Hudson Cross Country Booster 5K

I ran a 5K on a high school cross country course Saturday morning. I have run this particular 5K since 2003. Since 2003, my times on this course have gone down. I have never run a fast time on this course. It is because it is hilly, has uneven ground and is usually humid. My goal heading into this race was to try to get a sub-30 time. I came close last year but just missed it. I ran 30:17. It was humid again at race time. I didn't want to think about the humidity. I wanted to run the best I could and not blame my race on anything besides myself.

When the starting horn went off, I quickly found myself in the back of the pack. I ran my race and started passing people within the first mile who started too quickly. The first mile took us through a swampy area with sandy footing and a nice hill. On the hill most people were going up the side that had grass growing on it. I took the most direct route that was a dirt path. If I wasn't wearing my trail shoes I would've had a tough time on the hill. My trail shoes dug in the dirt and let me up the hill will ease. At mile marker one, I just finishing passing a group of three to more runners and passed it at 8:30.

Mile two had some more hills and I passed more runners. Two guys passed passed me during the second mile. They were the only ones to do so since the start of the race. When they passed me, I wanted to catch them. I was unable to do so, but two females were ahead of me. Since I couldn't pass the guys, I wanted to run down the ladies. I caught both of the women together with about a half mile to go. Once I passed them, I started picking up my pace. When I picked up my pace, I quickly came upon a group of three guys. I ended up passing them before going back into the swamp area.

Running through the swamp area again, I was inching my way closer to another group of guys. I passed one before running downhill. After the hill, I found myself behind two more guys. I could tell that the guy closest to me was getting tired. The guy up ahead was looking good. I wanted to pass the guy before leaving the swamp area heading to the finish line. When I got side-by-side with him, he said "good job" to me. I told him the same and tried to catch the guy ahead of me.

The course finishes on a downhill and tried to get closer to the front guy. He beat me to the line by 10-15 seconds. The guy I just passed before leaving the swamp area was right on my tail. I started running just a little bit faster and I was hoping I could hold him off. I ended up holding if off and finished with my best time on the course, 27:55:68. I finished second in my age group out of six runners.

I mentioned that the course is hilly. It is a challenging course, but this year I found it to be a little easier. I'm very happy that I have incorporated hill intervals into my workouts. The hills were easier then what I remembered in year's past. With the hills being easier, I didn't dread running the course. It was actually fun running it. Can't wait until next year where I hope I can decrease my finishing time again.

Tour de France

I've watching previous Tour de France tours. But not everyday. This year I watched all of the stages. I don't know what it is, but the tour grabbed my attention and kept it. Everyday was exciting.

Cadel Evens became the first Australian
winner of the Tour de France. Entering Stage 20, Evans was behind Andy Schleck of Luxembourg by 57-seconds. Evans overcame that deficit to grab the yellow jersey during the stage 20 time trial.

Brothers Andy and Frank Schleck finished second and third overall. Thomas Voeckler of France was fourth and last year's winner Alberto Contador of Spain was fifth.

There were some memorable moments on the tour:

-American Tyler Farrar winning stage three on July 4.
- Dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland was involved in a crash with a television car during stage nine. The car first hit Juan-Antonio Flecha causing him to crash to the ground while Hoogerland went flying into a barbed-wire fence.
-Norway's Thor Hushovd is known as a sprinter, won the climbing stage 13 through the Pyrenees.
-Andy Schleck's attack in the Alps during stage 18 led him to the win.
-Cadel Evans overcoming Andy Schleck's 57 second lead to win the yellow jersey on the next to last day of the tour.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Lionel Bonaventure

Creating menus

For years my husband and I have planned a lunch menu. Lunch is mapped out for the entire week. No guessing on what we will be eating. We started planning a lunch menu because at one point we were eating out every day. Eating fast food or at restaurants everyday isn't healthy and it adds up to a lot of money spent. Our lunch menu works. There are some days were we have to switch things up. But it always works out.

Last week we decided to start creating dinner menus. We have been pretty good at eating dinner at home. Usually we only eat dinner at a restaurant once a week. Mostly on a Friday or Saturday. The dinner menu idea was created because my husband and I are trying to eat better. Our dinner ideas before were fine, but I like how I know what we are going to eat in advance. No more asking each other at 6 p.m. what we want to eat. Creating a menu with cookbooks gives us a chance to eat something new and not always resort to our same old favorites.

I sat down on Sunday and created the menu for this week. Recently we bought a couple of cookbooks and I'm finally putting them to use. I used three different cookbooks to plan our meals. I loved flipping the pages and looking at the pictures. The pictures were the reason most of the items made it on the menu. First it was the pictures, how easy it is to make and then finally the ingredients. After the menu was done. I created a grocery list. Most of the items we didn't have or had low quantities of. Maybe this will help us when we go grocery shopping to buy larger quantities of items that we will be using often.

I'm hoping my husband and I can stick to creating a dinner menu. If we can keep a lunch menu going for years, I'm hoping we can do the same with dinner.

Road trip music

I listen to a variety of music. I love these two songs. They are very different from each other. One is country and the other is rap. Every time I hear them, it will remind me of my trip to Wisconsin. I listened to the radio for mostly the entire trip. I heard this two songs a lot during my 14 hour drive to and from Wisconsin.

The first song is "Bleed Red" by Ronnie Dunn:



The second song is "Love The Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna:

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith

Currently Reading: William and Kate: The Love Story, Christopher Andersen
Up Next: The Harlequin, Laurell K. Hamilton

Kelly Carter Scholarship 10K

Going into the 10K, I wasn't sure how I wanted to run it. I didn't know if I wanted to go for a PR or just have fun.

I went out fast. My first mile was 7:59. I really didn't think I was going that fast, but I'm glad I did. Two ladies passed me during the second mile. No one passed me after that. A guy that I passed in the first mile was hanging on my shoulder through mile 2. I finally shook him for good when I picked up my pace and surged up a rolling hill. I think all of the hill intervals I've been doing is starting to pay off.

From mile 2 until the end, I tried so hard to catch one of the ladies that passed me. I couldn't do it. There were times during the 10K that I would gain some ground on her. She kept looking back to see where I was. When she saw I was closer, she found another gear. She probably finished about 30 seconds in front of me. I was disappointed that I didn't catch her, but she motivated me to run faster. When I was trying to catch her, I could tell my leg turnover was pretty quick. I was trying to hold that pace for as long as I could. I think I did a good job.

When the volunteer called out 34 minutes at the four mile mark, I decided to go for a PR. To reach a PR, I picked up my pace for the last two miles. Still trying to hunt down the lady in front of me. When I made the final turn heading to the finish line, I saw 52 minutes on the clock. I tried as hard as I could to get under 53 minutes. I came up just a little short.

I finished the 10K in 53:06:22 and lowered my PR by 24 seconds. I also placed 3rd in my age group. The guy giving out medals said our age group was the largest. When I was running, I thought the first lady that passed me was in my age group. I thought I had finished fourth. I was thrilled when she received her medal in another age group. I was glad that I brought home some hardware from this 10K. A PR is fantastic, but it just makes it sweeter when placing in the top three of your age group too.

World Cup Women's Soccer final

There was a Hollywood ending. Only it wasn't for the United States. This ending belonged to Japan.

Japan's women's national soccer team defeated
the United States 2-2 (3-1 PK shootout) Sunday to win the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.

Both teams playing in the finals wanted the win. The US wanted it because they came back from almost being defeated twice. Japan wanted it to help their country heal. Life has been hard on the Japanese since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated their country.

The United States played well, was up twice on Japan and let the game slip away. They have nothing to hang their heads about. They played excellent for almost four weeks. I watched every USA game on TV. I cheered at every goal, save and win. I can say that I wasn't a soccer fan before the FIFA World Cup, but now I am.

I am already looking forward to the 2012 Olympics to see what these ladies can accomplish there.


Photo Credit: Associated Press/Michael Probst

Umstead Endurance Run

As I was reading the July issue of UltraRunning magazine, I saw an ad for 2012 race. The race is the 18th annual Umstead 100-Mile Endurance Run. What really drew me to the ad was the text that said "with 50-mile option." I know that I'm not ready for a 100-mile race yet. The 50-mile race sounds perfect.

The reason I think it sounds perfect comes directly from the site, "The Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run is designed with several basic concepts in mind. It will help new ultra runners to bridge the quantum leap from 50 mile runs to the mountainous and more rigorous demands of most 100 mile endurance runs. It will allow those runners who have difficulty finishing 100 miles in 24 hours or just finishing 100 miles the opportunity to do so when severe topography, heat, and getting lost are removed as major obstacles. Many runners will find the Umstead 100 to be an excellent foundation for the Massanutten 100, Western States 100, Leadville 100, Wasatch 100 and other 100-mile mountain runs. The Umstead 100 can serve several purposes, depending on your level of development and personal goals."

I want to run the 50-mile option because to run Umstead, "You must have completed at least a 50-mile race within the time limit allowed for that race since January 1, 2010 or show proof of adequate training and/or suitable running history for acceptance into the 100 mile event. We want to know that you know what you are getting into and you are prepared to meet the rigors of a 100 mile run. Locally and given the rugged nature of each, we also accept the 40 Mile Uwharrie Mountain Run and the 40 Mile Mount Mitchell Challenge. We accept your word if you are running a qualifier subsequent to your registration for the Race. Runners desiring a 50-mile only entry need to denote such on the race application. There are no formal qualifications for the 50-mile run except good judgment as to your fitness for such an event."

I don't have a 50-miler under my belt yet and to run the 50-mile portion on Umstead there are no qualifications. Runners have a 30-hour time limit for the race. I think I will be well below the time cutoff for a 50-mile run.

There is no guarantee that I will even be able to run Umstead in 2012. When registration opens in September, only the first 250 runners will be accepted. I really want to run this. I will be on my computer the second that registration opens to make sure I get a spot. If I don't get a spot, I will try again in 2013. By then I will have run a 50-mile race. If I meet the qualifying standards, who knows I might register for the 100-Mile run.

Badwater Ultramarathon results

The 34th Badwater Ultramarathon started Monday, July 11. The "world's toughest foot race" started with 94 runners.

The overall winner of Badwater was California's Oswaldo Lopez. Lopez ran 23:41:40 to win. Coming in second was Ryoichi Sekiya from Japan. Sekiya finished 24:49:37. Michael Wardian from Arlington, Virginia rounded out the top three finishing in 26:22:01.

On the women's side, Sumie Inagaki from Japan crossed the finish line first. Inagaki won in 28:49;27. She was 7th overall. Finishing in second was Jennifer Vogel from Duluth, Georgia. She finished in 29:42:12. Iris Cooper Imhof of Toronto came across the finish line in third place with the time of 29:51;23.

Congratulations to everyone who ran Badwater. Eight-one of 94 runners officially finished the ultramarathon. It is a wonderful accomplishment and you should be proud.

Indie Ink

My photo, Muddy run, is featured on Indie Ink today.

World Cup Women's Soccer

How great was that game for the United States? When Brazil was up 2-1 with the game coming to an end, I thought the US was done.

When Abby Wambach scored a goal in the 122nd minute to tie the game, that changed everything. If the US could hold, I thought that they would have a chance during the penalty kicks. US goalkeeper, Hope Solo, made the biggest save of her life to give the US the win. Solo was able to block the penalty kick of Brazil's Daiane.

The United States will now play France on Wednesday at noon on ESPN.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Martin Rose

Weekend races

Over the weekend some big races were held. First was the Hardrock 100 Endurance Run in Silverton, Colorado and the IAU Trail World Championships held in Connemara, Ireland.

I didn't get to see any of the Hardrock 100, but I followed the updates on twitter thanks to iRunFar. Julien Chorier of France was the overall winner. Chorier finished the 100 mile race in 25:17. Dakota Jones of Colorado finished second in 27:10 and Nick Clark also from Colorado finished in third place in 27:43. Clark ran Western States 100 two weeks ago and finished third there also. That is awesome.

On the women's side, Diana Finkel of Colorado won in 29:27 and placed five overall. Finkel won her fourth straight Hardrock 100 women's title. Fellow Colorado runner, Darcy Africa, finished second in 29:46. Rounding out the top three for the women was California's Betsy Nye. Nye finished in 39:17.

The IAU Trail World Championships took place on Saturday. The course was a distance of 70K and had a variety of terrain: mountains, grassland trails, gravel trails and open countryside. This was another race that I followed the updates on twitter. I find it amazing that ESPN can cover a hot dog eating competition and World Series of Poker, but can't cover any of these wonderful running events.

The overall winner of the trail championships was France's Erik Clavery. Clavery finished in 6:39:07. Jason Loutitt of Canada was second in 6:40:32 and Patrick Bringer of France came in third place with a time of 6:47:50. The top American runner, Ben Nephew, finished sixth overall in 6:54:26.

The top three on the women's side was Maud Gobert of France in 7:41:31. Finishing in second was Italy's Cecilia Mora in 7:50:02 and in third was Great Britian's Lucy Colquhoun in 7:57:20. Alison Bryant of the United States finished 12th overall in 8:58:49.

According to the IAU Trail World Championships website, the race was filmed and will be broadcast globally. I wonder if we will be able to see the footage of the race in the United States?

Badwater Ultramarathon

The world's toughest footrace, Badwater Ultramarathon, starts Monday. The 135 mile races begins at the Badwater Basin in California's Death Valley and ends at Whitney Portal. Badwater conditions are very extreme since the ultra marathon takes place in July. Temperatures can reach over 120 degrees. All runners must finish the 135 course in 48 hours.

Looking over the entry list, I recognized a couple of runners. The first runner is Marshall Ulrich. I read and enjoyed his book Running on Empty. The other two runners are Brenda Carawan and Jennifer Vogel. I'm familiar with Brenda and Jennifer because I read their blogs and follow them on twitter. Over the course of the race, I will be following their progress.

According to the Badwater website, they will have live updates from the race. The live webcast can be found here. I will also be following the twitter feed.

100K

My goal was to run in the USATF 100K Championships in Madison, Wisconsin in 2012. I went to the Mad City 100K website last night to check when registration would open and was disappointed.

Tim Yanacheck, race director, announced on the website that the 100K race will not take place in 2012. Only the 50K solo race and the 50K 5-person relay will be run. The reason that the race won't take place in 2012 is because "The 2012 World Championship 100K race will be run in Italy on April 24. A US national championship 100K race in early 2012, but before April 24, is just not feasible. Considering the athletes' recovery time and travel expense, America's best ultramarathoners would have to skip the Mad City race in order to perform up to their potential at the Worlds. We can't stage a national championship that would exclude America's best," Yanacheck said.

I am disappointed. My plan was to train over the winter and run that race in April. I'm unsure if a 100K National Championship will even be held in 2012. I really wanted to run this race in Madison because it is a road race. I am a much better road racer then trail. I do like running trails, but it is nice to run for a long period of time without worrying about tripping or twisting my ankle(s).

Even though the Mad City 100K won't be happening in 2012, I still plan to train for a 100K over the winter. I hope I can find another 100K road race nearby. If I can't, I might possibly try a 100K trail race. Or maybe I'll just wait until 2013 when the 100K championship is back in Madison.

Books and eReaders

I'm on the verge of finishing Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I started reading the Hunger Games series because of the positive comments I read on twitter. I have enjoyed reading the series even though it was aimed at young adults. It is nice to switch up what I normal read for something young and fun. After I'm done reading The Hunger Games series, what should I read next? Is there a book or series that I should be reading? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm looking to purchase an eReader. I need to decide between a Kindle, Nook or Kobo. My sisters all own a Kindle and love it. I'll probably end up buying a Kindle because of my sisters. For a long time, I really didn't want an eReader. I love going to the bookstore/library and flipping through books. I like having a book in my hands . I just love books. The thing I don't like about books is the huge pile of them in my office. There are some books that I will want to hold onto and read again. Then there are some I want to donate to the library. If I get an eReader, I can say goodbye to the stack of books in my office. Buying an eBook won't take up any space besides the memory on the eReader. Maybe it is time to embrace the eReader.

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

Currently Reading: Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
Up Next: The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith

Weekend update

I had a very relaxing weekend. I woke up with my husband's alarm at 5 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. He had to work this weekend. It felt so good to sleep past 3:25 or 4 a.m. My normal sleep pattern will return tomorrow. Boo.

Besides waking up later, I did finish reading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Even though it is a series for young adult readers, I really enjoyed it. I first heard about the book series on twitter. Many people that I follow mentioned how much they liked it. After reading more praise for the series, I decided to get the first book and read it. I read it in two days. I read Catching Fire in a day. I was surprised that I liked these science fiction books. Usually that is not my type of book that I like to read. I have already started reading the final book of the series, Mockingjay. It shouldn't take me long to finish that one either.

Besides reading, I did run over the weekend. I ran 26.2 miles Sunday morning. That was my longest run since April 11. I cut back my mileage to be ready for all of the races I had registered for. I have ten races left in 2011. I still have three half marathons, two 50Ks, two half marathons and 3 5Ks. The only times I will reduce my mileage again this year is the weeks of the half marathons and 50Ks. My weekly mileage will be above 100 miles the rest of the time. Besides training for the two 50Ks, next year I want to start running longer distances like a 50 miler and 100K. I just want to get prepared for those. I want to have as much time on my feet as possible.

After my running and reading, I spent time watching some sports on the television. The start of the Tour de France was Saturday. I have been thrilled with Versus channel's coverage of the tour. I have watched both stages so far and will end up watching them all. Either live or recorded on my DVR.

The other sport I've been watching is the FIFA Women's World Cup. I'm usually not a fan of soccer. I've been photographing soccer games for the paper I work at for 12 years and I still don't know the rules of the game. But when it is a major event, like the World Cup or National Championship, I will watch it. I enjoy the high level of play and teams. So far the United States is 2-0. They will play again on Wednesday against Sweden. If the US wins Wednesday, they will move on to the quarterfinals.

Photo Credit for US Soccer: Getty Images
Photo Credit for Chris Horner: Chris Clasen

Weekend plans

I have nothing planned for this weekend. That is first time in a month.

June started off with me running the Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon. The next weekend, I was running in the Ragnar Relay from Madison, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois. The following weekend, I ran in another relay with two other people near my home and got really muddy and dirty. I also attended my sister's bacholerette party that evening. This past weekend was my sister's wedding and a 10K, which I set a new PR.

I know that was the busiest month I've had in my life. I usually never have that many plans in a month.

I plan to take it easy this weekend. I'll be running over the weekend, but not in any races. I did have a race in mind, but I decided to skip it. I'll try to sleep in, but I think that is impossible for me. And of course, I will be enjoying the holiday weekend. Who doesn't like a three day weekend?

USA Track and Field Championships

Watching three days of the USA Track and Field Championships on television last weekend was glorious.

The weekend of track was a chance for athletes to earn a trip to Daegu, South Korea to represent the United States in the 2011 World Championships August 27-September 4. Some familiar names made the team. Others weren't so fortunate.

In the men's 100 meter dash, Tyson Gay pulled out of the semi-finals because of injury. There won't be a rematch between him and Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

Lolo Jones failed to make it to the 100 meter hurdle finals. She has been battling injury all year.

Berand Lagat won the 5,000 meter run. He wanted to go for the double and win the 1500 meter run also. Lagat was out kicked by Matthew Centrowtiz of the University of Oregon. Centrowitz won in 3:47.63. Andrew Wheating of the Oregon Track Club finished fourth and didn't make the team. After the race, Lagat informed Wheating that he was giving up his spot of the 1500m team to concentrate on the 5,000m. This enabled Wheating to make the team and go to Daegu.

In the women's 800 meter run, I thought Phoebe Wright, the 2011 Indoor 800 meter champion, would have a good shot of making the team. Wright finished in fourth. Another runner, Geena Gall, she made the 2009 World Championship team. Gall also failed to qualify for Daegu as she finished behind Wright in fifth place. Placing in seventh was Molly Beckwith. Beckwith graduated from the University of Indianan in 2010. The USA will be represented by Alysia Montano, Maggie Vessey and Alice Schmidt.

Some of my favorite runners that made the national team:
- Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher, 10,000m
- Galen Rupp and Matt Tegenkamp, 10,000m
- Angela Bizzarri, 5,000m
- Bernard Lagat, Chris Solinsky and Galen Rupp, 5,000m
- Jeremy Wariner, 400m
- Allyson Felix, 400m
- Carmelita Jeter, 100m
- Jennifer Simpson and Shannon Rowbury, 1,500m
- Andrew Wheating, 1,500m
- Bridget Franek, 3,000m steeplechase
- Nicholas Symmonds, 800m

Just because certain athletes didn't make the team, I think the US will still bring home medals. Hopefully the people who missed on the World Championships will work hard to make the Olympic team in 2012.

Photo Credit: Brian Davies/The Register-Guard
Matthew Centrowitz, center, wins the 1,500 meter final with a time of 3 minutes, 47.63 seconds as Andrew Wheating falls across the finish line in an attempt to claim third place at the US Outdoor Track & Field Championships Saturday, June 25, 2011. Wheating finished fourth to Bernard Lagat behind Centrowitz and Leonel Manzano, left.

Hospice of Lenawee 10K

Before the race started, I wasn't sure how I was going to run it. I had a very long day Saturday with my sister's wedding and I couldn't stop yawning. I thought anything under an hour would be good.

When the race started, I was tailing another lady. We had about the same pace going. I decided to stick with her. I ran through mile 1 at 8:38, mile 2 at 16:30 and mile 3 at 25:20 something.

When I heard the race volunteer at mile 3 call that time out, I decided then I would try to get a PR. The woman who I was sticking with was just a little ways ahead of me. After hitting the third mile, I started to chase her down and another lady as well.

I finally caught up with them and ran with them until 3.5 miles. We were all bunched up pretty tight. My pace was starting to slow down because I was stuck behind them. We were running on a sidewalk. For the 10K, we usually run on the road. With road construction taking out two lanes, we were told to stay on the sidewalk. I just waited until I had more room to run around them. Up ahead was a gas station and we had to run through the parking lot to get back onto the sidewalk We we reached the parking lot, I made my move and passed them.

I the runners I just passed were sticking with me because I heard what sounded like footsteps behind me. I didn't want to turn around and look because that wastes energy. I kept running hard to put distance in between us.

Nearing the finish line, I started to pick up my pace. I was running as fast as I could. I sprinted to the finish line and looked down at my watch. It read 53;30:91. I was 99% certain that was a new PR for me. I was getting some water after the race and the lady I followed for the first 3.5 miles came up to me. She said that once we reached the parking lot and I passed her and the other lady, that I took off. She said she tried to stay with me, but she couldn't. So the noise that I heard thinking were footsteps was my key in my pocket making noise. I'm glad I thought it was footsteps. It really helped me keep up my pace and run hard during the second half of the race.

Besides a new PR, I was also first in my age group. I think in the 8 years I've been running races that was only the second time I was first in my age group. It is a really good feeling to see how far I've come as a runner. The days of being the last runner on the course is long gone.


Photo Credit: Lad Strayer

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell

Currently Reading: The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness, Pam Reed
Up Next: The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Western States 100

I was looking forward to watching the live web cast of the Western States 100 Endurance Run Saturday. Then I remembered my sister was getting married. That scrapped my plans of watching WS100.

Since I couldn't watch the web cast due to me getting my hair and makeup done, getting ready, bridal party photos and the ceremony, I was kept up with the race via Twitter. I was really happy to read all of the tweets. I tried to catch up after the ceremony and at the reception.

Kilian Jornet from Spain was the overall winner, finishing in 15:34. Mike Wolfe from Helena, MT finished second in 15:38 and Nick Clark from Fort Collins, CO was third in 15:50. On the women's side, Ellie Greenwood from Canada was the first woman finisher in 17:55 and the 18th overall finisher. Kami Semick from Bend, OR finished in 18:17 for second place and 22nd overall. Finishing in third place on the women's side was Nikki Kimball from Bozeman, MT in 18:17 and 23rd overall.

Getting married

I can't believe the day is here. My sister is getting married tomorrow.

When we were growing up, everyone in the family said she would be the first to get married. So outgoing, plenty of friends and happy. In high school, she had her share of boyfriends. Nothing too serious. It was the same through college. The family prediction didn't come true. The first sibling to get married was my oldest brother. The second sibling to get married was my other brother. Then it was my turn to walk down the aisle. After I got married, my oldest sister got married about a month after me.

My sister was getting down on herself because she had no prospects. She kept saying, "when I'm I going to find someone?" When she finally stopped looking, that is when it happened. She met her future fiance/husband at a friend's wedding. She wasn't really interested. She gave him her number and said "call me if you want." He did call her and they went on a date.

Months later, she called me and asked "when do you know when you love someone?" I told her you just knew. It took me a month of dating before I told my husband that I loved him. When she told him, its apparent he said it back.

Now it is their day to walk down the aisle Saturday. I'll be standing at her side, along with her best friends, as a bridesmaid. I'm happy that she finally found love. She has found her someone.

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships start today in Eugene, Oregon. Four days of non-stop track. The championships decide which athletes will represent the United States in the World Championships in Daegu, Korea August 27-September 4. Three athletes from every event will be going to Daegu. In some cases it could be four athletes. It will only be four if they are the current world champion in their event.

What really makes me excited about this year's championships is they are going to be broadcast three out of the four days. The television coverage starts on the the second day, Friday. ESPN2, NBC and Universal will be airing the championships. I have my DVR set for all three days. The only channel I don't get from my cable provider is Universal. I have sent messages to my provider asking if they could possibly bring the station to the network. They replied back they will look into it. If my cable provider had Universal in its line up, I would be watching that station 24/7.

I'm very excited to see the best track athletes of the United States battle each other to earn a spot on the national team for the upcoming World Championships. It should be a glorious four days for all track fans.

Bachelorette Party

My sister's bachelorette party was this past Saturday. It was held at an upscale restaurant in the town that she lives. The backroom of the restaurant was reserved for the party. The theme of her party was "Sex and the City." Sex and the City, the movie, was shown during the party on a huge pull down screen.

The party started off well. Everyone was talking, drinking and having fun. The room which the party was held, was lined with windows. At one point, a truck full of guys walked up to the restaurant. My sister's friends were joking that those were the strippers hired for the party. A couple of minutes later, the manager of the restaurant came back to tell my sister that she told the truck full of guys that a party was going on in the back. As soon as she told my sister that, these guys are in the backroom with us. They came back and asked what the party was for. My sister's friends said it was her bachelorette party. That made the hoot and holler. One of the guys grabbed a chair and had my sister sit on his lap. I could tell she was a little embarrassed by it, but she played along. The group of guys stayed for a while, then went back into the restaurant.

During the course of the party, note cards were passed around. On the note cards were things that the group wanted my sister to do. It was a little like Truth or Dare, but with dares only. A little while later, the guys were back. This time my sister's friends pulled out the card that read " slap an ass" and told my sister to do it. The guy who's lap she sat on earlier was more then happy to cooperate. He bent over a chair and waited for the slap. My sister played along and did it. Then the guy offered to give her a lap dance. Which he did. After a few laughs the guys left again to go back up front.

Things calmed down a bit while we ate dinner. The food was wonderful. The steak was cooked perfectly and the green beans were delicious. After dinner, the guys came back again. The guy who had his ass slapped and gave my sister a lap dance, was asking my sister some questions. He was asking about her fiance and what she did for a living. She then asked the guy what he did. He said he was a spotter for a NASCAR driver. He pointed to one of his buddies and said that was the crew chief. All of the guys he came to the restaurant with worked on a NASCAR pit crew. They were in town because the NASCAR guys were racing at Michigan International Speedway. After their conversation, he congratulated my sister on her upcoming wedding and left the backroom.

Once again my sister's friends decided to pull another dare card for my sister. This time the card read, "get a guy to give you his underwear." All of the girls thought that the younger guy in the group would do it. They all ran out of the backroom hoping to catch him before they left. They did. I didn't want any part of that, so I stayed in my chair. I did hear a lot of yelling and cheering from the restaurant. A couple of minutes later my sister comes back. She said he did take off his underwear and give it to her. She gave them back to him. I couldn't believe that this guy willingly gave away his underwear. Awkward.

When I got married ten years ago, I also had a bachelorette party. My party was very tame compared to my sister's. I went to a local bar with my friends and my sister and had a couple of drinks. I hope my sister enjoyed her party. It was wild and her friends took pictures to prove it.

Mud Dollop Wallop

I really didn't even want to run this race. I was asked and I didn't want to let anyone down. I said yes knowing I would be running through mud and water. If you know me, you know I hate running with wet shoes and socks. It is just a nasty feeling.

Before the race started, I knew I would be running through water. I just didn't know how many times. I was talking to the race director and he said that for one of the water crossings it was best to use the rope. I wondered why. I thought the water that we had to run through only come up to mid-calf level. He told me that the water came up to waist level or higher. I asked him if he was serious. And he was. The though of running through water that high really didn't make my day.

I ran the first leg of the relay. All legs had to run about 4 miles. When the race started, we had to negotiate around some tractor tires. Most of the people were going through them, I ran around the side with a couple of other runners. Yes, I'm a cheater. The first part of the run was really nice. Just trails and open fields. I caught and passed a couple of runners. The path then lead us from a nice open field into some swampy areas of the trails. It was there we had to run through our first puddle. As soon as I ran through it, the muddy water filled up in my ankle braces. That feeling was really gross. I had wet shoes, socks and ankle braces. I kept going and eventually the water seeped out of my shoes and ankle braces.

The trees and foliage pretty much blocked everything in sight. When I heard people yelling, I knew that the first water crossing was around the bend. I run up to it and see black, muddy water. Everyone crossing was caked with black mud. I jumped into the pit near the rope. It was so gross. The muddy water was thick and it smelled. I was using the rope to wade across and the mud on the bottom almost ripped off one of my shoes. I was so glad it didn't come off. Climbing out of the pit, mud went flying every where. Our next immediate challenge was to climb up a steep hill. My shoes were covered in mud and I couldn't get any traction. I decided to crawl up the hill. It worked and helped me get up the hill faster.

I caught three to four people ahead of me. They were exhausted by the hill and were walking. During the course, we had plenty of tree trunks, and branches to climb over, jump over or crawl under. I just kept looking at the trail about 10 feet in front of me to make sure I didn't trip. We had a couple of more hills, that I crawled up those too.

Nearing the end of the course, I thought we were all done with water crossings. I was wrong. I said to myself, "Is this necessary?" We had to jump down into a stream. The water came up to mid-calf. It was so slippery. There were six of us together and we all walked the long stream. A couple of times, I slipped. I tried to catch myself on the high banks of the stream. It worked. I was grabbing for anything and grabbed a thorny branch, twice. Ouch. I got a sliver in my figure. I belief it is still embedded in my finger. Neat. After the stream, two girls passed me. I was trying my hardest to catch them. I was so close.

I made it out of the trail in one piece. I was muddy, soaking wet and almost near the relay exchange. The course had one more giant hill to climb. I crawled up the hill again, ran through a mud pit and slapped hands with my team's next runner. I finished the trail run in 40:13. That is pretty good for running through mud, climbing huge hills and walking through streams and mud pits. My team finished 18th overall in 1:50:14. There were 41 teams that participated.

This race was OK. I definitely wasn't a fan of the water and mud. I like to run races where I don't get dirty. I have only one more race this year where I will get soaked and dirty and that is Dances with Dirt 50K. After DWD, I don't think I will be running anymore of these races. I will gladly volunteer next year at the Mud Dollop Wallop, but mud and water during a race isn't for me.

Penciled in

I was so excited Friday morning because I had plans with my husband to play Putt-Putt. Both those plans were changed due to my husband's work schedule.

Starting on Thursday, my husband was really busy with work. He had to work overtime Thursday, work his normal shift Friday plus more overtime and worked another normal shift Saturday. When he came home, I was already gone to my sister's bachelorette party. When I came home, we saw each other for about an hour and went to bed. Finally on Sunday, my husband worked his normal shift, then worked more overtime until 1 a.m. Monday morning. That is a lot of work.

My husband felt bad that we had to break our date for putt-putt Friday. We have penciled in some new plans and I hope it works out. We have made plans to play putt-putt Tuesday. I really hope we can make these plans work. The month of June has been one of the busiest that I can remember. Every weekend I have been busy and my husband has been working a bunch of hours. We need some time together. We try to spend as much time with each other as possible, but I need more then one to two hours. With these plans on Tuesday, it should be an entire afternoon spent with my husband. Yay!

Weekend plans

I will be running another relay race this weekend. It is much shorter then the Ragnar Relay I participated in last week. Ragnar was almost 200 miles from Madison, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois. This relay race is on a trail and is only 12 miles. There are three people on each team and we run about four miles each on the trail. The part of the trail race I'm not too fond of is running through water and mud. This relay race is called the Mud Wallop Dallop. It promises that we will be covered with mud and water when we finish. I will be bringing extra clothes to change into after my leg is done. I don't think I could walk around in wet shoes and socks for too long. It just feels so gross.

Besides the trail relay race Saturday, later in the evening I will be attending my sister's bachelorette party. This bachelorette party will not be wild or out of control. We are meeting at a fancy restaurant to eat, drink (everyone but me) and enjoy my sister's company. I hope my sister will enjoy this get together and the last few days of being single. I can't believe she gets married next week. I hope she has a long and wonderful marriage.

Looking forward to the weekend

I will be heading to Battle Creek Friday to photograph a softball state semifinal game. The game is about an 1.5 hours away from my home, so I will have to adjust my running schedule. Everything revolves around my running. I ran 22 miles on Wednesday and I plan to run 22-23 miles again today. Since I will have only a short time before getting in my car and driving to the game, I plan to run a short 3.1 miles Friday.

What I'm really looking forward to is the plans I have with my husband after the game. After I finish work, we will be driving down to Toledo, Ohio to play Putt-Putt golf and eat dinner. It is something we do every summer. My husband usually wins. Most of the time the score is not even close. My putting skills are not good. But I love it. We get to spend time together, enjoy each others company and laugh.

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich
I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack

Currently Reading: Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell
Up Next: The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls, L.J. Smith

The drive home

After returning back to Madison, Wisconsin after the Ragnar Relay Saturday, I packed up my car, said goodbye and thank you to my teammates and started the long drive home. Home was only seven hours away.

I started my drive around 4:15 p.m. I was hoping to be back at home around midnight. I knew I would make up some time on the interstate. The drive went well. Spent most of the time changing the radio stations. I guess I was too lazy to press the button to start the CD I had in the player. I heard Adele and Katy Perry a lot on the drive. It seemed like every time I turned to another radio station "Rolling In The Deep" was playing. Overkill.

I did get a chuckle seeing the Belvidere Tolloway Oasis. On the drive to Madison, I called my husband to let him know I stopped for gas. It just happened to be at the Belvidere Tolloway Oasis. The message I left for my husband was cute. I said that I stopped at Belvidere to get gas and I didn't see "any streaks on the china." Growing up my husband and I both watched Mr. Belvedere. The first line of the theme song is "Streaks on the china, never mattered before,
who cares." Yes. I'm a dork.

The drive was going smoothly until I hit Chicago. So many cars, not enough space equals backups. I was in Chicago traffic for a half hour or so. That put me a little behind schedule. Once I was out of it, I hammered down. Just going 7-8 mph over the posted speed limit.

The day started to turn into night. I stopped for gas somewhere in Indiana. I filled up my car, made a pit stop and I was back on the road. When the sky finally went dark, that is when I started yawning. I was singing, screaming, biting the inside of my mouth and tongue to stay awake. I wanted to get home. It finally came to the point where I knew I couldn't keep my eyes open. If I continued to drive, I knew it wouldn't end well. I pulled into the last rest area in Indiana. I called my husband to tell him that I stopped and needed to take a nap. I didn't want to take a long nap, but I needed to sleep. He said he would call me in an hour. I got in the backseat, with my cell phone in hand, and went to sleep quickly. That hour flew by. I was back on the road at 11:30 pm. I was really thankful I stopped in Indiana. I was debating on whether to stop in Ohio. Ohio didn't have any rest stops available before I got off on the exit I needed. I don't think I would have felt comfortable sleeping on the side of the road with vehicles going 70-80 mph. I made the smart choice.

Once I was back on the road, I encountered toll booths. I thought people would be working in them. They weren't. We had to put money into a vending machine and the gate would lift up for us to drive through. Of course I got in the line that went slow. A person two cars ahead of me was having a hard time with the vending machine. I spent 15 minutes in line. I wasn't happy.

The rest of the drive home was smooth. Not too much traffic or police officers to worry about. When I passed into the Michigan border, I knew I would be home soon. I arrived home shortly before 1 am. Instead of going to bed, I stayed up and unpacked. After unpacking, I went and lied down on the couch waiting for my husband to come home from work. He came home around 2:30 am. We stayed up talking until 3:30 am. I had a great time running the Ragnar Relay, but it was nice just to be back home.

Ragnar Relay Series

I packed up running clothes, food and water for the Ragnar Relay Series and drove to Madison, Wisconsin on Thursday. The trip to Wisconsin went smoothly. I only had to stop once during the seven hour drive to get gas. I filled up my car in Rockford, Illinois. At the start of the drive, I was a little nervous because that was the longest drive I have ever done by myself.

I met up with my team, Mom & Dad, Thursday night. We met at one of our captain's apartment for a spaghetti dinner. We ate and talked about what the plan was for the relay. After dinner was over, Everyone parted and went home to get ready for the relay. I slept over and ended up going to bed around 9:30 p.m. CST, which was 10:30 p.m. in EST to me.

Woke up at 3 and 4 a.m., I went back to sleep until 5 a.m. I figured that was long enough, so I finally got up. Before getting dressed, I looked out the window. It was pouring rain. Not a good way to start out a 200 mile long relay. I got dressed and was thankful that I brought two pairs of running shoes with me.

The team members riding in van one assembled and then it was time to head to the start line. When we arrived at the park, it was a sea of white panel vans. The parking lot was filled with them. Over 300 teams were participating in the Madison to Chicago relay. Our first stop as a group was to the check in tent, then over to the safety meeting. After that was completed it was time to start the relay. At the start of the relay, the rain finally stopped, but it was a very chilly morning. Kimmy started off the relay and did a very good job. In no time, she was slapping the relay bracelet onto Justin's wrist.

I had butterflies while waiting for Justin. I knew once I ran my first leg, I would be OK. My first leg was 4.9 miles. This leg had many long inclines and hills. I kept a positive attitude and just kept running. I just told myself to keep my legs moving because my teammates were waiting for me. I finished my leg in 45 minutes and around 10 or 10:30 a.m. Once I was done, I freshened up as best as I could, changed my shirt and then our van headed to the next exchange.

My second leg started around 5 p.m. The leg was entirely on a trail. I was run straight for the whole run. The only turn I made was to run into the exchange zone to hand off the bracelet. I was very pleased with this leg. It was flat and I was able to go fast. It was my fastest of the entire relay. My pace was 8:40 for 5.9 miles. I passed a guy and two ladies during this leg. That made me feel really good. I finished the run in 51:11.

At the start of the third leg, it was misting and starting to get dark. This would be my first time really running in the dark, I started running around 8 p.m. I had on my reflective vest with LED lights and my headlamp. This leg was run on sidewalks and the road. I ran on the shoulder and it was scary. Cars were driving by me doing 55-60 mph. Most of them didn't even move over in the next lane to give me room. They just zoomed by me by less then two feet. Besides running next to fast traffic, this leg had more hills and inclines. I finished the 5.4 mile run in 50:38.

After my third leg for the day, our van was able to stop at one of the exchange points to take a shower. We were all happy to get clean. After showering, we stopped at McDonald's around midnight to get something to eat. For the entire day, I ate bananas and protein bars. It was nice to eat something different and warm. When we finished eating, some of us went to another exchange at a church to get a couple hours of sleep. I ended up sleeping on the floor with one of my coat's as a pillow for a nap of two hours. It wasn't enough, but it did help.

The start of my last leg was around 4 am. It was cold, foggy and misting. My leg was run on a trail. I was asked by my team if I wanted a bike pacer. I said yes. I just wanted someone there in case something happened on the trail. The trail was so dark. It was hard to see anything, even with my headlamp. After leaving the trail, my leg took me right next to Lake Michigan. You could hear the water moving in the wind. It sounded really nice. I finished the 6.1 mile in 57:44.

My part of the relay was complete. I had fun with my team members Kimmy, Justin, Adam, Susan and our van driver Nick. Running the Ragnar Relay Series was an experience I'll never forget.

Ragnar Relay Series

Today is the day. I will be packing up my car and driving to Wisconsin. I will be traveling to Madison to meet up with my team, Mom & Dad, to participate in the Ragnar Relay Series.

Today is mostly a driving day for me. It will take about seven hours to reach Madison from Michigan. I have driven all over the state of Michigan for work. I have never driven that far alone. I'm hoping for smooth traveling. When I get to Madison, I'll be meeting my team for dinner.

The relay race starts Friday morning in Madison and we will be running 200 miles to Chicago, Illinois. I will be running a total of four legs for 22.2 miles.

I'm ready to get this race started. My training has been going well. I have run two half marathons in two weeks and my weekly mileage has been in the low 90s. This experience will be fun and exciting.

Gate detail - Concord, MA

Gate at the North Bridge Visitor Center in Concord, MA.

Books read in 2011

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes
The Kennedy Detail, Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After, Steven M Gillon
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathon in 50 Days, Dean Karnazes
The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, Jerry B. Jenkins
127 Hours, Aron Ralston
JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters, James W. Douglass
My Life on the Run, Bart Yasso
On the Trail of the JFK Assassins, Dick Russell
Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, Dean Karnazes
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Steig Larsson
Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, Cami Ostman
The Scarpetta Factor, Patricia Cornwell
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon, John Brant
Born to Run, Christopher McDougall
Iron Heart, Brian Boyle
Running With Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, Ryan Hall
Scarpetta, Patricia Cornwell
Predator, Patricia Cornwell
Port Mortuary, Patricia Cornwell
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons, Ryan Powell & Eric Grossman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run, Marshall Ulrich

Currently Reading: I'm Here to Win, Chris McCormack
Up Next: Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell

Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon

Another week, another half marathon.

I felt pretty good going into it. I waited until race time to decide what I was going to do. I didn't think the humidity was too high and it was very warm. I decided to try to give it my best.

The race started out well. I was running 9 minute and change miles, which is pretty good for me for longer races. After the experience of last week's water stops in Boston, I thought I would hit the last tables of the water stops. I was surprised when I saw that there was a total of two tables. It was another race of stopping and fighting others for cups of water or Gatorade. With it being really warm, I did get a drink at all of the water stops. During the middle of the race, it did cause some minor cramping. I slowed down my breathing and the cramps eventually went away.

After passing the 12 mile mark, I knew what was coming. I was told that the race ended on two hills. As we were going up the first hill, a woman next to me said "And so it begins." Yes, the hills. Someone ahead of me said, "Why couldn't we have had these hills at mile 2?" I tried not to slow down, but I did. I did my best running up the long hills. I'm still very thankful to have added hill workouts and trails into my running. It always comes in handy.

I finished in 2:02:36. That time was 1:23 better then the half marathon I ran in Boston on May 29. I was happy with my effort out on the very warm course today.

Chip time: 2:02:36
Overall Place: 1487/3133
Gender Place: 470/1457
Division Place: 92/275
Pace: 9:22

Minuteman Statue - Lexington, MA

Minuteman Statue on the Lexington Battle Green.

The Old Belfry lock - Lexington, MA

Lock on a fence around The Old Belfry in Lexington, MA. The belfry was rung on April 19, 1775 to warn the people of Lexington that the British were coming.

Trails

I joined my friends Eric, Pam, Josephine, Julie and Kendra early Monday morning to run trails. We started running at 6:30 a.m. We ran early so that everyone could celebrate Memorial Day with their families. With everyone covered from head-to-toe with mosquito repellent, we were off.

I bought a CamelBak Octane 18X hydration pack while in Boston. I bought it to use when I run my ultras later this year. I wore it Monday while running the trails because I want to train with it. I will be carrying it with me for 5-7 hours, I need to prepare for that. Everyone was asking me about it. They asked if it was heavy: not really. They asked if it was hurting my back: it didn't. I really like the pack. It is easy to reach items in the pockets and I really love the water tube. I love how I can grab it, suck on the end of the PureFlow tube and get a drink. No bottles to open or lose trying to put it back on a belt.

The trails were really fun. Even though my legs were a little tired from Sunday's half marathon, I did as best as I could. During the run, I incorporated the run/walk method for the first time. Usually I try to run the entire time, but I decided to save my legs and walk up the bigger hills. Walking is something I know I will be doing during my ultras, might as well start practicing now. Walking up the hills really did help my legs. If I ran up all of those hills, I doubt that I would have ran 11 miles.

At the end of the run, Eric told me I did a great job on the trails. Especially with just running a half marathon the day before. He said it was good to run on tired legs to train for the ultras. I hope to hit the trails with the group again soon. It was fun to run with other people that are also training for upcoming ultras.