Long run

I did something different on Sunday morning. I opted to skip the trail run with the group and just do a long run. The five mile trail race is in two weeks. I've been meeting the group to run the course to become familiar with it for the race. I've run it a couple of times and did OK. As long as the course is properly marked the day of the race, which it will be, I will be fine.

I wanted to wait until after the trail race to start this, but I just couldn't wait any longer. I was happy I skipped the trail run to stay home and run long. Yes. I run long every day. But this was a longer distance. I ran 23.1 miles. My goal for the morning was to run 20 miles. When I started, I decided that I would base how many miles I would actually run on how my legs felt. My legs felt good for the first 13 miles. As soon as I passed 13, my legs started feeling great. It felt like I actually just started running. By the start of mile 14, I knew I was running longer then 20 miles.

After running 18 miles, I was trying to decide how long I wanted to keep going. I was thinking that I was so close that I should just run a full marathon. Then I thought about how my previous longest run ever was only 18 miles. I didn't want to increase my mileage too much and hurt myself or be really sore. My final decision was 23 miles.

Near the end of my run, my legs still felt really good. I knew I could have continued running and would have felt fine after. I finished running 23.1 miles in 3 hours and 15 seconds. It is a very good time, but I know that if I ran this outside, my time would be different. I ran the 23.1 miles on my treadmill. Most people I know despise the treadmill. I love it. I was never bored while running. I watched two basketball games that recorded and finished the run watching the news. The TV keeps me entertained.

I gave myself a challenge for next weekend. My challenge is running a marathon on my treadmill. Anyone who is up to running a marathon next Sunday is welcome to join me. I thought it would be fun to run a Super Bowl Sunday marathon. I will be running early in the morning. My husband and I have plans at noon, so I need to get my run done as early as possible. I thinking I'll start my run between 5-6 a.m. That will give me plenty of time to run, shower, eat and do some laundry.

I'm really looking forward to running longer distances and running a marathon next Sunday. I want to challenge myself and try something new. All of this running is helping me reach my goals of running a 50K and marathon in 2012.

Oatmeal-Raisin bars

I've become a fan of raisins lately. I never really liked them before. While shopping at the grocery store, I was looking for cookies that didn't have a lot of calories. The cookies I found with the least amount of calories was oatmeal raisin cookies. The oatmeal raisin cookies have 100 calories, while my favorite chocolate chip had 180. I'm so glad that I bought those cookies. They are delicious. Just think of how many years I avoided eating raisins. So foolish.

I'm subscribed to a Everyday with Rachael Ray food website. A couple times a week I receive recipes in my email. When I saw this recipe I knew I was going to make it. I made a batch last night and it is very good. I could have ate the whole pan last night. I didn't make the cream cheese frosting. I bought a can of it. The cream cheese frosting from the can is very tasty.

Oatmeal-Raisin Bars with cream cheese frosting

By: Beatrice Ojakangas

24 Servings

• 
• Prep 15 min Bake 20 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick (4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• One 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl using a wooden spoon, cream the 1 stick butter with the brown sugar, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oats, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and stir into the butter mixture until combined. Spread the dough in the prepared pan and press into an even layer with floured fingers. Bake until firm in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.

2. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, blend the cream cheese with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Spread on top of the cooled cake and cut into 24 bars.

   Photo Credit: Harley Harrison

Fourth time

I'm a bit of a speed demon. I like to drive faster then the speed limit. I usually average 6-9 miles per hour over the speed limit.

When I was driving home from my workout with the Ann Arbor Track Club Tuesday, it was no different. It was after 9 p.m. and I just wanted to get home. I turned off a county road to a city street. The speed limit was 45 m.p.h. but I was cruising a little faster then that. I noticed the vehicle behind me was pretty close to me, that is probably why I hammered down. It turned out to be a police officer.

The officer lit me up and I pulled over. I unbuckled my seat belt, retrieved my registration, insurance and license. I had them all by the time the officer walked up to my car. He asked me why I got stopped. I answered back: speed. I know I was going a little fast. The officer said he clocked me at 55 mph in a 45. I didn't think I was going that fast, but I probably was. He asked me if I was going home or to work. I told him that I just finished running a workout with the track club in Ann Arbor and I was heading home. He told me he would be right back.

I was sitting in my car for five minutes, maybe less. I knew he was writing up my ticket by the way he was taking so long coming back to my car. I was preparing to accept the ticket and move on. The officer walked back to my car and handed me back my registration, insurance and license. No ticket. He said he was giving me a warning. He told me to slow down. I was surprised and said thank you.

That was the fourth time I've been pulled over. All of them were for speeding. I know, shocking. All four times I've been honest with the officers that I was speeding. And all four times I've been given a warning. I guess that something happening to me four times should be an indication. I need to slow down. I've been following that advice for the last two days. I hope to continue to follow it. I don't know how I've been lucky not receive any tickets so far. But luck always runs out.

Random things

I found a dress to wear to my sister's wedding. It was the first dress I tried on in Dillard's. I tried on a size 8 and it fit fine. I then tried on a size 10. That dress also fit. I bought the size 10. I went with the larger size because I don't like clothes that are skin tight. The size 8 wasn't skin tight, but it wasn't exactly loose either.

The weather for the area has been nice so far this week. Usually 20-30° temperatures isn't what I would call nice. After days of the temps hanging around 0°, it feels like a heat wave. A cold front will be coming in over the weekend and lower the temperatures back down to the teens and lower 20s. I will be running the trails again Sunday afternoon. I hope it wouldn't be too cold.

Valentine's Day is coming up. When I was in the grocery store over the weekend, I thought about buying a Valentine's Day card for my husband. Then I thought it was too early yet. It is. I still have 20 days. I asked my husband what he wanted for Valentine's Day and he just said a card. I can't just get him a card. That would feel so cheap. I know my husband will go above and beyond what he should. He usually buys me a couple of gifts. I do have a gift in mind for him. I hope the price on it has come down since Christmas.

Books read in 2011

Guilty Pleasures, Laurell K. Hamilton

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

Currently Reading: The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Origins, L.J. Smith

Up Next: The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: Bloodlust, L.J. Smith

Pumpkin Cookies

I found a recipe for pumpkin cookies last week. I made two batches Saturday. As I was making the first batch, I realized that I didn't have any baking powder. I almost gave up making the cookies. I decided to make them anyway without the baking powder. I thought it wasn't going to be a big deal if one teaspoon of baking soda wasn't included. I was right. The cookies tasted great.

I needed to stop by the store later that evening. I was running low of sugar. I picked up a bag and a box of baking soda. After making the second batch, I could really tell the difference between them. The first batch was good, but not as fluffy as the second batch with the baking soda. I really like these cookies and they taste just like pumpkin pie. I didn't make a glaze like the recipe called for. I bought a can of cream cheese frosting. I microwaved it and dripped in on the cookies.

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

By:

LIBBY'S PUMPKIN

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

FOR GLAZE:
COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

Photo Credit: www.verybestbaking.com

Random things

My sister is getting married in June and I'm one of her bridesmaids. Her colors are black and gold. I think it will look pretty. She decided instead of picking out bridesmaid dresses for us to wear on her wedding day, she is letting us pick our own. We were told that they have to be black and knee length. I figured it would be easy to find a little black dress. I will be heading to the mall in Toledo, Ohio to find my dress. My first stop will be Dillard's and then Macy's. If for some reason they don't have any black dresses, I will stop by a bridal store.

I told my husband of my plans to run a 50K and marathon in 2012. He wasn't surprised. He knew eventually that I would want to move up in distance. I don't know if he knew that there was an actually 50K race (31.07 miles). I'm really getting excited for it. The 50K race that I'm looking at takes place in March in Chicago. I could probably do it this year since I have the mileage in. But I will wait until next year. I will have plenty of time to train for this race and also the marathon.

Racing season is just around the corner. My first 5K, Hot Chocolate Hustle, is only 15 days away. The next weekend is my very first trail run, Frosty Five, and my first half marathon of the year, Glass City Half Marathon is 86 days away. Looking forward to a great 2011 racing season!

Four things

1. Four TV shows that I watch:
Detroit 1-8-7

Blue Bloods

Top Chef

The Vampire Diaries

2. Four things I'm passionate about:
Running

Photography
Reading

Family

3. Four words/phrases I use a lot:
Awesome

GRRR!

Boo

Fudge

4. Four things I've learned in the past:
Keep quiet.

Setting goals is easy. Completing them takes work.

Learning to say 'no'.

I can't do it all and sometimes I need help.

5. Four places I would like to go:

Italy
Eugene, Oregon

New Orleans

Paris

6. Four things I did yesterday

Ran
Read

Photographed a basketball game

Watched basketball on TV

7. Four things I'm looking forward to:

Running three trail races this year

My sister's wedding

Running my first 50K in 2012

Running my first marathon in 2012

8. Four things I love about winter

Quiet mornings

The beauty of it

How happy snow makes my dog Kelly

Knowing that spring is right around the corner

New goals

I have run 90 and 100 miles per week without too many problems. And that got me thinking. Thinking about my next challenge. It was only over the weekend that I decided that its time. I decided that in 2012, I will be running my first marathon and 50K.

It is all because of the comments other runners left for me on dailymile. People asked me if I was training for a marathon or an ultra. I was never really training for them. I just like to run. Comments like those would appear on my workouts over and over. That got me thinking about some new challenges.

I searched for marathon and ultra marathon training guides online. Most of the training guides for the marathon had people running 50 mile weeks. A training plan for a 50K race had them running 30-58 mile weeks. I figured I run that and more, why not give it a shot?

I have said that I don't have the desire to run a marathon. That will change for me. Once I have a goal, I will always try to achieve it. With all of the miles I run now, it will not be hard to kick it up. My husband has been saying to me for the last couple of months, that I will run a marathon. Well, he is right about that. But actually I wanted to run a 50K (31.07 miles) first instead of the marathon. I figured why not do both?

My new goals are out there. I know I will follow through on them. After the Frosty Five trail run is completed on February 12, I will use Sundays do complete long runs of 20 miles or more. I will start my week of running with a long run, but finish the week with an even longer run.

Books read in 2011

As a fan of The Vampire Diaries on the CW, I decided to read the books. I knew the books were written back in the early '90s. I really like these books. The books are really different from the TV, which I like. Some of the things that happen in the book were used in the TV show. But not most of them, along with some of the characters. I think the books stand well on their own and I am glad I am reading them. They are a fun and fast read just like the Sookie Stackhouse series books (True Blood).

Guilty Pleasures, Laurell K. Hamilton

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton

Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith

Currently Reading: The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith

Up Next: The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall, L.J. Smith

102.7

One of my New Year's goals was to run a 90 and 100 mile week. I can officially check those off of the list. As I have did them in consecutive weeks.

I really didn't plan to have both of those weeks completed yet. I thought I would wait until March or April at least. I don't remember what made me run them already. I figured if I already ran high 80s weeks, what's a couple more miles? It really wasn't hard for me to reach my goals. Instead of running 10 or 11 miles a day, I just kicked it up to 12-16 miles. All it took was 20-30 minutes more to finish them.

On Saturday and Sunday, I joined the local running group outside to run. Going from the nice, flat treadmill to snow covered surfaces is a little difficult when you're not used to it. Sure, the snow slowed me down. But I didn't let it get me down. I did the only thing I know how to do: I kept going. I'm not the kind of person just to give up. I really wanted to break 100 miles.

Saturday's 11 mile run in the snow was difficult. Not just because of the snow. I ran routes that had long, inclining hills. I just kept thinking while running the hills, that it will help me get better. Sunday's trail run was one of the hardest things I have ever done. The snow was fluffy. Which made it really hard to run on. The snow covered everything up and I really had to watch out for objects sticking out of the snow. But I really didn't do so hot in that department. I did trip and fall over a root or branch in the ground. It was only then that I was glad for the fluffy snow. My landing was very soft. Besides the snow, the trail has monster hills. We are always running up a hill or down one. With less then a mile to go, the hills were getting to me. My legs were very tired and I really just wanted to stop and walk. I gave myself the opportunity to do it and I didn't. I continued to run. I told myself that I was almost done and I could finish what I started.

I ran 5.6 miles on the trails and my time was much slower then the run from the week before. I know my trail times will always be slower and that is OK. I am working hard and giving it everything I got. I will always continue to do that no matter where I'm running.

Now that I have run over 100 miles in a week, I will go back to running 80/90 mile weeks again. I think I will run 100 miles a week at least once a month. It will help me prepare for all of my upcoming races this year.

Volunteering

Usually in November and December I start looking ahead to the next road racing year. I pick out races that are already announced that I want to do. I found a race in May that I have never done before that I thought would be fun. I did run on the same course back in November and ran a 5K PR. I was going to register for the race soon, but decided to run in the USA 25K Open Championships on Saturday, May 14. The race I was going to enter, For Women Only 5K, is on Sunday, May 15.

Instead of running the For Women Only 5K, I signed up to be a volunteer. I have been running in races since 2003 and this will be the first time I have volunteered for one. I have never been to a road race that I haven't participated in. It will be different to be on the other side. I don't know what I will be doing that morning, but it will remind me of all of the people who donated their time to help make our races possible.

USA 25K Open Championships

On May 14, 2011, I will be running in the USA 25K Open Championships in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The USA 25K race is apart of the Fifth Third River Bank Run. On that Saturday, besides featuring the largest 25K road race in the country, they will also have a 10K, 5K run/walk and Junior races. While the Fifth Third River Bank Run has a 25K race, they also will be hosting the USA 25K Open Championships. As a member of the USATF, I will be participating in the Open Championship run.

I decided to run this race for a couple of reasons. First, because it is part of the USATF National Championships. I think it is neat that any USATF member can participate in the many national championship races around the country. The second reason is that I wanted to do something different. I love running 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons, but now I'm looking a new challenge. A 25K race is just a little longer then a half marathon. It is 15.625 miles. I know that a 25K is very doable and I will be able to run it without changing my training. Even though I run so many miles a week, I don't have the desire yet to run a marathon. Maybe someday, but not right now.

I'm looking forward to the new race distance. I just tried trail running Sunday and liked it. I hope that I like the 25K just as much as the other race distances.

Books read in 2011

Guilty Pleasures, Laurell K. Hamilton

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton

Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton

Currently Reading: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle, L.J. Smith

Up Next: The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion, L.J. Smith

Trail running

I did some trail running Sunday with a local group. The only trails I have run are in the summer when I run a 5K on a high school cross country course. But I don't really think that should be considered trail running. OK. Maybe it could. The course runs through a swampy and wooded area with big hills and sand.

The group run on Sunday was a true trail running experience. I couldn't believe how small the trail was. The trail was just wide enough for one person. No side by side running in the woods. I kept thinking, "Do the guys behind me want to pass me?" They did get around me when we ran into a clearing with plenty of room to pass.

Oh my gosh, the hills were huge. I don't think I have ever run up so many hills before. But I have to look at the good side of it; running hills will help me be a better runner. It will make my legs stronger. I was so thankful I bought trail shoes last week. If I didn't have those shoes, I would have fallen on my butt so many times. I loved how the shoes gripped the hills and let me run up them without any problems.

I don't know what was worst with the trail experience, running with many layers of clothing or the snow. The snow was a couple of inches deep, but sometimes it felt deeper then that. I was unsure of what to wear while running. I wore a short shirt wicking shirt; long sleeve wicking shirt; half zip pullover, a jacket, tights, shorts, wind pants and trail running socks. I know when I run the trail this Sunday, skip the shorts. Running with that many layers made me feel bulky. I'm really looking forward to warmer weather.

Less then a mile to go, the group leader ran with me. He asked me what I thought about trail running. I said I liked it and it was just like running cross country. I told him I kept thinking, "Don't twist your ankles." I didn't. I wore both of my ankle braces to make sure of that. I'm glad that I decided to run with the group. Trail running is fun, difficult and challenging. I'm going to enjoy running the trails and trail races this year.

Fitness profile

Back in December, I was featured in our newspaper's health magazine. The fitness profile was about me losing 80 pounds over the course of a year.

Since the magazine has come out, many people have been talking to me about it. I have heard from so many of them that I'm an inspiration to them. My fitness profile has made them want to better themselves and lose weight also. If my story can help others, I think it is great.

Soon the complements will die down and stop, but that is alright with me. I will continue to run and eat better. I hope that the people that I inspired will keep up with what they start and reach their goal like I did.

Read the article.

Left photo: Christmas 2009 with my husband, Mike

Right photo by Lad Strayer: November 2010

Books read in 2011

Guilty Pleasures, Laurell K. Hamilton

Currently Reading: The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton

Up Next: Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton

Nike Cross Nationals IV