LAS VEGAS HALF MARATHON

Dec 7th was the running of the Las Vegas Marathon and the half marathon. It was my first time in LV and it was a great time. My friend Becky who was suppose to to be running her first mararthon but due to injury she was there to cheer me and our barefoot marathon friend Byron who ran 26.2 miles dressed as Elvis and did it in 5 hrs! This man is awesome.



The event started on time at 6 am with fireworks going off at the start. I had my brand new garmin 305 but did not start it properly so that mentally frustrated me. I learned that you do not take new toys with you on a big event race unless you have worked the bugs out of them LOL. Overall it was a fun time I had also been on my legs to much the day before seeing the sites of the strip.



I cannot complain to bad my time was better than my first half marathon here in Denver back in May. Las Vegas time was 2 hr 39 min. There were people from 47 countires doing the LV event so met lots of neat people while out on the course. One shirt I will always remember said pain is temporary pride is forever! GOT LOVE IT.



Becky and Kelvin met up with me in the family reunion area it took a little bit to find them but when I did it was a great site to see them, I was a bit tired LOL. Overall a fun time and if you would of asked me 5 years ago what I would be doing Dec 7th 2008 it would of not been running a half marathon down the Las Vegas strip LOL. Now it makes me think were else would I like to travel to someday to do another half marathon or better yet a full marathon.



May 17 will be my first full marathon here in Denver if all goes well with my running this winter and into spring. I am also working out at the gym more this winter to get more core strength and just overall stronger

Thanksgiving 2008 Wash Park Turkey Trot

The weather turned out warmer than last year! YAHOO it was a large turn out as always for this run. I had just found out the night before that my friend Becky Marzano who has been training to run the Las Vegas marathon will not be able to run it! She has a left quad that is pretty messed up and a MRI proved that. She will be coming to LV still to scream for me on my hlaf marathon!

I ran hard at the turkey trot and pleased to report 4.0 miles in 38:42 which is about 9:44 per mile time! So I am getting faster! that was 5 min off last years time. I am also happy since I had to navigate a large crowd of walkers, kids, etc etc so learning how to do that is great experience for me at large runs.

Next Sunday at this time I will have run my 2 half marathon ever! I am hoping to do it in 2:30 or less. I know it will be better than my first half marathon which was in May 2008 and it was a time of about 2hr 45min and it was really hard! Since then I have increased weekly mileage and done more hill training which is helping me. My lonest run to day is 20 miles in about 4hr 14 min. I will back down my mileage in Jan and then come Feb-April bring it back up and on May 17 2009 I will return to the Colfax Marathon this time to do the full 26.2

I am also currently 183 miles away from reaching 1000 miles for running this year. My goals is to reach it by the end of December. I am wanting to do the Denver resolution run which is a 5K and have that round out my 1000 miles for the year! Last year I did 300 and some miles for the whole year. At the beginning of 2008 I had told myself all that I wanted to do was more miles than last year I NEVER set the goal of 1000 miles it just sort a happened LOL.

I am hoping to get my running times down and would like to become a 9 min per mile runner and also keep running long distances.

Hope you all have a great holiday season! I will report in after Las Vegas Marathon.

11 DAYS AND COUNTING

I am now 11 days away from running the Las Vegas half marathon. Last weekend I did my 20 mile training run. It was not like the other long runs I have done since I had to go at it alone. Becky is having issues with her quad and tonight she went and had a MRI done we are all praying that it is nothing serious. The 20 miles that I did alone was tough and I have learned how mentally hard it can be to do long distances ALONE!

What got me through it was that I on the same day there were friends going IMAZ and I thought if they can be doing a full ironman then I can be running 20 miles! So that is what helped me get through it all! The weather was great temperatures in the 50-60. I will run a turkey trot 4 mile event here in Denver the am of Thanksgiving morning alone with about 8000-10,000 other people, our weather is suppose to turn cold and maybe a few snow showers. LOVELY it will be just like last year DAM COLD. Still a great way to start off a grat holiday weekend.

NINETEEN MILES

Yesterday was the big 19 mile run. The weather was perfect for this long run. Becky and did the run toom me about 3 hr 40 min and I felt pretty good that I was able do a quick walk while she used the restrooms. I still find it hard to believe that I am running that far LOL.

Best part was when we was done and had cooled down then it was the drive to chatfield gravel pond where we walked into the water and did what is now called the Colorado ice bath! It was tough but my legs feel better today then they have after any of our long training runs. I also had a full hour massage tonight OH THAT FELT SO GOOD and it was so needed.

ANOTHER LONGEST RUN

Tomorrow is longest run to date willbe 19 milessssssssssssssssssss! then next Sat it will be 20 miles and that will be the longest I run till I kick back in serious training miles most likely come Feb. Dec 7th I will be attending the Las Vegas marathon to do my 2 half marathon ever.

I feel very comforatble with doing 13 even thought many have told me I am good to go on 26.2 if I should decide to change my mind once I get there LOL. I truly want my first full marathon to be in Denver where I live, work and train my butt off. I am very thrilled that I can even run these trainng distances but learning lots and I hope someday I can use this knowledge to inspire others.

I have many fellow triathlete friends and runners that have been awesome in giving me advice and pointers thank you all so very much!!!!!!!!

10K PERSONAL BEST

It was the perfect conditions for my 10K today. I did this race last year as my firt 10K ever plus it is well know that this 10K is one of if not the toughest in the Denver metro area.

Last year my time was 1hr 11 min and I was pleased since back then I had never done that distance let alone on a tough hill course! Today I came in at 1hr 2 min! pulled 10 min miles! I remember a lot of the hills so I knew what was going to be coming up! I paced myself and I also did not try and analyze my running during the event. I did what I was suppose to do and that is RUN RUN RUN!

I would say at mile 4 it started to seem a bit tough since you still have 2 miles to go and there is up and down still LOL. Once to the top of the hill and I knew I was head towards the finish I just kicked it in! I am learning that my daily work outs are paying off and learning to push myself harder and that the body can endure! The temperatures were perfect in the upper 60's and a lite breeze. The treats afterwords were great! I will be back at this one next year with a goal of getting it under 1 hr and I know I will do it!

I am learning so much about the mental part of running and I am loving it

October update

The 18 mile run last weekend went pretty well took us about 3 hr 30 min wow where does the day go when you do a long run LOL. This week is sort a low miles week for me since Sunday is a 10K and I want to get my time down from last year. It is a very hilly course so will see.

Friday for Halloween I am going to dress up as......... take a guess LOL I will post photos here over the weekend should be interesting since I havenot dressed up in years! Weather is holding nice here in Colorado almost 70 today. Looking forward to Dec 7th half marathon in Las Vegas.
DIVA LAS VEGAS BABY!

ANOTHER LONGEST RUN

I am headed out tomorrow at 9:00 am for NOW my farthest run ever LOL. LAst weekend went pretty well with Becky I did 16 miles in about 3 hrs 10 min. I could feel the pain starting around 14 miles but I held on. It is really amazing what the human body can do and how it handles running. The day after I did not feel to bad. This week was low miles 17 for the week and this coming week will be more since tomorrow I start the week with 18 miles.

Nov 2 I will be doing the Littleton Stride 10K a very challengin 10K hills up and down hope to beat my time of 1 hr 11 min that was last year, plus my first 10K ever. Our weather here in Denver area is holding nicely. Recently I have read Dean K book 50 marathons in 50 days! great book I highly recommend it. I also read my life on the run another great running book from another famous endurance runner.

FARTHEST RUN YET

Tomorrow I am doing my farthest run yet. I will be doing a training run with friend Becky Marzano. We will be doing 16 miles, Dec 7th we will be in Las Vegas to do the marathon there. OH I mean Becky will do the full marathon and I will do the half marathon LOL.

I am doing my one long distance run a week with her and if i am not carefull I will end up doing 26 miles at Las Vegas. The weather will be ideal conditions in the am to run at Waterton. I may try and take my camera for photos after we are done. I am not doing my marathon till May 2009 so lots of time to still get in long runs and jsut overall mileage base.

RUN THE ROCKS 5K

This event was put on by the American Lung assoc of Colorado. I always support there events! Last year it was just a 1 mile run up the road at Red Rocks and at that time in my running world that was the hardest thing I had ever done! Now the crazy Mt Evans ascent takes the place LOL.

This year the Run the Rocks was a 5K I was thrilled and it also brought in a bunch more people! It was 2 miles down the road and THEN that wonderful 1.0 mile straight up to the top of the red rocks ampheitheater! The weather was very close to like last years! cold maybe 40 and a rain like mist. I got out my winter running attire and was ready for the challenge. The 2 miles down the road I was watching many people running fast down it. I knew that running down fast would be hard on the knees so I just went at my pace plus I had a feeling I would pass many of those people when it came to the 1 mile up! Sure enough most of them were walking! I was not fast going up it but I took it one step at a time!

Make a long story short my official time across the mat was 36:22 I was 368 out of a total of 759.

I was 30 out of 81 females in the age group I think 40-44. Females I was 185 out of 479 total.

my per mile pace was 11:47. Last year it took me about 17 minutes to just run the 1 miles up hill! So I see an improvment over last year overall mile time.

Afterwords I had some guys get a photo of me and my metal. I told Kelvin (AKA boyfriend) that he could stay home since the weather was pretty yuckie. I then went and got my SHIRT! This year I raised enough funds to earn a shirt YAHOO HAPPY GIRL DOING THE HAPPY DANCE!

I also got my goodie bag and a nice bagel from panera breads. I did not hang out to long as I was starting to cool down and feel chilled a bit.

I do the lung association runs for my mom who was a heavy smoker and is on the last part of her life do to ephazema. conestive heart failure and major depression! She is 72 and my dad who is 75 is her care taker. This last weekend two of my 3 sisters where there taking care of my mom while my dad took a short trip up to Washington state to visit his sister who is 80. So on the run on this day I ran with my heart for my mom RUTH JANE HALLIN! I love you mom and sure wish I could be there to show you my medal that I earned for you.

I also had my yearly check up this last sat and all looks great! Just waiting on the blood results back this week. My weight was down from last year I think 3-4 pounds which I pretty much knew it would be with my increase in running. I have 5 pounds that I am working hard on and would like to see them off me before I go run a half marathon at the Dec 7th Las Vegas. Will be attending that will friend Becky who is 58 and will run her first marathon, she is trying to talk me into the full 26.2 but I am planning my first marathon here in Denver May 2009. I will do the Colfax marathon I did my my first hlaf marathon at that event this last May. I want to do my first full marathon in the state and city that I live and train in! PLUS I can then say I ran 26.2 miles at elevation of 5280! I am currently running about 30-33 miles a week and will increas it before to long to about 35 and hold it there for awhile

cresecent moon sprint triathlon

Sorry it as been awhile since I posted. My last triathlon of the season was the Crescent Moon at Cherry Creek Reservoir in Denver CO. To make a long story short I did pretty well considering this was my 3 sprint triathlon ever and the 2 one of season 2008.

I was about 6-7 miles into the bike ride when a bee flew down the front of my tri suit and stung me on the chest! I felt it and then quickly reached in and flicked it out! It stung a little but I was not going to stop!! I was cruising pretty well on the bike with my new aero bars. I came cruising into the bike transition I dismounted the bike and had to run it through transitions aways to get to my area. My right calf was acting up a bit and I was like DAM IT a bee sting and now my right calf acting up! I got to my area and Kelvin was near cheering me on. I yelled at him that I got stung and that my right calf hurt! He is so awesome to just take all my comments in stride LOL.

I was able to make it through the run and come to the finish line in a time of around 1 hr 39 mintes not to bad for me considering all that took place. The food afterwords was good and great to visit with other tri athletes.

The next day I had a 5K to run. It was the 2 time that I did the second wind 5K in Lakewood. Last year I did ok about 35 minutes. it has some inclines so was a bit tough. This year I just wanted to finish it since the day before I had the triathlon so I knew I would be a bit tired. WELL I pulled off a time of 31 min about 4 min better than last year! So I guess my training is paying off. I was very pleased!

SUMMER IS ENDING

Well hard to believe that summer is ending. we just celebrated labor day weekend so in my eyes summer is over and fall will start in real soon. I have my last triathlon of the season Sept 20th the crescent moon sprint. It has been an awesome summer for me I loved being able to be part of my ladies triathlon group CWW they rock!

I also recently got my first pair of aero bars for my trek road bike. I practiced with them yesterday for the first time, it was not to bad and eventually it will be good. I dream of someday really owning a real triathlon bike LOL. I have also been running at waterton canyon I LOVE IT THERE! plus found a new trail the other day it was like running through a jungle and I so love that! I really like trail running. need to save up and get some trail running shoes.

Boulder 5430 long course half iron man

I went and hung out at the Bouler 5430 long course half ironman triathlon yesterday. My friend Becky Marzano was competing in it for her first 1/2 ironman she came in 3rd in her age group YAHOO!

I met Timothy O'Donnel the pro who came in 2 in the males pro category. He got beat on the run in the last half mile of it! OH that would be so tough! He is from Colorado and was very nice to talk with him. I hung out to watch Becky finish it was a real site to see her coming down the finish shoot! she completed the tri in just under 7 hrs. After watching the people yesterday I know there is still hope for me in the next year or two to be able to a half iron man!

I still have some runs to do this season and a sprint distance triathlon towards the end of sept.

Steve Uchella also did this triathlon he is about my age 42 and his time was 5 hrs 5 minutes, he is a great athlete

Training this summer

I am really going to hate to see summer go away! I have had so much fun doing my open water swim practice 2 times a week, plus running at lunch and biking when I can. Tonight my triathlon group CWW had a dinner for us after our swim. We me at 3 margarita restaurant had chips and salsa then dinner all paid for by CWW. We had a large turn out!

I have enjoyed the group this season and will see what I decide to do next season. I do know I want to contiune doing this sport but would like to be able to get faster and I know that means training harder and just working hard at it! I am planning on hitting the gym this winter to really work on my overall fitness and get stronger

MT EVANS ASCENT YIKES WHAT A DAY

This was a day that I will never forget. Kelvin and I arrived at the start area in plenty enough time. I picked up my race package and then went and sat back in the car. We had stayed the night in Idaho Springs so was easier to get up in the am and get to the start area. I was concerned that parking might be a pain. It was not to bad.

People started to gather and pick up there packets and it was warming up a little maybe close to 40. I wore my running tights and running jacket. I had my fuel belt ready to go with water and gatoraide mix. We met some great people from out of state that came to do this event. Always neat to hear why people run let along why this crazy run.

At about 7:45 we all started heading toward the start line. You could hear wispers throught the crowd that Matt Carpenter was there today and was going to try and break the 30 yrs old record for the 14 mile run up mt Evans. I had never heard of Matt until this day. In my eyes he is the god of mt running and high elevations.

The race started in time and we were headed up. I was able to do a jog/walk the first9 miles. I had been told to just keep moving along and that I could make the cut off time of 2.5 hrs for the first 9 miles. SO that was my first goal. along the way you are near some people and can talk a little and then other times it is you and the road and the elevation and that is it! I made it the first 9 miles at a time of 2hr 10 min so I was pleased but starting to feel a bit tired. I had about another 21/2 hours to get the last 5 miles done.

Around mile 11 or so my head was getting a headache and tummy was feeling a bit yuck. I did stop at one of the aid station and got some energy drink and animal crackers. At this time I was walking and it was pretty slow, I talked to God and said just bring me through this! The mental hard part is tryin to not look further up the road! you see that you are still climbing up and it is like HELL.

At mile 13 I seen the alpine rescue vehicle coming down the road. The stopped and picked a lady up that was just a short distance in front of me. They came to me and the vehicle door opened. The driver a older man looked at me and said, "you have 15 minutes and one mile left and you do not look like you are going to make it" I agreed and in tears and a little broken heart I hoped on the paddy wagon. I sat on the floor and just wanted some gatoraide and a plastic trash can to hang my head over I knew I was most likley going to ralph! The medics looked at my hands and knew that I most likely had mile altitude sickness. So down the hill they drove me. They stopped at the half way point and I borded the school bus that would eventually take people back down to the start. BUT the medics seen I was in sad shape so they said come with us back on the paddy wagon and we will take you all the way down to the start. I was so happy to hear that. I sat on the floor again there was NO WAY i wanted to set up and see the drive down this mountain that had just kicked my ass!

It was rough ride down but I knew I would be ok. We even had to stop for some mt goats that were on the road. In my head I was thinking what the HELL who cares if there is one less mt goat on this dam road! JUST GET ME THE HELL DOWN from here LOL.

FINALLY arrived back at the start line. They took me to my car and Kelvin was near there when the paddy wagon pulled up and the doors opened. I saw Kelvin and I was in tears telling him 13 MILES DAMIT I MADE IT 13 miles! I was very emotional and my heart was broke a little. I sat there for a little while and drank my gatoraide like a good girl and started to feel like I was going to be ok. I told Kelvin all about the run and how tough it was.

We then drove town 13 miles to the middle school to the picnic they had for us all. I was not real hungry and just drank fluids and had some chips. The awards ceromony was great! Just to see all the people that made it was great. YES Matt Carpenter broke the record he did it in 1 hr 37 minutes! the ladies time was broke too! What was great too was to see the many older people who did this event. Many of these people do elevation running so they are used to being at 10K 14K elevation. Overall I am really pleased with what I did! considering I have never done an event like this I cant complain. I did not get the finishe medal but I did get a nice sweat shirt.

I cannot say yet if I will try it again next year, I do know that if I do that I have to do more elevation hikes and runs. If you would of asked me 2 yrs ago what I would be doing running 14 miles up mt evans would of not been on my list LOL

Thanks to all my great friends who supported and cheered for me. LOVE YA LL

NEXT STOP MT EVANS ASCENT

Well I have about less than 2 days till I will attempt to run 14 miles at high altitude here in Colorado. No matter what it will be a beautiful run and up the highest paved road in north America. I guess I am going find out real fast how strong my legs and lungs are.

I want to say thanks to GOD for letting me even be in the shape that I am to attempt this run. I truly believe this will be the hardest physical thing in my life that I will have done so far. I am only 42 so maybe there are more crazy athletic events for me to come??????? WISH ME LUCK

Boulder 5430 sprint triathlon

I am a bit behind in my blogging. WELL the sprint 5430 went as well as I could expect. Total time was 2:09 not bad considering the practice the weekend before I was at 2:18. The swim this time went much better for me, I felt relaxed and did not panic at all.

My transition times need work but that is why I will practice and keep working at all aspects of a triathlon event. It was just so much fun to come in from the run and see all the people there cheering us all on. There was about 1250 people doing this tri and 200 of them were first timers! is that great or what! YAHOO for us a little new into this sport.

I recovered pretty well this week Monday I was a little tired but legs felt fine. I guess that means I could of pushed harder LOL.

This week I have laid low a little since this Sat I will be trying to run 14 miles up! The Mt Evans ascent run. we start at 10K elevation, if I can make it the first 9 miles in 2hr 30 min then all that is left will be 5 more miles. TO THE TOP OF THE HIGEST PAVED ROAD IN NORTH AMERICA. Now I know I may not make it but hey at least I am in shape to even think about doing this event. Wish me luck!

5430 SPRINT REHERSAL

Last Sunday I did the full rehersal for the 5430 sprint distance triathlon. It was at the Boulder reservoir where the actual even will be June 15th. It took me 2 hr 18 min to swim 800 meter open water swim, 17 mile bike and close to a 4 mile run.

I struggled with the open water swim but what can I say I need to practive that alot more. I purchased my first ladies tri wet suit tonight so I am really excited, I get to break it in at the actual event this sunday. The bike went pretty well considering I had never been on the course before and I really did not realise it was a 17 mile ride LOL.

The run went good. Once I got off the bike and started running it took me about 5 minutes to relax a little and get my land legs back. Kelvin was there as I came in off the bike and said, "ok now you can run so go get it! It was perfect weather and I knew the run course since I had done a 5K up there back in the fall.

It was fun to be there with many of my CWW team mates. cheering each other on the whole way! As I was coming in off the run I could see K along the side and I yelled at him, what a great man he is he had the camera all ready to get my photo! :) I pushed myself very hard at the finish and it felt great and tough! But I was pleased with what I did.

I am not sure where I will end in this sport but I do know I wans to keep doing it. Running and the training for triathlons has really changed my life more than I ever expected! I just turned 42 the other day boy 41 was just a great year for me! Lets see if 42 can top it :)

THE HALF MARATHON

Well sorry it has been awhile since I update my blog. The half marathon was good and I was so glad that I did it. I had to stop and use the port a potties 2 times within the first 6 miles. That upset me but there was not much I could do about it.

I think the reason why I had to stop is I ate to much the day before. I sort a over shot my nuttirtion the day before, thinking that I would need all those calories and I really did not! When I did use the port a potties it was not like I had to go real bad LOL.

There were not many spectators out on colfax that am cheering us so at times it was a lonely run. But I enjoyed looking at the different business along the street. At about mile 10 I was starting to feel some paing setting in, GOOD News it was nothing that I was not able to deal with. I remember thinking wow I am almost done with 13 miles!

The best part of it was when we started to head into the city park area. I knew I was coming home! I saw my friend Becky and I yelled for her! she saw me and came onto the course and ran a short distance with me, she cheered me and said, "you can see the finish line go get it" I do not know where the strength came from but I saw that large finish line and off I went! I ran as hard as I could towards it the whole time looking for Kelvin so he could give me my metal! Make a long story short he was not the one who gave me my medal. Seems that am when he got there it was not very well organized and he said to hell with it. BUT he was close by when I came into the finish area.

I was crying tears of joy! My right calf was aching so I walked around till it felt some what better. We stayed around a little while watching others come in it was a great time! When we did decide it was time to walk to the car I thought how am I going to get to the car LOL. My calf was acting up and I was so scared that maybe I pulled something!

We finally got home and I laid down for a few hours and after that nap I felt almost back to normal. What a day it was something I will always remember! The medals we all received are so pretty! It hangs at my desk with the many other medals I have from other run events.

The great news is I am still running and loving it! In the back of my mind is a marathon for now it will just stay back there.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFOR MY FIRST HALF MARATHON

wow it seems like it was not long ago and my first half marathon was months away!

Here it is now the night before I will run 13 miles. I went to the sports expo today and picked up my bib # and chip. I am as ready as I can be. Weather looks like it will awesome. I am telling myself it is just another run and nothing to get stressed over. My friend Becky will be there to cheer me on and Kelvin will be there at the end to give me the medal.

I think I am going to be a bit emotional on this event LOL

4 DAYS AND COUNTING

wow this week is going faster than I thought it would LOL. It is a real adjustment to be on a tapering week. I will run 3 miles tomorrow and I might do a few miles on Friday. I also play baseball on Friday night so maybe that will count as some exercise LOL.

Lots on my mind about the half marathon. I think I will be OK physically and finish ok.

I know as I come through that finish shoot I am going to have some tears going. I really will if I get to find Kelvin at the finish area and have him place the finish medal around my neck.

I so miss being able to go out this week and just run like normal.

7 DAYS AND COUNTING

Next sunday at this time I will be running my first half marathon. I did a little drive yeterday in the area of the run. Going tobe very interesting Colfax street in Denver has a lot of history behind it. I call it the good, the bad, the ugly LOL.

A lot has been going through my mind this last week about the run some good and some bad LOL. Overall more good than bad. It will be a early run starting at 6:00 am good thing for the most part I am a morning person.

This morning I will head out and do my longest run. After this 8-9 mile run today then I get to start tapering LOL YAHOO

Video of the 10K in Steamboat

STEAMBOAT 10K

long, long road

I had a great weekend in Steamboat Springs Colorado. I took a vacation day on Fri and left that am. The roads were winter driving conditions, I even went and purchased chains, knowing that if I did that I would not need them LOL. I just took my time and enjoyed the drive.



Friday once I arrived up there I headed on over to Craig to visit some olf friends that I had not seen in years! That was a great time! Some of them looked at me and said you look sort a familar? Then when I said. "Well I am Rebecca who used to own the copy shop and was married to Scott Mckinney" they said OH WOW how are you AND you look different what have you been doing! Yes I look different about 50 pounds less. Getting lean and mean LOL.



Friday night my friend Jan & her husband Jim met me back in Steamboat and we went to a nice Italian dinner I was good and just had my spagetti dinner and nice salad. Jan stayed the night with my at my hotel so we could get up early Sat get a little something to eat before heading to the run which started at 10:00 am. I like runs that start later on a sat am LOL.



We checked in around 9:15 and I found out this was going to be a small event maybe total runner between the 5K and 10K 60-65 people. Most doing the 5K and maybe 10-12 doing the 10K. That made me feel good! but I also knew that I would back in the group of 10K runners LOL. The night before I drove a portion of the course. The race started on time and it was a out and back on a nice country paved road a few inclines but nothing to bad UNTIL..........

the 3 mile mark was a good incline up to the water aid station. I had my own water with me so I just turned around and told myself time to head back and I best pick up my pace a bit. One lady did pass me at the 3 mile mark I let her go I knew I was not going to be able to keep pace with her and I was ok with that. It was around the 4 mile mark when I could see the middle school where I was to finish the run, that is when I talked to myself and said, " there is not much further to go and you can do it! push it harder! my mantra is, "this is only short term pain" and that is so true. so I kicked it in a little and down to the finish line I went to a time of 1hr 9 minutes. I was happy since the only other 10 K I did had been back in Oct in Denver and it was 1 hr 11Min. it was a much more hilly course too! BUT steamboat elevation is around 9500 feet that is 3000 higher than Denver! So I guess I can do OK in a little higher elevation. SUnday the day after the road I went and took some video of the road I ran on. what is so very funny as I was holding the camera up to the window to get the video I had my radio on to some local station. You will never guess what song came on. " The long and winding road" so the little video that I caught on my camera has the song playing in the background. What timing is that! LOL



I had a great time and felt pretty well overall and proud of my run. I stayed another night in Steamboat and Sun am I went and sat in the nearby hot pools at the local fitness center. I felt like I was in heaven!



If I ever win lotto I would love a little condo in Steamboat Springs it is my slice of heaven!



I have about 12 days till my half marathon. I know I will finish it and that is my first goal. Second goal is if I can I would like to come in at a time around or near 2hr 15 min that I think would be close to a 10 min mile and that would be good for me.



In the back of my head I keep thinking mmmmmmmm wonder how I will feel after running 13 miles flat course? Is there a marathon in my future.............. stay tuned and find out!

30 DAYS TILL HALF MARATHON

WOW I do not know where time is going! I have lots of training to still get in, good news the weather is getting much nicer. I have been thinking so what will I feel like after running a half marathon? I remember when I was running my 1o mile run event this last winter. At times the self talk kicked in, " what the hell am I doing out here running 10 miles LOL what makes me think I can run, etc etc. Once the 10 miles was complete I was like mmmmm it was not to bad so maybe I can continue running and go a little further LOL. So here I will be running a full half marathon in Denver, I keep wondering what is it truly like to run a full marathon 26 miles? That is a heck of a long run LOL. Maybe I will eventually do a full marathon but at this time I really do not think about it much. I would like to get a time of 2.5 or less for 13 miles but the real goal is to run the complete event and finish with a BIG SMILE on my face and saying. NOW THAT REALLY WASN'T THAT BAD. Oh also at this time I am the only one signed up with the Colorado lung association as a fund raiser. I will add the link here soon. I really could use some donations!

Metro 5K

It was a nice event about 200 runners. I arrived at around 7:15 picked up my bib number and my goodie bag. It was sunny out but a bit chilly but I was dressed for the temperature. This was not a chipped time even but still it was timed, plus I had my HR monitor on a ready to go. We started at 8:00. The first mile seemed tough for me I was a bit tired since I did do a bike drills clinic yesterday with my Tri group, it was pretty easy and I did not push to hard on it. It was a nice course for this 5K through the campus and some streets near downtown Denver, the skyline view is awesome. Around mile I started to think wow what is 13 miles going to seem like when I run my first half marathon in about a month. I know I will be fine and I look forward to it with the thousands of other runners. After I reached mile 2 I said mmmm there is one mile left and you better get going! I had few people ahead of me that I thought that maybe I could pass one of them I did and it was at the very end near the finish shoot. I did feel at the end that I was giving it my all since I started to feel a little like oh wow I might get sick LOL. My friend Becky always has told me if you feel that way as you get close to the finish line you know you have given it your all! Speaking of Becky she finished the Iron girl olympic tri in Las Vegas she was 2 in her age group I think there was 5-6 in her age group. I am so thrilled for her! cant wait till she post her race information. She inspires me! Next even coming up first part of May a 10K in Steamboat Springs CO my first run at a higher elevation then Denver, it will be a good challenge for me.

SPRING TIME

Well the weather here in CO is typical Spring one day snow the next 65 LOL today was 50's so I got in a 4 mile run felt great! Then it was off to swim class tonight for 1850 yards I have a 1 hr swim class with my triathlon group I go 2 times a week. Swimming with others is so much easier and times flies LOL. Since the weather might be YUCK tomorrow I think I will go to the neardy Golden recreation center at lunch jump on the treadmill and get 5 miles in. I have my road bike at work but have not road it much since the weather has not been real stable. I do not mind running in cold or snow but riding a bike in the WIND is pretty wild LOL. Hope you all are doing well. HAPPY SPRING

EASTER DAY

Had a nice turkey meal with Kelvin parents. Then came home and got my bike out and did my first little ride of the season. Wanted to make sure the bike was in decent shape plus wanted to see how I would feel on the bike much liter weight then last year at this time. It felt great! I was like WOW I feel good and will be able to ride more this year and looking forward to riding into to work maybe one day this week.

GETTING OVER COLD

Well since I returned from my vacation I caught a cold. It was not much until last weekend it got worse, I took a sick day on Monday went to Dr and got some meds so feeling much better now. Still got a little of it left so hope it goes bye bye soon! I did my first run in awhile yesterday it wasnt to bad I did not go to fast since I do want this cold to go away. My weight has gone down another 2 pounds YIPEEE for me I am within 2 POUNDS of a goal of 140. I would like to reach it before summer and maintain it through out the triathlon season.

BACK FROM VACATION

Well has always the time went way to fast! I arrived on Thur at 2:00 in the afternoon, flight out to west coast went well just long day of flying. I stayed with my parents and had a great time! It was great to just be there alone with them both and be able to visit with them. Mom is not doing as bad as I thought but still hard to see her in bed most the day. She did get up to eat each meal even though she doesnt eat much. She showed me here exercises that the home health care has her doing, I even sat beside her and did them too. I explained to her that she needs to keep doing her exercises.

March 8th was the 5K at Crater High school in Central point ore. I got there at about 8:00 am and checked in. I met the race director Mike Barret he is 70 and years ago he worked with my Dad in one of the local saw mills. Check in was in the high school gym that was nice since outside it was very foggy and about 35. I kept thinking that the sun would come out about the time we would start at 9 am but NOPE! I did a few warm up laps around the track it is a very nice state of the art track with special coating very well taken care of. Before the 5k started they did the little kids run around the track that was really cute and fun to see these little kids run fast! I really enjoyed that. I was not able to have any friends there at the run to cheer me on but that was ok. BECAUSE when I was walking out to the track the first time I looked down and there was a PENNY! I bent over and grabbed it up! I said to myself, " find a penny pick it up and you will have great luck" those are famous words that my grandmother had told me years ago when I was a little girl and found a penny on a sidewalk. SOOOOOO I thought what the heck I can use all the luck I can get on this run. I knew it was going to be all flat and a out and back course. I was dressed for the fog and chilly damp weather. 9:00 I WAS OFF and running! Throught the parking lot over gravel out on to the local nearby streets in the area of the high school. Legs felt pretty good, ( i had run the day before about 1-2 miles) a little into the first mile there was this man next to me that some how I started chatting with said he was from the area and I told him I was back home visiting family but now live in Colorado. WELLLLLLLLLLL make a long story short I asked him his name and he said. Mark Mayfield! This was my oldest sisters first X husband! I said oh my gosh I know you and he looked at me and said, " your Cindy Hallin little sister Beka! I said YEP I was like still running and watching ahead to make sure I did not trip over a sidewalk LOL, He was there at the run to take some photos of friends. He ran most the run with me as we chatted. It was getting not far from the finish and he took off and I knew that I best picl up my pace since it was not much further and I would be doing the final lap around the track and coming to the finish shoot! I looked at my watch and it said 25 min I was like DAM I am not going to get the time that I want. But I thought well just run hard and do the best that you can! There was a lady in front of me I passed her but I could not stick with her so I let her go. I saw the finish line and the clock and my finial time was 31.00. Mark was there and got a photo of me as I finished. I wont complain about my time since that is a PR last best PR was 31:33. There was about 150 runners and I was number 118. I almost placed in my age group good news is I did get the award for the person who came the furthest! I got a box of Irish Spring Soap! I was so thrilled! what can I say I will treasure that!

The night before the run I went to a spagetti dinner at the local grainge hall there in Grants Pass it was yummy! I won a nice door prize! this large ceramic St Patricks day mug!

This was a trip back to my hometown that I will treasure for years! It was so hard to leave my folks knowing that my mom is so ill. Dad will be 75 in July and doing pretty darn well. I also spent time with my 2 oldest sis and her husband Matt. I went back to work today and dead tired! I did not get in last night till around 12:30! weather here today was great about 65 and sunny. So now got to get back to my daily runs and work outs I have a lot of events coming up in the next 4-5 months!

GETTING READY FOR SEA LEVEL

I will be flying out in a few days to head to southern Oregon. I am going to visit my parents, my mom has had ill health for a long time now and I have the time to go see her and jsut let her know how much I love her, plus maybe take a little stress of my Dad has he has been the care taker of her. I cant wait to see them both. This coming Sat I will do my first 5K at sea level YAHOO cant wait it is in the town of Central Point and will be a flat course so I want to give it all I got! It might rain but that will not stop this mile high girl!

Tonight I got looking at a event guide that has runs and events coming up here in Colorado. My eyes landed on the Mt Evans ascent run 14 miles up to the top of Mt Evans, this is the highest paved road in the USA! elevation to climb on this run is 4000ft. You have 4 hours to complete the run. The finishers get a medal! and I would love to have that one for my collection, they allow only 350 runners to do this event and there is still spots open for 100 more. So I have some serious decsions to make about this one. The weekend before this event I have my first sprint traithlon of the season, so that is something that concerns me will I be recovered enough to make a 14 mile run at at that elevation?

CLIMB THE REPUBLIC BUILDING

what a great event! Kelvin and I arrived at 7:00 am. he checked in for volunteer duty. He was given the water aid station on the 35 floor, this was the last stop for anyone to get water before the get to the finish at the 53 floor. Official chip time 13:49

I went and sat down near the start area, so that I could see the elite runners start at 8:00 am. It was a great time I got some great photos. I am not sure what the first place time was but I did hear that the record was like 6 minutes. I really enjoyed being with such a large group of people it is just awesome. My start time was to be at 9:50 but the line was not to bad so I snuck in at 9:40. My legs felt pretty good considering running 10 miles yesterday. I had a little talk with my legs and said, "OK just get me to the top and I promise I will let you rest a few days after all this work this weekend" SO off I went through the start door. I started my heart rate monitor so I could see how hard I was pushing. 4th floor I was talking to myself saying wow 53 flights LOL guess I better keep moving. After that I just kept breathing and breathing I told myself you can do this! Legs were not feeling to bad. Next stop 35 floor I peaked in the hall way to yell at Kelvin. I said I AM HERE GOING UP!!! I had water on me so need to stop along the way at all.

Before I knew it I was at the 45 floor and knew I was getting closer to the 53 FINISH LINE!

It was great when you get to the finishe line. there was volunteers there that put the medal around your neck and then you also had them remove your timing chip. The view was worth a million! I got some great photos out the window looking at the sky line of Denver! It was all so worth it! I felt like I was on top of the world. OK OK I was on top of the highest building in Denver.

Once done taking photos I was into the elevator that takes you down to the lobby. The lobby area had great food and other goodies! I picked up my shirt YAHOO. I will also be getting a nice technical running shirt. April 15 the CO lung association will have a get together at a nice bar/grill restaraunt down town, they will honor the people who raised the most funds plus the people who finished in top spots. I will get my running shirt then. I raised so far 300.00 I want to say thanks to any and all who supported me on this.

What a wonderful weekend this was! Sure I will bit sore tomorrow but I would do it all again in a heart beat.

SNOWMAN STAMPEDED 10 MIL RUN

I did it! Yes I ran the complete 10 miles not at record pace but I am happy with what I did today. Considering a year ago there would be no way I could of run that distance. My time was 1:57:33. The weather could of not been better, this was the last race in a series of 3 that I did called the Winter Distance. Now that is done so lets get Spring coming here in Colorado! My friends Becky and Andria where at the run today also Susan from Evergreen was great to finally meet her. OH also a few other ladies that blog on BT too. My legs towards the end started feeling a little like lead LOL. At times there were not many other runners near me so I did lots of thinking about things like THE STAIRS that I have to climb tomorrow LOL. But that will be a fun event and a great cause! stay tuned for that story tomorrow

WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING

This is a weekend that I will most likely always ask
myself what was I thinking! Tomorrow I will be
participating in the last of the winter distance
series runs. This is the snow man stampede
10 mil run at Cherry Creek Reservoir. Weather
looks like it might not be to bad. I have done many
runs in 2007 and now continuing in 2008 this
will be my longest event run ever done. Getting
ready for a half marathon in May here in Denver.

This Sunday will be the icing on the cake LOL I am doing the Colorado Lung Assoc Climb the stairs of the Republic buildin here in Denver CO. It is the tallest building in downtown Denver. It has 53 flights of stairs and a total of about 1018 steps to the top. More to follow after these events are done and completed. So tune in.......... ..... as life be happening for Rebecca :)

THIS COMING WEEKEND

Well I am counting down the days till this weekends events. Saturday is my 10 mile run at Cherry Creek reservoir it is the last of the winter distance series runs and the longest! I am crossing my fingers that it will be half way decent temperatures.
Sunday is the Colorado Lung Association run the Republic building stairs! I DO NOT think I will be running up 53 flights of stairs more like draggin my sore and tired legs up them LOL. I am excited about this event since it is a good fund raiser for the lung association out here in Colorado. My mother whom lies in ORE is batteling bad lungs do to smoking for years. Every step I take on this even is for her! All participants in this event get a real nice medal. I will be going back to ORE March 6-10 and that medal will travel with me to show to my mom and tell her this event was all for her! I will most photos after both these events. WISH ME LUCK

I CAN DREAM

a few years ago Kelvin and i was down at the Olympic training facilty in Colorado Springs. A friend of his was going to compete in a power lifting event. It was a great time roaming around the campus there. Must be really something to be able to be a olympic athlete and compete for our country. I have been tossing back and forth in my mind should I try and do a olympic distance triathlon at the end of this season. Maybe just maybe I can do it!

This last week.

Well still winter here in Colorado but not to awful bad. I did a long run yesterday 1 hr 30 minutes. I think it was between5-6 miles, It was area that I never had run on before but had biked there about a year ago. I told myself going out that I will just do the best that I can and it is not a race! just wanted to get a endurance run in. I was pleased when I completed it and I truly feel that in about 2 weeks I will be able to run 10 miles with out stopping.

My legs felt find this am. Yesterday after the run they did feel tired but overall good today. I was able to ride the bike at the gym for 45 min on level 8 hill climb boy great work out, then did my upper body training. I will be going home to OR March 6-9 and I can't wait! Will be fun to run at sea level YAOO

SWIM TRAINING

Well had a swim training class with my CWW ladies. It was great! I really thought that I was not going to like doing laps but when there others there in the lane with you it makes time fly! I really enjoyed what we learned tonight and gives me things to practice on. Felt weird today to not get a run in like usualy but I thought best save the energy for swimming glad I did. Next swim class is this Saturday at the University of Denver pool

BEFORE AND AFTER

Oct 2007 Boulder back roads 5K run

I found a photo of me from summer 2005 OH MY GOSH I can believe I will post this photo but it also helps for me to see where I was and where I am now. Lots of hard work and worth every minute of it.

LOOKING AHEAD

I am looking at what events I want to do this season. I have signed up for 1 sprint triathlon that is June 16th. I am wanting to do another one and that just might be the Steamboat Sprint triathlon that is at the end of August. I really love Steamboat and to have the opportunity to do a triathlon up there would be great for me. Looking at still doing some good runs too this year.

My last day at my part time Kohls job is Feb 12th and I look forward to that, it has been a nice place to work but I just need time for my training which will take a lot of my time this Spring and Summer. March 6-9 I am going back home to Grants Pass ORE to visit my Mom and Dad and friends. My mom health is not well and I want to spend time with her, when I run I often think of her since she has bad lungs and week heart she was a heavy smoker for years. Looking back on why I run and how it all started is very interesting for me, it will be a year in April that I started running just a little at a time, I kept thinking to myself either I am going to learn to run and keep doing it or I am just going to have to let it go and do something else. It has taken training and just overall getting out there and doing the runs and putting the time in. I enjoy seeing how I have progressed and I look forward to running in the years to come.

SWIM ASSESSMENT TONIGHT

Well been a little while since I have posted so let me get you up to speed. Tonight I will be getting my swim assessment with my CWW coaches. I get to swim 2 full laps in a pool and they will see where they will put me LOL. at least I have no fear of the water and can swim, I just want to become a good swimmer and learn the proper strokes that will make a better swimmer. My legs feel the work out from yesterday OUCH pretty sore must of been those lunges I did plus leg work out on top of those. BUT at least I know I worked them.

I have been thinking about my 10 mile run on Feb 23rd then on Feb 24 a stair climb up 53 flights of stairs for the Colorado lung association event. I have a feeling that my legs will be pretty tired come that Monday. I am hoping soon to jazz up my blog a bit so hang with me as I learn all this blog stuff here in blog land 01/30/08 8:82 pm. I just got back from my swim assessment it went fine, I will be in the lower part of the intermediate group which is fine for me.
It was snowing hard in Littleton when I left almost a blizzard! I got home and there is no snow here in Morrison what a odd storm this one is. I am going to try and work on swimming 2 times a week to start with. If I can put in the effort on my swimming like I do on my running I will eventually get better at my swim stroke. The photo here is the swimming pool at the University of Denver I will on occassion get to practice swim here. NOW THIS A REAL POOL

THE LIFESTYLE CHANGE

well were do I begin LOL. about 3 yrs ago I finally decided that it was time to make the lifestyle change and get fit once and for all! My weight was at about 189 and I am 5'5. I knew it was time to get the weight off for good. Years ago I battled my weight up and down and up and down. This time I was going to have to really do something different to keep the weight off. make a long story short I changed my eating and got to the gym on a regular bases. I lost enought weight to do my first sprint distance in Triathlon in 2006. My goal was to finish it with out quiting any part of it and I did. This was a proud moment in my life. I still wanted to get some more weight off I was weighing about 159 pounds not bad from 189. April 2006 I started a new full time job and the people I work with are pretty active, I heard that they run at lunch. I thought mmmm maybe I will go out with them and see what that is like. It was interesting is all I can say I could barely do 1 mile and had to stop and rest. The thought that entered my mind is I am never going to be able to run. I cannot explain what took place or how it happened but I kept going out and running and then eventually did a 5K and then another 5K and etc etc. In 2006 I ran in 11 different run events and finished them all! I run 4-5 times a week and I love it. It has helped me drop my weight another 15 pounds 144 and I am 4 pounds away from my goal of 140. I joined a local triathlon group for the season 2008 I am also going to do my first half marathon this May here in Denver Colorado. Life is good and will only get better. The people I work with wonder how I can just go out and run each day at lunch I do not know what to say LOL. I love what running has done for me mentally and physically. Come along with me on this wonderful journey of mine