GU 'n stuff....

So this week running has been put n the back burner (not sure 4 weeks before the race is a good time to put running aside...oh well). I've been working both of my jobs this week and haven't found time to run. I refuse to get up at 4:30am to run...I suppose that doesn't make me a hardcore runner. But I don't care. It's too dark and cold and I LOVE my sleep. However, I did get my 8 mile run in on Sunday. I was super tired from working an overnight the night before and I wasn't able to get much sleep when I got home. I decided that this would be a perfect time to try one of my GUs that I had bought. I don't plan to use them for the 1/2 but I wanted to try one anyway and thought that maybe it might give me a little energy for my run. wrong.

Danielle had warned me that if you don't train with GU before a race, you will get sick. I tried the highly recommended Tri-Berry and washed it down with almost an entire nalgene bottle of water ( it was that gross). Seriously, not 2 minutes after I sucked it down I was in the bathroom power puking my brains out. Oh, it was so gross. (PS, I HATE puking...alot!). I thought "Well, she wasn't lying about the getting sick thing". Once I was done I brushed my teeth and went off for my 8. so gross. If I ever run a race that requires me to need to have some extra fuel mid run I might try chicrunners peanut butter and jelly idea...GU is not my friend.

Why, oh why do the first 3 miles of every run suck so bad? I always want to stop and walk and once I get to mile 4 I am finally in some kind of zone and I feel great. If only the first 3 miles could be like that too. It started raining about 1 mile in...sweet. And it was cold rain. I went on a route that I had never run before. It was kinda cool. I ran by a nice horse farm and some sweet houses that I didn't know existed in my town. Dunkin Donuts was somewhere around mile 4ish. I was so tempted to stop but I kept truckin' along. I got some good hills too which was nice. The course description for the 1/2 says "flat through 4, rolling hills through 8 and flat on the way back". My question is, what's the definition of 'rolling hills'? I've also been doing some of my runs near where I work because there are more hills there and I need to run them, as much as they suck. The last mile was rough. I felt like an old lady. I was freezing, my legs didn't want to take me any further and my right hip/lower back was killing me. BUT, I made it. I was proud of myself for running the whole way and finishing strong.

I was able to get my 5 mile run in on Tuesday, but that's it. Next time I will run will be Saturday. I am running in a 5k which is a fundraiser for my brothers school. His school is seeing an increase in the number of kids who are diagnosed with Autism. A group called Making Strides has formed to raise money for an Occupational Therapy gym to be built at his school. The purpose of this gym to to provide these kids with the equipment needed for them to grow and be successful. I am super excited about this race and want to thank everyone who has donated money. This truly means a lot to me, my family and of course Zach. Their goal is to raise 10,000 through a variety of fundraisers...I'll keep you updated! I also made a pretty sweet shirt to wear on race day, stay tuned for pictures.

One last, kind of random note...I'll be in Nashville, Tennessee for a wedding May 15...anyone know a good race to run that weekend?