congrats, mike.

congratulations, mike!

mike is a new homeowner, or as my dad called it, a "landowner"!!

i am so proud of you mike, you did it!

(i think the previous owner was a little addicted to the house number!)

cleveland half marathon.

the 2011 cleveland half marathon is in the books!

2 hours, 14 minutes, and 6 seconds.

the day started early, with myself waking up at 4 a.m. to prep for the race!

notice annie in the background sitting so nicely, waiting for a treat!

ready to run! the weather was less than desirable, it was a cold and misty day, which eventually turned into rain...i felt bad for the full marathoners when the rain started to come down. it reminded us of my first half marathon at disney world, but it was about 20* warmer here!

the rain pretty much held off and just stayed at a mist, and the fog was crazy!

my mom and aunt....they rarely miss a race and are always there to support me, and i am so appreciative of it. seeing a familiar face along the way or at the finish is sooooo helpful!

the race went well. my garmin was all funky, so i didn't really know my time, i had a rough estimation but was really unsure where i was at on time. when i had some rough patches in the race and felt worn down, i imagined having familiar faces at certain points in the race, and told myself, when you get up to this point, you will see a familiar face....even though i really didn't (my mom and aunt waited it out at the finish line), it helped me to get through that mile and keep going without giving up! crowd support was pretty great along the whole course, i had fun reading some of the signs. coming back into downtown across the bridge was crazy! it was so foggy you couldn't see the tops of buildings. i was able to keep my pace where i pretty much wanted it to be, and picked it up the last 2 miles of the race. i wish i could have been a bit faster throughout the race, and i could have probably pr'd, but i still came close, only a couple minutes behind my personal half marathon best. maybe next time!

that's me on the left, in the blue shirt, pink visor and black pants just before the finish line...i sprinted like it was nobodies business.

notice the fog in the background! the tops of the buildings are hidden!

i finished my first hometown half marathon in 2:14:06! Only about 2 minutes over my best half marathon time from the myrtle beach race last fall! and hey, the full marathon winner finished just about 10 minutes after i did....crazy! 26.2 miles in what it took me to do 13.1!

at the start of the race, the gun goes off, and they play "cleveland rocks" to pump you up as you cross the starting line... (theme from the drew carey show)!

we took some photos in front of the rock n roll hall of fame after the race!

it was sooo chilly after the race!

i think my favorite thing of this race, is it is the only race i have done that gives you chocolate milk afterwards....the best recovery drink after long, hard runs....it supposedly helps your muscles recover better.

i love the medal! the guitar spins around!

but can you spy the discrepancy?!

it was a good race despite the weather! i am still so sore!

special thanks to my mom and aunt for coming out to support me....it means so much to me to have you there! and especially a big thanks for standing out in the yucky weather!

what running means to me.

i just completed my 4th half marathon, my 2nd of this year alone! i am quite proud of myself for not giving up when sometimes i felt like it...it's not a full 26.2 marathon, but it is my 13.1 mile accomplishment. last night i laid in bed trying to go to sleep, overtired from the days events. i was awake at 4 a.m. to get ready for this race, and it was about midnight before i fell asleep. as i laid there, i thought about the last few years of my new hobby of running and then really thought back into the past. i got very emotional realizing that i really did just run my 4th half marathon....something i never thought doable. i think it was disbelief, that i really have done this, it's like it really hit me that i have done these races. i have been doing them, and enjoying the accomplishment, but it really hit me last night, that i have REALLY done these. hard to explain. i may never do a full marathon, but these half marathons are my marathons.

it's more to me than physical exercise. that was the reason i started, for exercise and to see if it was something i could do. years ago, i would go out for walks as exercise, and i would randomly try to run a block, and i felt like i would collapse after doing so! of course, back then, i didn't have the proper shoes, or any preparation or knowledge toward running, i just did it. that is probably why i was discouraged. then i found out that you just don't up and run. you work your way to it.

after it became clear that i could do it for short distances, i got it into my head to do races. and then i got hooked. especially on races that you get something rewarded to you for it...meaning a medal. i love the medals!

for me, running is more than that. i was the introverted, shy girl when i was younger and what i really started to think about was that i was the girl during those years of school (k-12), in gym class, who was always the last one picked (when we had to pick rather than get assigned) for team sports. that was always embarassing. i sucked at gym. athletics was not my forte....although i remember scoring some goals in floor hockey, but no one on my team even care! i was always happy when we were either assigned to a team, or it was a non team sport day, and the stress of being the last one picked each time didn't have to stress me out that day. running has shown me, that yes, i can do something and achieve a goal. i can be good at a sport. i have actually won an extra prize at a couple small races showing i can do well at running (age group award, and an overall award).....which still makes me astonished i actually was able to "place" at those events. i am proud of myself for getting out there and accomplishing something that intimidated me at one time. the shy, introverted, unathletic girl can do something... and can be kinda good at it too.

running is my outlet. some days, esp. cold, nasty days, i don't want to bother, i'd rather be lazy and just not do it. and sometimes that happens. but i typically feel better when i do. endorphins! running is my outlet to relieve stress i am feeling. or the overwhelming, anxiousness i sometimes feel when life seems to be getting crazy. it's an outlet if i am sad. it makes me happier when i am happy. it wakes me up when i am tired.

running is my accomplishment. there are other current areas in my life, that i sometimes feel a little (ok, a lot) self conscious about, but running is my proud moment. it can't be taken away from me. running has done a lot for the shy girl who was picked last in gym class. and i am so thankful to have it in my life. my medals are proof and reminders that, "yes, i can." running has been good for my spirit, my heart, and my soul. and it's my way of looking back on those years and saying look at me now.

run cle.

a few weeks ago i signed up for the cleveland half marathon. i really have not trained for it. i last ran a half on feb. 27th down at disney and that was fun. my goal was to try to keep up a pace of miles training for this race.....i sorta did. i did some running, but not too many longer runs. hampered by some illness, some aches and pains, and yucky weather, and flat out laziness, i didn't do as much as intended, but what i did is better than nothin! anyway, i got in 2 long runs since signing up about 3 weeks ago, which were my longest runs since that princess half.

so here i am, ready for one here at home. i have not set many goals for this race. my main goal is to have fun, and finish, and feel good. the secondary goal would be to pr (personal record) a new time. my best time was in myrtle beach (2:12:50 ). but since my training has been lacking, time isn't really a contender here, but it is in the corner of my mind!

i think this is the most nervous i have been out of all the half marathons i have done. maybe b/c i didn't do any training for this one (in the traditional sense). i am excited at the same time. rain is predicted for race day, which i just hope and pray that if it does rain during the race, it is the kind of rain that is "doable". i'd prefer none, but i just hope it's a sprinkle rather than a downpour if it is going to happen. i pray it's dry. at least for the race.

after 2 years of doing the cleveland 10k (the 10k, half, and full marathons are all at the same time), i am finally doing the half! 13.1, here i come!

oh, and i like the term they use for this marathon weekend......run cle. that's our airport code. we are slick like that here in the "cle".

welcome home, kim & addy .

this is delayed in posting, but kim and addy have a new home!

they are finally moved in....still unpacking the house, but they are in and enjoying their new digs!

congratulations, kim, on your OWN home, done your way. so proud of you.

happy mothers day.

colored by me at crew cuts dot com!