Small strides

     Last weekend, I got to work out with my Team in Training group for the first time and had a great run.  We only ran 2.2 miles, and I'm noticing that I'm running a little further each time.  My B2B team leader was there and is now my TnT mentor.  It's nice having her there to push me along a little, good to have someone I trust who knows me to say "Come on, you can do it, just a little further."  I don't know what my time came in at, but I think I'm doing just a little better each day.
     The next day was the American Hero 5K at Brackenridge Park.  My friend Michelle was there, and we ran together.  I like having someone to do these events with.  It's nice having someone else around who is not a fast runner and will help push me along a little too.  It's inspiring that her first actual event was a half marathon.  Not even a 5K event first, just couch to half marathon.  Wow.
     In addition to running Saturday and Sunday, I was on call Sunday night and was out late doing an admission, then I was on call Sunday night and had to be out until after 2:00 a.m. with a patient, then had to work the holiday, and was out late again.  By Tuesday morning I was wiped out, and then was on call Tuesday night.  No calls, but still had to be alert.  I was in bed by 10:00.  The rest of the week sucked for working out, but I had a great run on Saturday morning at the Women's Lavender 5K.
     The Women's Lavender 5K was a beautiful run in the hill country, Johnson City.  2 of my friends did this run, too, and we decided we need to do this again next year.  Of course, next year I want to do the 10K.  I would have considered signing up for the 10K this year but was concerned about the course, don't want a repeat of the Sunset Wine Tour where we went uphill for most of the run!  The run was mostly on a country road, not very hilly, but very beautiful.  My time is getting a little better, 44:18 instead of the 46 and 47 minutes I have been pulling lately.  I like that feeling, the fact that my body seems to be able to push myself a little more, to run a little bit further, and even though my legs felt weak from the lack of working out, I pushed myself and ran the last 1/10th of a mile.  I'm looking forward tho the next run, which will take place on June 16th, the Watermelon Crawl in Stockdale.  In between then, I will be running as much as I possibly can, and also think I need to work on doing some muscle strengthening in my legs and arms.  Every little bit helps, and I will need the strength for the half marathon, now 5 months away.
     My plan is to run tomorrow before Tai Chi, and I will run again Wednesday night for National Running Day.  With any luck, I'll get a run in on Tuesday, or at least get in a good weight training workout.  But whatever I do, I will kick butt.  Because I am, after all, a Determined Runner.

That's it for now.  Gotta run!