Charles Harris 10k & February Recap.

This morning was my first 10k of 2010. I had known for awhile that I wanted to run this event (not because it was an easy Peachtree Qualifier) but because it benefits leukemia research at Emory. As everyone knows the mission to finding a cure for leukemia holds a special place in my heart. This course was GREAT. I was a little skeptical that it would be unattractive and I was convinced that since it was in Tucker that it had to be hilly. I actually told Erin at the VERY beginning to just go and not to let me hold her up. Sure, it wasn't the prettiest course I had ever run but it was fairly flat and what hills we had to run were not too bad. The hills were "rolling" in a way. Never were there screeching up hills, break your back hills, and the hills going down were not that bad either. Mile 4 was pretty rough, I don't quite know why but I was pretty pumped to see the Mile 5 marker. The last mile was for the most part downhill but as you rounded the 1st corner to the finish it was fairly flat and then you hang another right and BAM hello hill. I felt 100% out of steam rounding that last corner and I really thought I would be walking across the finish, but I have a little too much pride and I trotted across the finish to find Erin.

...As I went to try and pick up my race tee (always gotta get the finishers shirt) I ran into my run coach from Team in Training Joanna. It was great to see her and say hi. She joked that I must have found the love of running. I laughed back and said "yeahhh...". But it was great to see familiar faces and meet new people. (Erin and I finally met Anne from DailyMile). Overall it was a good race - fairly easy - I for sure need to incorporate hill training into my work out plan because I cannot getup hills - I loved how they had a clock at every mile so you could know where you were time wise - if I still live in GA next year I will totally do it again.

February recap:I did not quite meet my goals (the only goal I completed was setting a PR at Charles Harris), but I am content and okay with that. I realized that I had a crazy busy month with work and I was really bad at getting any sort of workouts in and honestly, I am okay with it. There is no point on being too hard on myself... it is all in the past now, I just have to improve and be more dedicated in March. So what were my miles this month -- I had hoped to run 48.94 in the month of February but I actually ran ... 19.75 Trying to hit 48.94 miles may have been a stretch anyways because my miles were SO high in January thanks to Disney! ...I guess I am just going to keep on keeping on!
Highlight of the month: I PR'd at my 10k. Now my 10k goal is to run a sub 1 hr. :o)

So March - what is on the calendar? What is the plan? First things first, make training and working out a priority. Work and Kyle have been my #1 and #2 (not in any specific order of course) for months now. I need to work in "me time" where I don't feel bad if it is a Tuesday and I want to do something aerobic after work. For too long I have been too concerned about getting home and making dinner. Dinner.can.wait. The schedule?! I am running a ShamRock and Roll 10k on the 14th through the Atlantic Station part of Atlanta which I am actually pretty stoked for and then the following Sunday I am running ING. Yes, I am no where near ready for it but what is new? I am sure the hills are going to kick my ass but I am gonna spend the next two weeks trying to get in some hill work and just some serious running before the event. You know me, it's like college - cramming for a final exam after skipping a bunch of classes. ...I graduated college didn't I?! **I bet you're happy I am not your child** :o) And now onto my March 2010 goals...

1. Run at least 21.73 miles. Sticking with my 10% rule ... that is 10% more than I ran this past month. Ideally, I would love to run 40+ since I have a half marathon this upcoming month - but I am a realist and know that may not happen.
2. Again... cross training. Swim.Spin.Pilates. Done. With running.
3. I would like to PR at ING Atlanta. I ran my last half in 2:54 ... I would like to do ING Atlanta in 2:30 or under.
4. If I end up doing the 5k ... I would like to PR in that as well.

Super big congrats to everyone who raced today. There were a lot of PR's happening so everyone should take great pride in their accomplishment!!