Ilene, thank you! Tonight wasn't the best of jogs, but... it takes time to get faster and build up endurance at that pace.

mkroyer, running in the snow I miss so much. I used it as an excuse, but it was so awesome just stopping every 20 minutes and realizing how actually cold it was outside.. and how warm I was still from jogging!

What the frick! They are saying we might get some snow this week! It's not even officially fall yet! Now I REALLY need to get my shopping butt in gear and find some winter running clothes. I'm not really concerned about pants, but what about jackets/shirts? What type of material should I look for? I don't want to get all sweaty in fleece...

Ilene - yes, I did decide! My husband's sister left her bike here when she moved 6 years ago... next time we are up at my in-law's, we're just going to grab that and use it, AND then I can also switch to the campus gym! Yay for having your cake and eating it too! LOL

jayjay - TBH, I don't know what a cross country course entails. From a quick search on Google it looks like it might pertain to trails. You might want to double check with race sponsors if you aren't comfortable running on something other than asphalt. Good luck!

mkroyer - aww, hang in there. You can do this! It sounds to me like SO much of this is mental... you KNOW you can do the planned runs, it's just your head screwing with you!! You know what, I'm starting to believe that "great runs" are MADE, they don't just happen to us by chance or the stars aligning... a great run means even though it might not be your best ever, you GAVE it your best! You can totally do this... you have this in the bag!

Cake- congrats on the GREAT 4 miler!! You rock!

TC - on the date! you will have to let us know how it pans out...!! I think dates are good excuses for "modified" runs LOL

-------------------
ok I got in my 5 miles yesterday!! Albeit, not all at once. I went out for 2 miles, got cut short by a thunderstorm, went home and waited it out for about an hour and then headed back out for another 3. My knee held up pretty well until about mile 4, then it started to nag, and eventually really get pissed off at me. But over all, I finished in just over an hour (combined time) so I am pretty happy. If it wasn't for my danged knee I would have absolutely no problem running the 5 miles. I know the solution is to rest and I need to make that my priority, otherwise I am just going to keep inflaming the tendon and it'll never fully heal.

Fatpants--- HOORAY "for having your cake and eating it too!!"" That made me laugh!!!
Sorry ive been such a downer you guys! That past week ive just wanted to crawl into a hole and die...but today...thank god today, i had a FANTASTIC RUN!! I KNEW it was going to start off well when i acutally woke up 2 minutes before my alarm went off!
I ran a 6.25 mile tempo run, of the vairiety where i increasemy pace every mile.....my finishing time was fantastic! My best official 10K time is 48:15 seconds, and that was done on a flat/downhill FAST course...today i ran a 10k IN 49:10 seconds....now you may say "but Meghan, you silly, thats SLOWER" and youd be right, HOWEVER the first 2.5 miles of this particular run are very VERY uphill...so uphill that sometimes i walk up parts!! I was still maintaining 8 :30s up the hill, AND managed to make up SO MUCH time later in the run that i almost PRed my 10K!! I also ran a very first---my fastest mile EVER! a SUB 6!!!! of course, that was at the end of the run, on this very long downhill, but i dont care! I will take it!! PHEW, i tell you guys, i needed this SO BADLY....
on a more serious note, i believe i have bursitis in my hip ! will c the doctor tomorrow. This could be crippling/devatating...4 weeks till marathon..

Oh and that cold front hit here in denver....how is it possible to run INTO the wind the ENTIRE run, no matter what direction you are going?? it wasnt TOO godawful, but tomorow is supposed to be worse!!

XC running....dont know anything about it, but im fairly certain its on trails and such...... sorry im not more helpful!

Hey everyone,

I survived my first 5K!!! And LOVED it!!!!

Report and pictures on my blog

Thanks so much for all your encouragement, advice and support! I'm so excited to keep doing more events!!!

Sharon---just read your race report!! What a fantastic day you had!! Your enthusiam is so obvious and contagious......great finishing time!! Hills can be a bummer, but you plodded right through em!!

As far as thinking about running a 10K---once youve got the 5k under your belt, a 10K becomes NO problem. It is seriously not a very big jump up at all, now that you have running legs....The extra work and effort and training time to complete a 10K will feel like nothing compared to how much it took to train for a 5k....be careful though, once you realize how easy it was to jump up to 10K, youll be ready to tackle a hlaf, and then its never ending!! Congrats!

MK is back way to go girl, I knew it would pass

FatPants :

Here is the exact jacket I wear from fall right through the winter to spring, it has zippers under the arm pits for ventilation... I gradually layer in the beginning I wear only a sports bra underneath, then a short sleeve wick away t-shirt, then a long sleeved wick away, when it's -20c I wear a long sleeve wick away, with a looser long sleeve, then a wick away vest ... I've got it down to a science ... Everything is very light though I never EVER wear cotton.... Everything I wear is wick away stuff, even my baseball cap ...



Now I'm going to read Sharon's blog

Loved your blog Sharon, way to go!!

Sharon, congrats on your 5k!! =)

Thanks everyone for the welcomes. I'm training with a group for the half marathon, which is really nice. We do a long run w/ intervals every saturday morning. During the week I have been doing a track workout one night and a shorter interval run one or two evenings a week, then a really easy walk/light jog one night.

I've never done anything longer than a 5k so this is a big leap for me! I'm comforted to know that there are people who walk the whole thing, though, so at least I should be able to finish no matter how slow!

Running jackets... make me homesick! I'm in southern arizona where the problem is still that it's always about 20 degrees too hot to go running (at least in my opinion)!

Thanks everyone!! I'm super proud of myself! I still can't really believe I actually enjoy running, let alone that I ever went to a race, let alone that I finished! It feels like winning the lottery - a fluke out of the blue. Except I actually did it through like 2 months of work! I forget that part!

And MK...I was afraid of that. Haha. Right now I say, "No way I would ever want to commit so much time to marathon training."...right now I say that!

Sharon, congrats!! Loved your race report!

Ilene- THANKS for the tips! I'm looking at all this gear going uhhhh what exactly do I need? I bought tights and will be wearing those under regular running pants, sounds like I need go find me some moisture wicking shirts. What brand is your jacket?

FATPants- take it from someone who lives in Denver..you will RARELY need anything as bulky and warm as what you are imagining! Ilene's got it right!! Find a VERY lightweight, VERY breathable, at least water/wind resistent LGHT LIGHT jacket, some running tights ( i know, tights EGH!!!, but get over it! we ALL look bulgy and rolly in em) and a good pair of gloves. Everything after that is just excessive. I usually just wear a tank under my jacket (and i still voerheat after 10 minutes). Alot of times i dont wear a jacket and i just do a lightweight long sleeved shirt(NEVER EVER COTTON). You might want some ear muffs, but i personally cant do hats, or i seriously overheat. In Denver, i will continue wearing my shortsd sometimes even.......you have to suck up the cold and brave it for all of 5 minutes before your body warms up.

Congrats, Sharon! What I great report! I at not needing the ambulance, as those thoughts have passed through my mind on occasion.....Looks like you'll have many great races in your future!

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorge.../CWX0051M.html

a link to my jacket. A CW-X.. dont know how to post pics!! I got mine off SteepandCheap.com for 14.95!!! A SCREAMING DEAL

Where are you in CO, Fatpants?

When I run in Pagosa in winter on freezing a** days, I wear adidas running pants, a long-sleeved shirt and layer a jacket. I start out with gloves. I am a total WUSS and I HATE being cold, but I do end up peeling off the gloves and jacket about 5-6 minutes into the run.

ETA: I wouldn't last 10 minutes in Canada in the winter. I'm okay with that fact.

Where do you live? Cross country courses can be mountainous, foothills, forest, golf courses, etc. I find running a cross country course to be far more difficult (and way more FUN!) than running on the sidewalk or asphalt. You can totally do it!!!