10 Running-Related Personal Questions

Yesterday, over in Twitter land, I was called out in a tweet from Nicole over at Not "Just" A Half blog,  to answer the following questions put out by by Sarah & Dimity at Another Mother Runner.       
I'm always up for a challenge, kind of, as long as they don't involve me in their TMI Tuesdays.  

  

I Survived MY 1st Trail Half Marathon &
 My Robo-Mom Knee Brace. 

1.  Best Run Ever:  That's a toss up between two runs, my first half marathon trail run, this year on my 39th birthday, August 4th.  It was difficult & the humidity was like nothing I've ever experienced, yet I finished & felt totally accomplished.   I literally rung out my clothes in the bath when I came home after this run.  The other run would be the Indianapolis Women's Half Marathon I just ran last weekend, Sept. 1st.  It too was hot & humid, yet I unexpectedly managed to PR.  Ok, if I have to pick, I'll go with the trail run.  It was definitely more challenging. 

2.  Three Things That Describe My Running:  Empowering, Invigorating, Therapeutic

3.  My go-to running outfit is: I usually wear a black pair of Nike or Adidas running shorts with a liner (liner is an absolute must- I won't even consider buying them without) and a chafe-free & wicking fabric tank, usually a Nike or Adidas. Sunglasses are a must.  I will sometimes go girlie & wear a running skirt. Of course, I always accessorize with my Brooks Trance running shoes, Garmin, and Road ID bracelet. 

4.  Quirky habit while running:  I won't stop running until I've hit my mileage goal exactly.  If I go out for 3 miles, it will be nothing less than 3-not 2.99, and so on for 4, 5, 6.  I will run circles in front of the house until my Garmin beeps to indicate I've reached my goal.  

5.  Morning, midday, evening:  All Three! I go with the flow of life's schedule and the weather.  You can find me out running as early as 6 a.m. up until as late as 11 p.m. 

6.  I won't run outside when it's:  Funny that you ask.  When I first started running, if you want to call it that, about five years ago and up until about the end of last year; I was very finicky. If it was below 60, or above 75; I didn't want to run outside. If it was raining or the wind was blowing, I wouldn't run outside.  I insisted on the gym treadmill.  As I think about it now, they were just excuses not to run.  In order to combat this "issue", I registered for numerous holiday races this previous year from the Jingle Bell Run to the Turkey Trot, etc., knowing I would have to run in the cold.  I'm too cheap to skip runs that I had paid for, regardless of the temperature, so I eventually acclimated.  Now, amusingly, I wish & hope for 55 degree mornings, abhor the treadmill, and have ran during many 90 degree, blistering hot days.   To directly answer the question, I wouldn't run outside when it's icy.  You can't always see ice and I'm not going to risk a severe injury for 1 run.  

7.  Worst injury-and how I got over it: An IT band issue from overuse & over training at the same time I "took out" a considerable amount of cartilage in my left knee from the Dances With Dirt 50 mile Relay Trail Run just a week after running the Indianapolis Mini Marathon.  For the IT band issue, I found foam rolling and have been doing it ever since.  According to doctors, there isn't much I can do for the lack of cartilage and the unusual, excessive movement of my patella, a.k.a. the kneecap, other than to consistently wear a knee brace while running to stabilize it and reduce the friction.  It helps tremendously. If I don't wear the brace, I notice almost immediately.  The brace is a tad cumbersome & with hinges, therefore;  the kids have referred to me as robo-mom. 

8.  I felt most like a badass (bad word, lol) mother runner when: Anytime I run, whether it be  a road or trail race, a jaunt through the neighborhood, or a  mud run.  Running, period, is badass. 

9.  Next race is:  HA! My FIRST ever full marathon, the Air Force Marathon this Saturday, September 15, as in 3 days! Eeek! As I've told myself numerous times this week, I won't cross the finish line first, but I will cross it. 

10.  Potential running goal for 2013:  As many half marathons as I can fit in-road & trail, a couple more full marathons, maybe even a full trail marathon.  I want to focus on more consistent running and better training for my races.  I'm open to anything, my first triathlon, more mud runs.  My ultimate goal would be to recruit & convince my husband to run a race with me. 

Hey, don't be shy!  If you are a fellow Another Mother Runner blogger, feel free to share with us your answers to the above 10 questions.   Just don't forget to refer back to their page at Another Mother Runner.  


Thanks to those who have endured reading my long, sometimes rambling blog entries, liked me on Facebook and/or have followed me on Twitter . If you have yet to do so and are a glutton for punishment, you may also find me here on Daily Mile and Pinterest.