varmint pictures and more adventures in trail running

 hey everyone! I haven't had a chance yet to post the pictures from the Varmint Half marathon on june 15th. While my time of 1:55 was very lack-luster, I feel I must explain that this is a truly brutal course that isn't really comparable with any other road marathon or half marathon I have ran. I did snag a sheep trophy for second in my age group!! yay! I had a wonderful time hanging out with friends new and old(beth , John ( from the third mile) and family ( my first cousin Rob Smith ran the Varmint this year) :o)

 This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to go out on the AT/ Iron Mtn trail with Beth for a 13 mile loop. It was such a fun day and ended much too soon!  I loved that section of trail because the majority of it is Very runnable but challenging! I think running in Damascus will be excellent preparation for Leadville trail 2010. :o) 

 I am getting all the loose ends tied up for this year's Christopher TOdd Richardson Memorial 10k.  I have the equipment reserved with SFTC. We are using the runscore system that we used last year to time the race, and I feel this is a really great way to go. 

 and I'm working on the T-shirts and the awards this week.  as soon as I finish the graphic for the shirt I will post it up here. :o)

We are going to the beach later this week. I will be sure to take plenty of pictures and post about my adventures down in SC!

AT/IMT run

 I ran 17 miles today with beth minnick and aliese harrison and had a BLAST!  We saw /encountered a bear about 2 miles in on the AT.. which was cool/scary/exciting!! I did a big horizontal leap over to where beth was.. Me jumping around and us saying "bear"  made it run away.. it kinda turned it's head and looked back then took off.. I think it thought we were weirdos.. and really I think most situations they are more scared of us. cool experience because you see signs of bear ( aka SCAT!) all over the place up there.. I just always assumed we were so loud clomping around running and talking, and that was the reason we never saw any. guess we surprised this one. 

 while we ran there were SO many pretty wildflowers and mushrooms and ferns.. I really wish I had taken the time to take some pictures of them. 

 I really enjoyed today! can't wait run with beth and aliese again! Here are some pictures! sorry this is so brief! but I have to go get a massage LOL!! going to be sore tomorrow I know!!

here are some pictures!

getting ready for the varmint half marathon and p90x day 90 pictures

 hey everyone! 

well in two days is the varmint half marathon! I am really looking forward to this race! The first time I ran this race was in 1996 when I had just graduated from high school. WOW!! how time has flown!! here 13 years later, I am running it for the fourth time, and  mother of two small children!!

The race director for the varmint, charity mcdaniel, is such a wonderful person! She has always been so nice to me. She was a track coach for an opposing high school in our county, but she was always so encouraging. She really was my example of what a female adult runner was supposed to be like:o) Charity has been so helpful to me! I am helping Crazy 8's give out entry forms the next couple weeks, and charity is not only letting me give out crazy 8 forms at her race, but also entry forms for the CTR 10k!! That is SUCH a big help!! I really appreciate her being so kind and supportive to me and my endeavors! 

 The course for the Varmint is in my opinion BRUTAL for a road race.. but very doable.  I really think you just have to keep plugging along.. charge up the hills and haul it on the down hill to be successful in this race.. and alot of it is mental because most of this race is run in solitude. I really feel prepared and very excited about my quest for a sheep trophy!!  I will post on sunday and give you guys a race report. 

 okay p90x pictures:  I am actually in my second cycle of p90x (day 12). I really am happy with the fitness I have acheived by utilizing this program, and I plan to keep on using it for awhile. I just really feel (especially in the winter time) this program will keep me on track.  I am already dreading the winter because I  have been LOVING using the jogging stroller!! I go out with the kids twice a day in it!!  so I feel this has been a great base/strength building program. It really has made me change my eating habits in the best ways imaginable and I really feel that HALF of the results hinges upon whether or not you are eating clean, unprocessed, whole foods and consuming about 120 g of protein daily.