These Guns Are Loaded

I ended 2011 with a morning bootcamp workout with the hipAHAs. Yay!!!!!

We hooked up at The Park for some running and strength training (push-ups, core and mega legs).

Felt good to be out there pushing it again. Unfortunately my should did limit some of my range, but something is always better than nothing.

Now that's the way to close out the year and get pumped for 2012.
~ Pauline J. Hutcherson

Hair of the Dog

I decided to shake off 2011 and start the year off right by logging my first race of the year in Bethany Beach at their inaugural Hair of the Dog 5k/10k race. The Seashore Striders Running Club organized the race and did a fantastic job --- nice route, lots of volunteers and a very nice vibe.

With 600 other runners we enjoyed the unseasonably warm temps and headed out at 9:30 am.

I started out at the back of the pack and decided to just run --- without a goal or a watch. I just ran for fun. I did cheat and wear my iPod to keep me company since the route was unfamiliar and the race was smaller.

In short order I found a rhythm and a guy who I paced behind for nearly 5 miles. Always nice to find someone to trail behind.

Surprisingly I ended up PR-ing my 10k. Wicked! I finished in 1:03 --- that's a 10:08 minute mile pace. Not bad for not having a clue how I was doing throughout the run. Of course now I'm a little bummed that I slowed at the water stops. If I had kept chugging I probably would have gone sub-10. Now THAT would have been wicked.

Here's to a healthy and strong 2012!
~ Pauline J. Hutcherson

Barely the basics

Yesterday I decided to try and swim a lap of freestyle. What a fucking disaster that was. Frustrating!

My shoulder rotation is still an issue and my strength is nearly zip. I forced myself to do a handful of painful laps since the best thing for this screwed up shoulder is to get it moving and stress it a bit.

Super bummed that my stroke is still not there. Grumble...grumble.

Miami 10-Miler

Today I was scheduled to run 10 miles as part of my Saturday Long Run. 10 miles...alone...in a city I don't know well. Now this was going to be interesting.

I mapped my route --- a straight-shot south from my hotel on 48th street and down to the inlet passed 1st street and back. Luckily I had a great path --- the Miami Boardwalk and the Promenade along Ocean Drive.

Here's a pix from the lovely boardwalk that runs from 46th Street to 21st Street.

Overall, it was a good run. The back-half felt especially good which was unexpected. The only trouble was my shoulder. It's still nagging me. Around mile 7.5 it really started to ache. No amount of stretching or wiggling seemed to help. I just had to gut it out for the next few miles.

I'm proud of myself. Running 10-miles is tough to do alone. Luckily I had this great view and some good tunes to motivate me along.

Pumpkin Pie for Breakfast

On Thanksgiving morning I found myself surrounded by 4,600 runners in Miami's Tropical Park lining up for the Miami 10k Turkey Trot.

My dad, brother, sister-in-law and friend were all signed up to run --- everyone but me was tackling the distance for the very first time. Very exciting!

Overall, it was a good run. I paced my brother to finish his first 10k. As usually I felt a burst of energy and speed as we were a mile and a half from the finish. I felt myself starting to pull away (insert Chariots of Fire music), but then pulled back to get back in line with my brother. He was doing great, but I could here his breathing beginning to labor and his turnover slow.

In no time we were racing toward the finish.

In short order my Dad was coming into the finish and had surprisingly ran the whole race! Nice job for someone who hadn't trained and planned to walk the distance.

Nice job RunMiami. You put on a very well organized race...and the pumpkin pie at the finish line was a nice touch.