Remembering to Rest

This week has been about remembering to rest. After Saturday's 10k and my near fall, my body hasn't been in the best of states.  My hip still bothers me and while I want to push, I will get further from a rest. 

I was supposed to run Monday but canceled that when I realized it was league night for disc golf. Disc golf was hard enough on my body, I had to stop playing as the approach for the drives was making my hip hurt. Took Tuesday off completely hanging at home on the couch.  I was determined that I could do the fun run on Wednesday. I ran 2.5 miles before my feet just wouldn't pick up and I had to walk the last half mile.  I could feel my hip starting to hurt and when I got up the next morning it was sore.  So I took Thursday off from volleyball and all activity other than walking to and from work. Tonight was a nice easy game of disc golf, not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I do need to get at least a walk in.

Rest is not always convenient but always necessary.  Its okay to push but its important to know the difference between pushing through the pain and pushing towards an injury.

UPDATED: Summer 2013 Bucket List

This post has been updated and republished!

There are things I say I want to do every summer and they don't all get done. I am hoping by creating my summer 2013 bucket list I can keep track and get to do all that I want to do. Feel free to join me!

Corn maze
Camping - Completed Memorial Day Weekend at Silver Lake State Park in the COLD AND RAIN!
Camp somewhere new
Kayak down the river
Go tubing
Hike - Completed May 18 up Spruce Mountain with Traci.
Hike Camels Hump
Hike somewhere new
Complete a 5k - Completed May 12 at the Dirty 5k Trail Race
Complete a 10k - Completed June 8 at the West Windsor 5 & Dime
Complete a 5k without walking - Completed June 5 at the weekly Randolph Runners Fun Run
Complete a Spartan Sprint
Do a mud/color run
Fill the Vermont Wine Passport
Train excursion
Spartan Sprint

Windsor 5 & Dime - Race Recap

I have been running.
Monday, June 3, 2013, I was supposed to meet up with friends to walk/run up Payne Mountain in Northfield, VT.  I was running a few minutes late, they didn't wait. I had a personal best on my time as I went up Payne Mountain by myself.

At the top of Payne Mountain!

I have been running.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at the weekly 5k fun run, I ran a 5k without taking a walking break for the first time ever.

I have been running.
On Saturday morning, June 8, 2013, Jim and Mary stopped to pick Jeremy and I up at 7:15 in the morning. We were ready. It was time to head off for our first 10k race.  Not only was this our first 10k, it was a trail race.  The West Windsor 5 and Dime, the first of the year in the Western New Hampshire Trail Running Series. The forecast was for rain. We had received emails the night before that the race would go on, to be prepared for wet, muddy, slippery, slick trails. To pack dry clothes and be prepared to have fun.
The race started 15 minutes late as people were still registering. So far no rain. We zigzagged through a field  and were into the woods.  It didn't take long for the rain effects to be apparent as we splashed through puddles and were hitting the mud almost immediately.  I ran and walked at varying intervals, passing the first aid station without stopping, glad I had my Camelbak on.  Then came a hill, steep, but relatively easy to climb up.  We veered off from the 5k course, and started to loop back and forth through the woods.  I stuck to my main goal to never walk down a hill, even if it was only two or three steps. Mary pulled ahead of me as soon as we had hit the first set of woods, but I never let her too far out of my site.
It felt like I had been on the trail forever, my Runkeeper app told me it was only 2 miles and change.  I passed my first two people.  There was a waterfall on course, they wanted a photo. I was happy to pass someone as usually I was the one being passed. Another half mile and I caught up to a younger girl walking.  It appeared she had gassed herself early as she never caught back up to me.  It wasn't long before I reached the top.  I had made it. There were two woman in front of me stopping for water, I kept going. I passed another two people! That makes five.  One of the woman was Lois, an ex-coworkers Mom.  She looked fantastic.
It was on the downhill that I caught back up with Mary. I would have stayed with her the rest of the run had I not almost face-planted, wrenching my left leg.  Apparently the scream I let out had Mary turning around, expecting to see me on the ground.  A quick walk, which was luckily flat, to make sure I wasn't done for and I was off again. I never did catch back up with Mary. Took more walking breaks on the downhill than I would have liked but it sure beat injuring myself.
Along the way I picked up a lost roll of duct tape, a pen, and played tag with another runner.  I was back into the field, down the hill, and running through the finish line.
My goals:
To never walk down a hill - COMPLETE!
To finish - COMPLETE!
To be under two hours - COMPLETE!
To not finish last - COMPLETE!
Stretch Goal:
To be under 1h 45m - COMPLETE!
To not finish last in my age division - COMPLETE!

Crossing in under 1h 45m - Super pumped!

While I was far from being a contender for placement in over or age division, I conquered every goal I set out for myself for this run.  Finishing with an official time of 1h 44m 27s. I was 102 our of 107 overall, 7 out of 8 in my age group.

We got muddy!

Jim, Mary, Jeremy, and I all muddy and sweaty.

Jeremy has been an AMAZING support on this journey.

Payne Mountain

Its hot. Really hot. So instead of sitting at home on the couch in the AC, I decide to join Jeremy and our friend Jim for a run up Payne Mountain.

The first time I ever went up Payne Mountain I opted to take turns dragging a tire. I spent far less time running but my heart was racing like I was.

This trip up, I ran more than I thought I could. At one point I knew I had run more than my previous trip up the mountain. So I set a goal: 3 more running sections and I would feel like I had really accomplished something.  Then I was not as close to the top as I expected, so I did two more running sections. Whew. That kicked my butt.  I pushed at each of the running sections going at least 3 strides if not 30 plus feet past my designated walking point.  I was so proud of myself when I reach the top.  Jim pretty much stayed with me although he would run again, find a trail that would loop back around to me and pass me again. Worked well to push me.  Jeremy on the other hand flew up and down and was back at the bottom I am pretty sure before I ever reached the top. Both guys are MANIMALS!

Jim and I at the top... Hot sweaty messes.

I had told Jim before we started, I wanted to run down the trail instead of the road. That is the only reason I ended up walking any down hill.  There is more attention that must be spent as there are roots and rocks. I would get to the point where my feet were shuffling. Since it wasn't an appealing idea to face plant, I took several walking breaks. Just long enough to get my legs refreshed.  I still flew down the mountain.

Can't wait to go back up. I want to beat my time. I think it was 1 hour and 40 minutes total.

Dirty 5k Race Recap

I have been pushing myself more and more to be active, lose weight, eat healthier, and find a lifestyle I can live with. As part of that, I have been running more, signing up for races so that I do not have the option of not running.

The first race this year that I signed up for was the Dirty 5k in Hanover, NH.  It is put on by the Western New Hampshire Trail Running Series.  It is a fun and "easy" 5k trail race.  I know the race director, Chad Denning, as I have volunteered for other events he has put on.  He knows how to put on a great race.

Jeremy, Me, Mary, Jim - All ready to run! What a team.

We started out going down a steep hill, around a corner, and on to what I have heard people refer to as the roller coaster! It certainly kicked my butt, I walked more than I wanted, but it was so fun. That is, until I hit the dreaded field. The field is demoralizing. You want to cut straight through but you can't. You must go up an down and around. Having run this portion before when I participated in the Stoked Standard Triathlon two year ago, I knew what to expect. Then it changed. We went back into the woods. What a fun section! I saw a bit of Storrs Pond Recreation Area I had never seen before. Great addition.  Up into the woods we went, hooking onto the screaming downhill.  As I started the downhill there was no looking back. I put everything I had left into me and sprinted through the finish line. Whew. What an awesome trail. Great kick start to the summer and trail running.

I had a great time. Came in 23 seconds over my goal of 45 minutes or less.  Official Time: 45m 23s.

Powering through the finish line. Giving it all I had. 

Slowing down. What a beautiful day.

The event started on time. AWESOME!

Food and water for after. AWESOME!

Free raffle for all participants and volunteers. AWESOME!

Look, I won! Some Emergen-C and a pocket knife.

Jeremy won too! A water bottle and a pocket knife.

Next up? The West Windsor Forrest 5 & Dime Trail Run

Review: A Celtic Witch

A Celtic Witch by Debora Geary

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Read this is in one day. Could not put it down.

As with the entire A Modern Witch series, the fetching spell finds a witch. Only, this one doesn't fetch in the usual way. Instead, it almost seems to guide the witch, Cassidy, to Fisher's Cove. I wish there had been a small explanation why she could see the purple dot but that could just be my geeky side coming out.

We see a side to Marcus that we have never seen before, he is growing and changing. There was a rawness to him that touched me in a way I didn't this his character ever would have been able to.

This is right up there was one of my favorite in the Witch Central world!




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Review: A Different Witch

A Different Witch by Debora Geary

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow. Powerful. Incredible. I couldn't put it down.

Beth's character was so real, so vivid, I felt like she really existed. Not that the other characters aren't as vital, there was a rawness to her that spoke to me. She presented as unlikable for much of the story and yet she tugged at my heartstrings. There were challenges, there were sides to characters of Witch Central that we haven't seen before.
Stereotypes were suggested, but only partially developed, much as the way a person is in real life.

Overall, I think this is my favorite thusfar. For being what I call a Brain Candy series, this was a very powerful read hidden within.



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