Bittersweet weekend

So a couple of week ago I received a new 5K PR. It was a bittersweet weekend for me at the Pistol Pete 5K run, but I still got me PR out of it. I know that I could have ran faster but with battling a sickness and then it being very cold that morning, it was just a bad morning run for me. I was fourth in my age group just one min behind the third place winner, I know that if I was not sick that I could have ran and placed second. I ended up running my 5K in 26:18. In my training runs leading up to the race I ran it in 24:33. So I guess I will have to keep working on my goal and then maybe one day I will run a 5k race in 24 mins.

The new Mrs. Light!

The day finally came, I got married the 16th of May. Wow I guess that was only two weeks ago. Tons of stress has now been lifted up off of my shoulders. It was a beautiful wedding ( if I do say so myself) and I can't really think of anything that went wrong. I was an overcast day and was a little windy. And cool, I was thankful of that. It never rained like we thought that it was going to, what pics I have seen turned out great, the first dance I heard looked good, and I didn't have to chase after the groom. So all in all I was very happy with the way the wedding turned out.

For our Honeymoon we went to Hawaii, and I must say it is a beautiful place. I could live there if it was not for the 8-9 hour flight to see my friends and family. We never had a day to were we didn't have anything planned. Each day we had something exciting and big to do and then we would lay on the beach or swim in the ocean. There are still things on the island of O'ahu that we didn't get done but that just means we will have to go back (and soon!). The first full day there we went to Pearl Harbor and walked around there, went back to the resort, went to the beach, which was right out our door, grabbed something to eat for dinner, and that was about it for day one. We went horse back riding on the beach, I went Skydiving at 14,000 ft, We swam with the shark, Andrew golfed on a Arnold Palmer course, Climbed Diamond Head (Ken I have a new trail run that would be fun to start!) and went shopping and running on the beach. It was an amazing honeymoon and I wish I was still there.
But the excitement is not over yet, my sister will be having her baby boy soon with the due date on June 18th and her looking like she is going to pop I don't think that it will be much longer until we get to greet little Jaxson Vicinus.

Colsing down the windows

Okay I know that is has been a month since my last blog but it has been a busy month. I am now about 3 and half weeks away from the wedding day and one week until the OKC half. I have had to work every other Tuesday and Thursday nights so I have been missing the group, maybe soon I will have a new job that I love and will not have to work night nor weekends.

I am now part of that insane group called the Marathon Maniacs. Thanks to my crazy back to back 50K's. Four stars were not very easy to get so I am think that is were I will have to stay. But that will not be the end of my craziness. For those that know me you can only guess what will come next..... that's right running a 50 miler (hopefully this Oct.) and then move onto a 100 miler. Some might think that I am trying to kill myself, not true I just love seeing how far the human body will go, pushing it to the limit I just have not found mine yet. The human body is an amazing thing.

Now onto the wedding planning, that one special day is coming at a very fast rate, and in some ways I am totally ready for it to be here, but not everything is done with the planning. My dress should be done getting altered if not a bad side of Kim might be coming out. If you see some monster knocking down buildings in downtown Tulsa that just might be me. I can't wait to go on the honeymoon (white sand and clear blue water.) Can't beat that! And off of work for almost two weeks is not bad either.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE THAT IS RUNNING THIS WEEKEND!!!

On Cloud Nine

Man was it ever a crazy weekend. Seemed like it was always go-go -go non stop. We left Friday afternoon for Ft. Worth for me to run my first ultra (50k) at Cowtown. I ran my 31 miles got my hardware and then I was back in the truck laying down getting what rest I could get before we hit Atoka,OK. for my 2nd ultra (1st trail race ever.) Then it was back in the truck but this time I was moving a lot slower and was hurting so very badly I had to push my body weight up with just my arms to get in the truck. My legs didn't want to work anymore.

Cowtown:
Okay so for a future note to anyone who wants to know the weather on race day do not check it the Monday before the race. Things do change, weather wise that is. So on Friday when I was packing all my running gear and anything else I might need I was still thinking that it was going to be a high of 74 with morning temps in the 40's with winds blowing at 8mph. Little did I know that was all about to change. Friday night I could hardly sleep and maybe got a combined total of about 4 hours. Saturday when The alarm went off at 4:30 I was dreading to 31 miles I still had to run. I was not feeling very well but knew I had to a least start the race to see what I could do. So I put on my running skirt, still thinking that it will warm up I didn't even bother with my tights that I had packed for Atoka. I throw on a running tank and a long sleeves t-shirt with a light jacket over that, I was planning a giving Andrew my jacket before the start but soon changed my mind when I walked to the tent and was freezing then. I just barely got my garmin to connect when the starting gun went off. I took a couple of deep breathes and off I went. I saw Jenni at the start and ran with her until we hit the first water stop and then I did not see her again until about mile 9. Some how out of pure luck Linda was running up behind me and noticed the ponytail of mine swinging side to side. Thinking God that I now had someone to run with we went along at a great pace, knocking out the miles until about mile 15 when Linda's I-pod was acting up and she had to slow down to fix it. I was feeling great and was playing my normal mind games telling myself to keep going that I could make it to the next mile. I made it all the way to mile 19 until I had to stop and walk or I knew that I would never make it to the end. So I was walking and eating some sport beans, then it was back to running. I really didn't notice that wind as a problem until after I got done eating my beans and had to start running again, right into the wind. I was hating every minute of it. Starting to get worried that I had missed a turn somewhere cause all that was around me were marathoners. Come to find out we don't split from them until about mile 23, and that is when it became very lonely. Running somewhere in Ft. Worth, TX by myself is not one of my favorite things and especially when I have no idea where I am at. Running on a trail that is like the LaFortune trail I was hating every step I had to take. I was running from mile 23-26 into the wind. Finally I made it to the turn around and the wind was now at my back. Some where along the way my hands started to swell, I noticed this on the trail, and it freaked me out I could not even move any of my rings. I didn't have anything with me to fix this problem so I just had to keep running. I knew I was less then knew I was 5 miles away from the finish line. I was differently not prepared for all the hills and I had nothing but GU and one pkg of beans with my I wanted food, I needed food. I made it back into downtown Ft. Worth and I was pumped, Crossing the finish line was a great feeling but it was not over yet I know I still had one more 50k to get through.

I didn't think that I could finish it but was going to try and start the race in Atoka, when I got one of the best phone calls I could ever ask for. The great TZ called and was asking if I was still running the AOK 50k, and that's when he told me about a little bet that him and Brian had going on. knowing that I had a 6pack of beer bet on me I had to prove Brian wrong.

AOK-Atoka:
My first attempt of running/jogging was when Dan, Johnny, Ken and I was headed to the start/finish line for our early start, I had to look like I was 110 and trying to run. I felt like I was barely moving. My muscles were not sore but man were my knees hurting. Once we got to the trails I was pumped and feeling great. At like 2.5 miles into the trail run somehow we took a wrong turn and had to go back. Now headed to the first aid station I fixed my socks while everyone else eat some Gatorade (it was all frozen). Off we went. by the time that we got through half of the first loop of two everyone else had started the race. Some how it got out that I had ran a 50k the day before, cause everyone was asking how I felt. I was feel amazingly great nothing was hurting and most of all I was having fun. Every time that we pasted Brian and I still had a smile on my face I think he wanted to throw the biggest rock he could find to get me to stop running. I have only ran trails once before and that was at Turkey mt. for 5 miles. So everything was new to me. There were differently enough hills and rocks to keep you on your toes but some how with the help of Ken I made it through my first 25k loop. While about 1/2 mile into our second loop we spotted Kathy and Brian finishing their loop. We stopped and talked to them, asking me how I felt and at that time I was still feeling great. But then came my evil spill and I starting to feel like I was going to throw up. I needed some salt and I needed it bad. My hands were starting to swell little until I ate some crackers and I some good ol' salt. About half way through the second loop my quads where just shredded and I'm sure looked like hamburger meat. It was so painful going down the hills that I just wanted to cry. But I sucked it up mostly because Ken would never quit on me and kept push me on. Andrew starting to get worried about us started walking the trail backwards to look for us, he just had a fear that I had fallen and was hurt really bad. When we met him with a mile and a half left it was great to see his smiling face, then he asked a very strange question..... Are you hurt? my response was "Everything hurts, is that a serious question? Ken was in front of me when we got to the lake that was between us and the finish line. when he stopped and had everyone clapping and shouting my name. It was a great feeling that kept me moving on for another mile or so. Then there is was the best sight that I saw all day long... The finish line. Ken and I came across together. Then I had to hug Kathy and get congrats from Brian, then I had to bend over and put my hands on my knees cause I hurt so bad. I had just finished back to back 50ks in two days and I was so happy I started to cry. Andrew walked over to me, and hug me told me he was so proud of me. Ken was nice enough to share his winning beer with me and oh it tasted so good.

Moral of the story......
Never bet against a bean!!!!

Thanks for the motivation Brian!!
I can't wait until next year when I can do all over again.

90+ more days

Wow so I think that is has been at least a month since I have posted.... But I don't think anybody has noticed. A lot has happened since the last one, so let me get everyone up to speed. Back in Dec. I got engaged to the worlds greatest man and have been trying to plan the wedding and work full time all while still trying to get in all of the runs. I think that it might be harder then running a marathon. But I think that I was so scared that I would leave something out that I now have most of the big stuff taken care of with a little over 3 months to go.
I have some really BIG races coming up at the end of Feb. and I have not had much time to get in really long runs for the Ultras so I might have to pull it out of my... (well you know what.) Glute. I will be running in the Cowtown Ultra at the end of Feb. So please keep me in your thoughts on the 28th.
Other then wedding planning, running and work while looking for a new job, or a way to go back to school nothing huge has happened since the big question. Oh beside I get to practice my baby skills, I am going to be a first time anut this June. I can not wait for baby "V" to come. ( but lets hope not too soon.)

8 things.......

Ok so I was tagged a long time ago by Erin to do this 8 things blog and I am just now getting around to doing it, so here goes.....

8 shows I love to watch
1.) Gray's Anatomy
2.) Dirty Jobs
3.) OSU Football
4.) New Yankees games
5.) anything to do with health or the Human body
6.) See above
7.) Look at #5
8.) Anything with Andrew

8 Places I love to eat at
1.) Olive Garden
2.) Rib Crib
3.) Eskimo Joe's
4.) Los Cobos
5.) Salad Alley
6.) Napoloi's
7.) ?
8.) ?

8 things I did yesterday
1.) woke up
2.) taught a exercise class
3.) worked
4.) shopped for Christmas
5.) made dinner
6.) hung Christmas lights
7.) wrapped Christmas gifts
8.) showered and went to bed

8 things I look forward to
1.) a day off
2.) my ultra-marathon
3.) my wedding LOL
4.) getting my master's degree
5.) having children
6.) starting a new job
7.) Christmas
8.) Race into the New Year

8 things I love about Fall
1.) colder weather
2.) Snow is coming
3.) fire in the fireplace
4.) Changing of the leaves
5.) my birthday
6.) The holiday season
7.) more reasons to bake/cook
8.) Sweaters

8 things on my wish list
1.) 24k diamond ring LOL
2.) to be married forever to the love of my life
3.) a happy family
4.) lower marathon time
5.) to be part of the MM group
6.) Run a 100 mile race (in under 24 hours)
7.) go skydiving again
8.) go paintballing

8 people I tag......
1.) Bobby
2.) Ken
3.) Deon
4.) Erin
5.) Lisa
6.) Cassey
7.) Susan
8.) Ed

Now What?

Ok so I know I have not bloged in forever but to really think about it I have had nothing big and cool to blog about......until now! I AM A MARATHONER!!!!!!!! Wow so the first one is in the books and I can say that I finished it but what I can't say is that I am happy with my time. I wish I would have ran faster walked less and even hurt less but I didn't and I never let that stop me from finishing the race that I had worked so hard for. I feel a little empty kind of now because 26.2 mile just does not seem far anymore. So what is next well I plan to work hard and be stronger and get that time down, then I will work on doing ultras and then maybe someday be where Kathy and Ken are a be running 100 miles. (WOW)



Ok So about my marathon, I ran most of the way the Deon and we were running at a good pace, we were going to slingshot it in. (laughing now to myself). I beat my half marathon time by mins. and then my knees where killing me. Oh I don't think that I have ever hurt that bad in my life. Then it was Jenks and I seem to not hurt as bad. I might have picked up the pace some. Then the next thing I knew I was at mile 18 and eating some beans(haha) this is where I saw Ed. I ran with him for awhile and then starting talking to I guy that was from OKC and it was like his 26 or 29th marathon and he had just ran the Mother Road the weekend before, and he was still kicking my butt. And then all of a sudden the pain in the knees was back. I knew I was getting blisters on my left foot and some on the right, and the hills were still ahead of me. my plan of attack was to speed walk up the hills and then run down and between the hills, and for the most part that is was I did. But for some reason I still could not make up for the time that I had lost to walk just a few 1/4 miles. Then when I got out to the main streets again this cop told me that it was all down hill from there and I was almost, I wanted to believe him about the down hill part but I knew it was not true. Just one big hill and one little tiny hill and then it would be smooth sailing into the finish line. At this piont in time my pain was almost gone and I knew were I was to the finsih line, nothing was going to stop me now........... Then tatur Dave was setting near the last turn yelling and cheer the last little bean in. I finished what I set out to do and that was run a marathon before I die. Now I will just have to work on my time and get it down.

I would like to say thank you to Kathy, Brian, Candice, and everyone that has cheered all the runner's world group on and put so much blood and tears into our training.