "It's too hot; 3 is enough." Then I started thinking of my hot July & August 1/2 marathons. You can't turn around after mile 3 in a race. I remembered the words of a woman I heard, yesterday. She was wondering if she could break a world record. She didn't think she could then said, "Your mind can be your weapon or your weakness." She tried diving & broke the record. I know I have many self imposed mental barriers. I've heard the talk & I believe the talk. Un-learning what seems a normal lifestyle is difficult. It's a rut that is difficult but not impossible to get out of... I'm trying. I went +6 miles- sweating like crazy & heart racing after just a few tenths of a mile. I had to take numerous walking breaks, then the Mosquitos would attack. Ugh! I did see some beautiful sights, today! Some things I was able to take a picture of/ some not. Things I missed: a mole, a butterfly flying into my face, a dragonfly, a turtle sunning on a log. Status: good run, anyways...

(I know my pictures are all similar. Showing off my INKnBURN & never know what to do with my hands...)

Shortie 3 1/2 miles with Lucy. It was HUMID- early! Took the pace slowly for the sake of both of us... mostly for Lucy. She LOVES trail running with me but can't handle the heat as comfortably. For her own health & weight loss, I need to keep her running to counteract all of the treats the girls & hubby keep giving her. She never refuses. :) It was hot but wonderful to be out! Planning Woodstock, mentally, & feeling confident in a training plan for the 50K, this year. New shoes are keeping blisters off my feet with out taping them--> awesome! Hips are feeling OK with regular yoga. I switched my running days so I have Wednesday & Friday available for yoga stretching. It hurts so good to get those tight muscles to relax! Foot & knee still rehabbing but on the mend. Tune up, next week at the chiropractor will hopefully yield some fine tune relief. All-in-all, I'd say things are going well! -HOORAY! -Planning some more experiments with nutrition & gear but I'd have to say all of the experimentation is finally working on finding what individually works. INKnBURN makes me happy & makes me look forward to what I want to WEAR on a run. "Do I want to make a statement?" "Do I want to follow a theme?" "Do I feel ironic?" 

I was made to feel guilty, recently, on money I spend on INKnBURN clothing. In reflection, there is NOTHING else I spend money on except racing & gear. I don't go to the salon to get my hair done. I don't go to the spa for massages. I don't get manicures or pedicures. I don't buy jewelry, go out to restaurants or go out drinking. I know I spend money on myself... but it's a healthy lifestyle and  mental health, too... I love trail running. I love how INKnBURN has brought me out of my shell & given me confidence "to be seen." I love pushing myself and seeing how far I can go. Ultra marathons-- my next big thing!!!

I didn't fall in! I was excited to try this Paddleboard class-- until Saturday morning. I left, solo, with the usual anxiety of a race. Water?! What was I thinking!? I arrived & the youthful female instructors were welcoming & kind. Most people in the class came with a friend or family member. I came, sat down, swallowed & blurted hello. Everyone had the same feelings I did & the instructors addressed many topics before getting into the water. I a...sked a ton of questions & received a satisfying answer every time. I didn't feel pressured as the program continued because I had intellectual information over experience- before even touching our boards. We were assigned boards according to height or weight. We headed to the water & onto the boards prone, first... then to knees... then standing. Each step we were given time to get comfortable & allowed to progress at our own speed. The 1st woman went down going to her knees. Out of 7 students & 2 instructors... only 3 of us didn't fall in. Truth be told, though: the instructors were showing advanced moves when they went in. I felt pretty comfortable, only at the end finding out my board was the most buoyant & shortest of the boards.   I'll take it! The weather was perfect. The water was calm. I highly recommend this class through the Metropark. They have more classes in July & August...

LINK TO METROPARKS PADDLEBOARD CLASSES

 

Shortie 3 miler with Lucy. It makes me sad that she has such a difficult time keeping up, nowadays. It was toasty but tolerable for me; but, I'm not the one trying to run in a complete black, fur suit! Shortie runs for her until the weather cools down. I'm hoping it isn't her age catching up to her, already...
 

I continue to nurse my Plantar Fasciitis & log miles gingerly. Tomorrow is yoga & a 10 miler on Thursday. Yoga on Friday... Work, always... Housework, always... Mom, always... Wearing INKnBURN skulls & a "Run or Die" mentality--> new!

I am amazed at this whole running "stuff". I didn't want to, today. I grabbed some INKnBURN clothes that made me feel girly, today. After a weekend of talking "skulls", I just wanted to be girly... I took my caffeine pill, a small clementine & left for a 5 miler. My 1st few steps, my heel (Plantar Fasciitis) screamed at me. Sometimes it eases up as I get warmed up. I tried to adjust my foot landing & before I knew it-- I finished +5! I thought of running gear I have been avoiding because of the cost. I thought of upcoming races. I contemplated my family in Nebraska, soon, for our 4-H National Shooting Sports Invitational. I planned my dog's stay & my cats' needs. I ran through my upcoming work schedule... my accounting... our yard work... my female shooting group... I even thought about my pistol & where I would carry it on my new running gear! I believe my monkey brain helped 5 miles go quickly!

Last night I was going through race flyers. This was my Facebook post: "As I gather my many invitations to race, I, again, wonder why I do this. I get up early & go by myself. I sometimes, awkwardly talk to people I know through Facebook; but, I don't usually do anything with anyone, afterwards. There is a bit of emptiness when you do this, solo... I remember: races are my speed work. Races are my chance to focus on mileage, equipment, nutrition, pacing, mental restraining of my nerves... without stopping (for a picture or Lucy pee-peeing) as I would at Oak Openings. -This year, I'm signing up for summer races. This is new for me. While I have logged miles through the summer, I never sign up for races in the heat. That changes this year. Tomorrow, I have a 5K. In July I have a 1/2 marathon-- a 1/2 marathon in the heat-- me! If my goal is ultra racing (often in hot & hilly places), then "suck it up, Buttercup" needs to be the attitude. I contemplate tomorrow with a banged up ankle from my 4-H adventure, today. I am TRULY the clutziest person God ever created. If I make it through this summer's race schedule to Fall, it will be a miracle."

I ended up putting a Band-Aid over my bruised & cut ankle. What happened? As we dismantled our "survival shelter",  yesterday, in the woods, I was carrying two large limbs. I was stepping over a log & swung the large limb, pinching my foot between the limb & log. The shock knocked the wind out of me. I just froze, doubled over, limb in each hand, eyes welling up with tears... Of course, the cut (& bruise) was RIGHT where my sock & shoe would rub. I pulled my sock down to show some ladies, today after the race, only to notice it had started bleeding, again. (I refrained from pulling off the Band-Aid...)

Today, before my race, my post to Facebook was: "The usual pre-race jitters. I see some familiar Toledo Roadrunner friendly faces but nothing can calm me down but myself. 5 minutes 'til start... Ugh!"

Today, after my race: "Looks like I got 2nd in my age group. That should be good enough for a set of tickets for a Toledo Symphony concert. -Fingers crossed!"

It was warm. Not my fastest pace but I slowed so I didn't have to heave. This is my second race "back" after hurting my foot. --I push my pace at races more than training runs. I really don't know how to do speed work other than racing... I don't honestly know how fast I could run a mile, only. I've never tried. I TRY to push a pace I can hold for 3 miles during a 5K. For me: pace always depends on many factors.

 

 My age group award: a two ticket voucher for the Toledo Symphony. Next date night for me & Hubby is "on  me"!

 

 

I second guess myself-- always. I know I'm not the fastest runner in the field but I think of how far I've come. There was a time that doing sub 9 minute miles was unheard of for me! I'm logging

7 1/2 (not often but my new goal) to 8 1/2 minute miles, regularly, now, for 5K's. (9 minute miles if I heave.) Longer races are +9 minute miles. NOT TO MENTION: My clothing is now "extravagant!" Never in a billion years did I think I would EVER, EVER wear a skull garment! And now, I own a few! It's a bit of a rebellious, tough chick mentality when I need it. Little does anyone know I'm a mental wreck & softie inside. I'm a work in progress...

 

 

I tell people all of the time that INKnBURN puts me in a MOOD. Today, I wore Wildflower for a run because I was very happy & had an easy 3 miler on my schedule. It was a "light mood".

 

I've also run in the skull-faced Run or Die design when I need an "attitude" to get it done.

 

I say I wear my heart on my sleeve, with INKnBURN, I also wear it, now, all over... No guessing my mindset when you look at me. :)

-Trail running today was magnificent! 5 1/2 miles with Lucy. It was cold & perfect! Flowers were blooming. Water was overflowing. I saw a HUGE fish trying to get "back" through the quickly moving water of the overflow pipe. I saw a fuzzy (!!!) baby goose with its protective parents. New flowers I had never seen at Oak Openings & beautiful, small reflective dewdrops. -Gorgeous run with lots of stops for pictures. Terrible for my time but wonderful for my soul. -It's been rough, here, lately. I look for support... I'm taught to be independent. Trail running adds to the independence. Strength & untamed beauty is what I see & why I love trail running. A bare, imperfect, natural scene... It's where I find a restful soul...

I started running about 6 years ago. I only wore black & often looser fitting men's clothes. I wanted to fade into the background as I tried to figure out how to run. My progress was slow & I wanted to not be noticed if you did see me on the trails. --Because I was the only "color" in my school for the longest time, I avoided Spanish rolling of my "R's" when saying my name & everything clothing-style wise that would denote a Spanish heritage. -When I found INKnBURN clothing t...hey had a few Spanish influenced designs that I avoided at all costs. I didn't want to be stereo-typed or teased. Now that these designs are gone. I'm sad. One design was "Amiga" (friend). It looked like a traditional Mariachi band shirt, jacket, belt, buckle & embellishments. The other design was a Sugar Skull. I avoided that because it was a skull first & foremost. --I can't explain this change going on. I LOVE INKnBURN & recently threw caution to the wind on a few purchases. I bought the Muscle T & arm sleeves. Today I bought a pair of Radioactive Skeleton running tights & Cavalera (colorful sugar skull design) singlet. Before that, I purchased bright flowers, dragons & butterflies. The colors & designs of their gear push me to a new place mentally & emotionally- especially the skull designs. -I was wearing guitars, skulls & wings, Friday!!! -Seemed out of place for trail running but it put me in a BA mood to get it done. Running is a mental as well as physical exercise. I'm happy to be pushing past a lot of old thinking... & setting new goals.