HCA VA 8K recap ...

Location: Richmond, VA
Date: 11/10/12
Temperature: 38 degrees
Official Time: 41:00
Place in Age Group: 23/369
Place in Gender: 128/2264
Overall Place: 480/3587

The Course:

Fast and flat. Out and back.

This 8K course takes a straight shot up Broad St., which has a gentle grade, for the for the first two miles of the course. Just after mile 2, participants turn left and make their way over one block to Grace St., where they head back towards the finish. Runners are greeted with a the only climb of the course at mile four. It is smooth sailing after that, as the course flattens out and turns right onto 3rd street where the runners are greeted with a steep downhill into the finish.

(Note: This has been and will continue to be my favorite course in Richmond.)

The Good:

The Course: I love this course. It is PR friendly and easy to navigate. And the downhill finish is KILLER. And since they changed the finish this year to an even steeper downhill, it's better than it's ever been.

My Pace (initially): I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into this race. My run volume is down significantly from the last time I ran an 8K (20 miles per week now vs. 50 miles per week in 2010). I knew I could probably finish comfortably with a pace between 8:00 and 8:20, but I would have preferred to run sub-40. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if I was going to attempt to race until I got to the start line and then I wasn't really convinced. I decided to just run hard and see what happened.

Things started out well.

Mile 1: 7:45
Mile 2: 7:53


Two miles in and I was actually two seconds ahead of my pace from my 8K PR. That's when the wheels fell off. I have had a deep cough for about a week and a half. Once I got warmed up, things started moving around and I started hacking. So much so, that I couldn't run and cough at the same time. I am positive that I left part of my lung on the course.

Mile 3: 8:28
Mile 4: 8:54

Once I hit the mile 4 sign, I just told myself I could do anything for a mile and I hauled it in. 

Last 0.99: 7:57

I finished at exactly 41 minutes with an average pace of 8:15. Right where I assumed I would be.


Racing with my sister: Can I just mention how much I love that my sister is a runner? It took me years to convince her to join in, but now that she has, it's pretty much the best thing ever.

Pre-race, not really feeling it

With a post-race glow ...

My Music Selection: For the first time in pretty much FOREVER, I changed my race playlist. And then, I set it to random before I ran. Yet, somehow, the PERFECT songs came on at the PERFECT moments. I was pumped throughout the race and there was a song during every mile that reminded me to push myself.


The Weather: It was 38 degrees at the start of my race. And I dressed perfectly for it. By the end of the race, I was warm, but not overheated. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if it was a little colder.

The Race Length: Even with all the coughing, this race reaffirmed to me that the 8K is my favorite race distance. I love it and wish it was offered more often.


The Bad:

Missed Alarm: Since J was traveling and Gina was also running, I had to wake my kids up crazy early to take them to Earth Momma Mer's house. The plan was to get up at 5 a.m., get ready and then wake the girls at the last possible minute. Unfortunately, I failed to wake when my alarm went off. When I sprung out of bed at 5:30, just 10 minutes before we needed to be out the door, I found out that Gina wasn't up either. Obviously, we weren't really stressing about this race ...

My Mental Game: Despite the fact that this my favorite race, I really wasn't feeling it going in. I considered taking a DNS on multiple occasions prior to and including race morning. I knew I could run five miles, but I didn't feel like I could race five miles as hard as I would have liked to. And racing without giving it your all doesn't really sit well with me.

Considering that I already didn't feel strongly about this race, I also didn't really care if I had to stop to cough up a lung. Had I felt really prepared heading in, I may have tried harder to run through the cough. Basically, I was just disappointed in where my head was at. However, I did leave feeling like I wanted to up my mileage and get back on track.

The Ugly:

My Cough: I can not stress how bad must have looked along the course. My cough was (and kind of still is) deep and loud. And I was spitting out gunk left and right. I feel bad for anyone who happened to run near me. I am sure they are convinced that they were going to catch some sort of deadly infectious disease.

Three Things Thursday ...

Beautiful - We got Dizzle and Doodle's school pictures back yesterday. My, um, confident, children were completely enamored with themselves. Shocking, I know.

Before I even had a chance to look at how the pictures had turned out, I heard Dizzle in the third row of our car take out the photos and say,

"Wow, I really am beautiful."

Obviously, my children have no issue with self esteem.

And although I told her she should learn to be modest, I couldn't help but agree with her when I finally saw the photos

Doodle, Kindergarten

Dizzle, 1st grade (left) and 2nd grade (right)

Honestly, I'm not really sure where my babies went. They are 7 and 5. It scares me for what things will be like in a decade.

Embracing Potential - I am the first to admit that I am very hard on my children. I expect a lot from them. I have visions of what they "should" be and at times, I'm not very open to accepting what they are. More often then not, I see them as little versions of myself.

Athletic. Intelligent. Sensible. Composed.

The thing is, sometimes, they're not. Sometimes, they have interests outside of what I am comfortable with. Sometimes, they are blubbering messes and frankly, I don't always know how to deal with it. It's a process. For all of us.

Most of the time, Doodle and Dilly are easy for me to process. They usually excel at the roles I've laid out for them. I can read them like a book and I know exactly what to expect from them.

Dizzle, on the other hand, is complicated. She's emotional and raw. Her strengths lie outside the physical, competitive and driven bubble I seem to force my kids into. She's graceful (despite her clumsiness). She's artistic. She's a thinker. She writes poems and songs, some with a depth, I'm not sure she really understands. Basically, from the time she could walk, she has been singing and dancing her way through life. And I don't know how to handle or foster that.

Yesterday, she spent the afternoon practicing a song they are singing at school. She had such a nice tone to her voice that I felt compelled to record her. Immediately upon finishing, she begged me not to post it to Facebook. Too bad that until she's 18, I'm the one with the control over that issue and her plea was denied.

Oh, and I also shared it on YouTube for the whole Internet to see.

I think she's pretty good and I should probably embrace her passion. Oh, and I'm confident that she'll forgive me. Eventually.

Where's My Race Mojo? - I am registered to run the HCA 8K this weekend. It is my all-time favorite race. The course is flat with a downhill finish. The distance is the best one out there. And historically, I have run really well at this event.

But, this year, I am SO NOT FEELING IT.

I'm not really sure why, but my head is not in the game. I don't feel ready (or willing) to race. It's kind of annoying. At this point, I may race. I may run with my sister. Or I may just stay in bed. I don't really know.

November Rewind ...

Holy Cow! It's December, which means that a BIG holiday is coming up quickly.

My birthday - there are only two months until I turn 29. And you probably should start planning your gifts now. I accept cash, checks, credit cards and running gear of all kinds. And if you are feeling really generous, go ahead and send me a Christmas present too.

Or, if you want to send me a gift to commemorate all I accomplished last month, I'm not going to stop you. And so that you have a reference point, here is my November 2010 in review ...

Miles Planned/Miles Ran: none - for the first time in forever, I ran without a training plan/140.67 (which brings me to 1609.15 on the year)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 8/9

Highest Mileage Week: 11/22-11/28: 34.3 miles

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 4/4

Donuts Burned: 97 (my favorite statistic on Dailymile)

Current Book: None, unless children's books count. Which I don't think they do. Especially considering I have most of them committed to memory.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Cream Puffs. Have you ever noticed how I have a thing for desserts? Well, I do. And thanks to a $2.00 off coupon at BJ's, I have almost single-handedly consumed a box of 70 cream puffs. God, I hope J has been sneaking them too ...

Current Colors: Pink and Charcoal Grey

Current Drink: Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee. With the temperatures dropping, I find myself drinking it non-stop just to stay warm.

Current Song: Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida

Current Triumph: My 3:04 PR in the 8K two weeks ago. And a complete purge of my closet. And my pure awesomeness, of course ...

Current Goal: A new 5K PR at my December 26th race. Rebuild my base before heading into marathon training on Jan 1. Not go broke while on vacation at Disney.

Current Blessing: Pretty much everything. Life is pretty sweet right now. And I don't take that for granted.

Current Excitement: Did I mention that we are going to Disney? Like in 14 days? And that my kids have NO IDEA? (Note: We surprised them with a Disney trip in March. It was classic. You can see their reactions HERE.)

HCA 8K Recap ...

Location: Richmond, VA
Date: 11/13/10
Temperature: 38 degrees
Official Time: 38:54 (7:46 per mile), 3:04 minute PR
Place in Age Group: 13/369
Place in Gender: 90/2344
Overall Place: 385/3743

The Course:

Fast and flat. Out and back.

This 8K course takes a straight shot up Broad St., which has a gentle grade, for the for the first two miles of the course. Just after mile 2, participants turn left and make their way over one block to Grace St., where they head back towards the finish. Runners are greeted with a the only climb of the course at mile four. It is smooth sailing after that, as the course flattens out and turns right onto 3rd street. With less than half a mile to go, runners turn left onto Cary St. and head downhill to the finish line.

(Note: This has been and will continue to be my favorite course in Richmond.)

The Good:

The Course: I love this course. It is PR friendly and easy to navigate. And the downhill finish is KILLER.

My Pace: My goal for this race was to run sub-8 minute miles for the duration of the race. Simple enough. All I would have to do was check my Garmin to see if I was on pace. The only problem was that I didn't want to obsess about my time. And for me, NOT looking at my Garmin is the only way to make that happen. So, I opted to wear my watch, but cover it with my sleeve. Instead of watching the clock, I would listen to my body. If I felt like I could push it, I would. If I needed to back off, I'd do that.

The strategy worked. I hit my goal and I didn't check my watch until the finish. Here are my splits.

Mile 1: 7:44
Mile 2: 7:56
Mile 3: 7:53
Mile 4: 7:50
Last 0.97: 7:30

My Placing: Prior to the race, I looked at last year's standings. I knew if I ran sub-40, I would place well in my age group. But I really didn't think I would finish as well as I did overall. I was 13th out of 369 in my AG, 90th out of 2344 in my gender and 385th out of 3743 overall. Kind of made me feel like a rock star.

My Outfit: Seriously. Do I have style or what?


My Music Selection: For the first time in pretty much FOREVER, I changed my race playlist. And then, I set it to random before I ran. Yet, somehow, the PERFECT songs came on at the PERFECT moments. I was pumped throughout the race and there was a song during every mile that reminded me to push myself.

My Mental Game: I NEVER doubted myself. Even for one second. I felt strong and I knew that if I pushed myself, I would walk away with a PR. Now if I could only do the same thing in the longer distances ...

The Weather: It was 38 degrees at the start of my race. And I dressed perfectly for it. By the end of the race, I was warm, but not overheated. It made holding my pace that much easier.

The Race Length: This race reaffirmed to me that the 8K is my favorite race distance. I love it and wish it was offered more often.

My choice NOT to switch to the marathon: After the stomach bug hit me during the Indianapolis Marathon last month, I considered getting Marathon Redemption at Richmond. And even though I was telling everyone I was sticking to the 8K, I won't lie and tell you that I didn't consider switching races at the expo.

Everything seemed perfect to run the marathon. G would be by my side. The weather was perfect. I was healthy and uninjured. But ultimately, I knew the 8K was the right choice. Not only was I beyond ready for it, running the 8K gave me the opportunity to pace J to the finish of his half marathon and G to the end of her marathon (both of them finished with HUGE PRs. J improved his time by 15 minutes and G cut hers by 37!).

I ended yesterday with 23 miles under my belt and was able to share/shape their race experiences. It was amazing to be there with them and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

The Bad:

Wait. There was no bad.

did someone say sub-40?

Yeah. I did. Check out #13.

That would be me. And my sweet, new 8K PR.

38:54

3:04 FASTER than my previous PR.

4:26 FASTER than my previous best time on that course.

Full recap tomorrow.

P.S. J (despite having food poisoning), G and EVERYONE I train with also PR'd yesterday. And we are talking HUGE PRs. Talk about an AWESOME day.

when expos attack ...

This time tomorrow morning, J and I will be racing. We have been training for this day for months and are both ready to crush our current PRs (J, in the half marathon and me, in the 8K.)

But before toeing the line, we needed to pick up our race bibs. So, last night, I took the girls to the race expo, where we met up with G, the illusive Dave and Earth Momma Mer. The plan was simple.

1. Meet around five. Check.
2. Pick up our race bags. Check.
3. Scope out the booths. Check.
4. Spend zero dollars. Check.
5. Keep the kids reigned in. Fail.

Ever wonder what would happen if you let a five year old and a three year old with sticky fingers attend a race expo? Well, wonder no more ...


The vast majority of this was NOT INCLUDED in the race bag. If it was FREE, my kids were taking it.

With that said, the experience was far from bad. The high points included ...

• The fact that the expo itself was sweet. I would have been there for hours had I not had the kids with me OR if I had an unlimited budget.
• P.F. Chang's was giving out fortune cookies with running-themed fortunes. Mine couldn't have been more perfect for me. It said, "Eat to run. Run to eat."
• Dizzle, who was on the hunt for free food, found a table of GU and said, "Is that free? Or is it regular running GU?" (I seriously love that my kids know what GU is for).
• The girls made these adorable signs for J and me ...

Cute, right? And if PRs come from channeling the energy of butterflies, unicorns, rainbows and smiling suns, then J and I are golden ...

Three Things Thursday ...

1. Thank you to everyone who "liked" my photo for the Running Skirts Halloween Contest. I truly appreciate it. With that said, if you didn't head over there yet and want to help me and my little sister win for our "Tortoise and the Hare" costumes, you still can. All you need to do is "Like" the Running Skirts fan page HERE and then click "like" on our photo HERE. (I am so not above begging ...)

2. Speaking of Facebook, I was messing around on it yesterday and clicked on "Page Suggestions." When I did, it showed me a list of my Facebook friends who have the most "likes" in common with me. Here's the list ...

Does anyone else think it's odd that the 15 people I have the most in common with are all fellow bloggers? It's probably because we are all runners and all love a good giveaway, but don't you think it is strange that none of my non-blogging friends were able to break into the list? Just saying. (Note: the top 25 people were all bloggers, I just couldn't get the whole list in my screen shot).

3. And if you are Facebook friends with me, you might have noted that I found out my bib number for next weekend's 8K and I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED. (I'm totally a numbers person.)

Anyway, my bib number is 15275. Do you see why this is a good number? No? Well, I will explain.

My goal for this race is sub-40. My current PR is 41:58, which means I need to beat my PR by 1:59 to hit my goal.

Well, 152 + 7 = 159 and the race is 5 miles long (OK, it's 4.97, but it's close enough). Basically, this bib number was designed especially for me. And that has to be a good sign.

October Rewind ...

10 down, two to go. Here is my October 2010 in review ...

Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 154.2/168.1 (which brings me to 1468.58 on the year. Only 31.42 until 1,500!)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 9/12 (That whole marathon thing took more out of me than I suspected it would.)

Highest Mileage Week: 10/4-10/10: 39.5 miles (taper and recovery make for low(er) mileage weeks)

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 5/5

Donuts Burned: 121 (my favorite statistic on Dailymile)

Current Book: Funny. Did you really think I was going to have time to read a book while I was suffering from Taper Madness and subsequently recovering from my marathon? Really? Well, obviously you don't know me that well ...

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: CHOCOLATE. We bought 60 FULL-SIZE candy bars for Halloween. Guess how many trick-or-treaters we had. FOUR. Leaving us with 56 FULL-SIZE candy bars. Add that to all of the junk my kids brought home and it's just a recipe for disaster ...

Current Colors: Turquoise and Green

Current Drink: Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee. With the temperatures dropping, I find myself drinking it non-stop just to stay warm.

Current Song: Take It Off - Ke$ha

Current Triumph: My 17 minute marathon PR. Oh, and dropping the eight pounds I managed to pick up during Taper Madness ...

Current Goal: Demolish my 8K PR (41:57) on the 13th. I am so.very.ready.

Current Blessing: Pretty much everything. Life is pretty sweet right now. And I don't take that for granted.

Current Excitement: I am SUPER pumped to run the HCA 8K on November 13th. And I am BEYOND EXCITED for our Christmas present to the girls - A trip to Disney in 42 days!

Three Things Thursday ...

1. Last night, I met with Dizzle's teacher for a parent-teacher conference. Going in, I was confident that she was academically thriving. All of her graded papers have had "100%" written across the top. Plus, I have spoken to Dizzle before, so I kind of know what she knows and what she doesn't.

The part I was worried about was her behavior. Now, don't get me wrong, she's a very well behaved child, simply because she is a RULE FOLLOWER. With that said, she is also a BIG TALKER. Like a "doesn't stop to take a breath" talker.

I deal with it at home by telling her to "shut it" or simply ignoring the constant stream of vocabulary vomit. But, that's not going to happen at school. School tends to be a place when excessive talking isn't tolerated. And I already knew she was talking straight through lunch, since she comes home with a nearly full lunch box on most days. I just didn't know if it was rolling over into the classroom.

So, how do you think the conference went?

Yup. I was dead on. She is killing it academically, already exceeding the end of the year assessment standards. (Yes, I'm bragging. Deal with it.) And apparently, she DOES NOT SHUT UP in class. And it's not just chatting to her neighbor. She's also big on interrupting her teacher. So much so that she got a time-out for it today. And the kicker is, she's 100% aware of what she is doing. Kind of sounds to me like someone thriving on being the center of attention. Wonder who she could have gotten that trait from?

2. After the parent-teacher conference, I jumped on the treadmill for a tempo run. I wanted to get a feel for my goal race pace, so I planned on a mile warm-up followed by four miles at race pace followed by a one mile cool-down.

Things started off well. I ran the first mile in 10:00. Then I picked it up to goal race pace (8:00). But after the first mile at that pace, I was feeling strong, so I decided to push it a little. Mile 3 clocked in at 7:53. Mile 4 was 7:47 and Mile 5 was a 7:41. When I hit the 8K mark, the clock read 41:11, an unofficial PR (even with the 10:00 first mile).

Did I mention how I am going to kill the 8K next month?

3. Speaking of the 8K, I know that G, J and I aren't the only ones running the races of the Richmond Marathon. And with that in mind, I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in meeting up for dinner the night before the race.

G and I have discussed a place (Italian, located in the suburbs of Richmond), but I want to get an idea of how many people there would be before we commit/announce. So, if you are running Richmond and want to meet up, shoot me an email at racingwithbabes@yahoo.com to let me know. And be sure to include how many people will be with you.

patience is something I lack ...

The other day I got a message from another runner that said, "Keep waiting to see you post that you are running the Richmond full after your stomach bug race last week."

Huh? Did you all think that I was considering it? Am I really that predictable? (G seems to think so.)

Here's the thing. I kind of lack patience. And I don't like to let an opportunity pass me by. Take for instance, my marriage, family and all that jazz.

If J had asked me to marry him as we were boarding the plane home from England (where we met), I would have said yes. I knew it was right. I was trusting my gut and my gut rarely fails me. Instead, J waited a whole 10 months to ask and we were married just after we had been together for two years (again, I would have done it sooner if I thought the parents would have approved.)

Then there is that matter of having children. J and I managed to wait a whole two months after our wedding to jump on that bandwagon. Dizzle was born a month before our first anniversary and she was subsequently followed by two more children, each 22 months apart.

Need more proof? Well, let's see. I graduated from an Ivy League college in three years, primarily due the the fact that I was over it. I was done with accruing debt in the form of school loans and I wanted to start my "real life."

Oh, and then there's was that time that I ran my first 5K and followed it immediately by my first marathon. Right. That was a smart idea. Totally just skipped over the distances in between, because really, "Why wait until tomorrow for what you can do today?"

So, you get it. I don't like to wait. I don't like to see others doing the things I know I am capable of while I sit on the sidelines. I am not one to let opportunity to pass me by. It's just who I am.

So, of course, I played around with the idea of getting Marathon Redemption at Richmond. I mean, who wouldn't? My training partner is running. I've run the course tons of times before. I wouldn't have to travel for it. I'm already trained. It was almost a no-brainer. But, it's not like I emailed the race director to find out what it would take to switch from the 8K to the marathon, or anything (OK, maybe I did). But, after some contemplation and some advice from a good friend, I decided NOT to switch. And here's why ...

1. I have been looking forward to this 8K for an entire year. It is my favorite race distance (and my favorite 8K course).

2. My 8K PR is old and this course is notoriously fast. I have a much larger base that the last time I ran this distance and I am ready to crush my previous times.

3. By running the 8K, I get to be course support for J (who's running the half) and G (who's running the full). Since the 8K, starts at 7 a.m., I should be finished within 10 minutes of J starting his race at 7:30. So, once I cool down, I can run back on the course find him and run him to the finish (which I am super pumped for). Then, once I have dropped off J, I can run the course backwards again to find G, who starts the marathon at 8 a.m., and run her in as well. It's a perfect plan.

4. I am hosting Katye and Erin. And a completely exhausted post-marathon runner doesn't always make for the best host.

5. I am already registered for another marathon, SunTrust National Marathon, where I WILL get Marathon Redemption.

Now, all I need is a little strength to stick to my guns ...

running, TMB-style ...

Back on my 300th post, I asked you to comment with any question you wanted me to answer. The response was huge. Way too much for one entry. So, I have decided to categorize the questions and reply in a series of posts over the next few weeks. Today, I discuss my life as a mother-runner, with an emphasis on runner ...

Nicole Joy asked: "Do you think you'll do any more Disney races in the next year or so?"

I can't wait to go back to Disney, for both the vacation aspect and the races. The Princess Half was definitely the best run race I have ever done. Unfortunately, a Disney trip costs a small fortune. So, we will not be going back this year. Or even next year. The plan is to head back in the fall of 2012 and to race the Wine and Dine Half.

Staci Dombroski asked: "If you could do any race, what would it be? Where?

Definitely, the Maui Half Marathon. I have always wanted to visit Hawaii and if I am going to travel that far, then I am definitely going to race. Plus, can you think of a more beautiful run?

Erin G asked: "My question is what did you think was the hardest thing about running when you first started? How did you get over the hurdles?" and MJ asked: "How did you feel after you ran your very first mile? When you were just starting to run, did you ever feel frustrated?"

I definitely think the hardest part about beginning to run was getting past the mental stuff. We are built to run. Any able bodied person can become a runner. I think what separates those who stick with it and those who don't is the ability to fight the negative thoughts. I remember thinking that I was going to die during those first runs. I was constantly convinced that I couldn't make it. That I was going to drop to the road and never get up.

I think what got me past it was that I felt like I had something to prove. To myself and those around me. I wanted to show myself that I really could do anything I put my mind to. So, when I wanted to quit, I would run for 30 seconds longer. And then for 30 seconds more (thankfully, I am a self motivator). Some days were harder than others, but after my first race (which was the first time I ran three miles straight), I finally felt like a runner and I knew that running was something that would define me from then on.

reeebeka asked: "How you cross train?"

Um, yeah. About that. I am not the best about cross-training. For the past three years I have taught Stroller Strides, which is a 60 minute class that mixes cardio and strength training. But as the instructor, you don't always get the best workout. Other than that I don't do much. But, I will be training for a sprint triathlon this summer, so at some point I need to add some cycling and swimming to my routine. And I have also had P90X staring me in the face for the last six months, but I have yet to start it. But I will. Eventually.

Libby asked: "What are your ultimate/lifetime running dreams/goals?"

I'm not really sure. I don't want to qualify for Boston. Or run a marathon in every state. Or even run another marathon ever again. I'd like to become a half specialist, but my favorite distance is actually the 8K. I want to travel to races. I'd love to get an age group win. There really are so many things I'd like to accomplish, but I often think of myself as constantly evolving. I prefer to set smaller goals as a way to getting to where I want to be.

In general, I want to be faster (but who doesn't?) A 23 minute 5K, a 47 minute 10K and a sub 1:50 half are all times I will hit. I don't know when, but I will. I want to build my mileage to 40 mile a week and I'll get there too. I guess my number one running goal is to always have the motivation to be a better runner.

Sarah asked: "When did you first start running? High school track, later as a mommy? What got you started and when did you run your first half marathon or marathon?

I wish I could say I was always a runner. But that's just not the case. I was the kid in high school who would fake an injury to get out of running the timed mile in gym class. And although I've always been an athlete and even competed at the Division I level in college, I NEVER ran. I'm pretty sure my longest run back then was 800 meters, and even that was at a snail's pace.

I first started running after I had Doodle. I had decided that I was going to run a 10K as one of my New Year's resolutions. By the time August had rolled around, I still hadn't attempted working towards that goal. So, I found a walk/run training plan for a 5K, signed up for a race and never looked back. The first time I ever ran three miles without walking was on race day. Afterwards, I needed something to keep me motivated, so I registered for an 8K two months later. By the time I ran that 8K, I had decided to train for a marathon. Because when I decide to do something, I do it big. So, the Monday after Thanksgiving (3 months after I first started running) I began marathon training. 16 weeks later, on Doodle's first birthday, I finished that marathon in a painfully slow time.

Kim asked: "I want to know more about running during your pregnancy. Did your doc (or anyone else) ever give you any crap about it? "

Yes and no. My doctor was pretty much on board. She knew that she couldn't really stop me, so we came to an agreement about my training. Rule number one was to listen to my body. And rule number two was never race all out. Pretty simple, right? I listened to her and she didn't give me a hard time about running.

My mom was the hardest to convince. She did not want me running, convinced I was damaging her unborn granddaughter. Every time I complained about not feeling right, or being achy, she told me to stop running. After a point, I think she gave up too and just let me do what I wanted. But honestly, those people closest to me knew I wasn't going to do anything stupid. More than anything, they were all very supportive, regardless of whether or not they agreed with my running.

Heather asked: "How did you get so comfortable on the treadmill? I cannot handle running on it as I stare at the time and it bugs me. Also, what treadmill do you have and do you watch tv or listen to music?"

Oh, the treadmill. My favorite piece of equipment (it's a six-year old ProForm). How I will miss you when you are gone ...

OK, seriously, I got so comfortable running on the treadmill because I had no other choice. J's job has him traveling a lot. We don't have any family nearby. And pushing a triple stroller while running is nearly impossible. I need to get my runs in and so I am left with the treadmill. I figure I'd rather run in place, than not run at all.

I think that I am helped by the fact that I have a positive attitude about running on the treadmill, too. Just like when you run on the road or trail, if you have negative thoughts while you run, it is going to be painful. I try to look at running on the treadmill as an opportunity, not a punishment. Plus, I don't just run one pace for the whole run. I like to do progression runs, intervals, tempo runs, hill work, whatever. And yes, I do watch TV when I run. Usually with the volume off and the captions on. My iPod only comes out during speedwork.

Tortuga_Runner asked: "How did you and your husband make arrangements so you could fit in your runs?" and Anne asked: "Does your running (the time that it requires) ever cause tension at home?"

Like I have said a million times before, J is super supportive of my running. My training and the time that it takes has never been an issue with us. He knows that I work 24/7 raising our daughters and he understands that I need some me time (plus I think I am pretty good about balancing being a wife, a mother and a runner).

Because I don't have a full-time job, I can be flexible with when I run. So, most of my runs are done when J is working or traveling (not taking away from our time together). I squeeze my runs in during nap time or while the girls are at dance classes or preschool. When J travels or works late, I run on the treadmill once the girls are in bed.

The only exception to this is my long run. I almost always do that run with my friends, leaving J with the girls for a few hours. I usually try to leave before they are awake, so that I don't miss too much family time. But, it's nice for J to spend some time alone with the girls. He doesn't see them much during the week, so when I do my long runs they get to catch up.

deannahensley asked: "What is more important to you, speed or distance?

Definitely speed. Perhaps I shouldn't care so much, but I don't run just to be able to say I ran. I run to be faster than others. I'm kind of competitive like that.

Jill asked: "What's the one running accessory you would go back to get if you forgot it?"

Without a doubt, my sunglasses. I almost never run without them. They block the wind, sun and rain from my eyes. Plus, they ALWAYS make for a better race photo.

Badgergirl asked: "Do you run with or without music? If you do, what are some of your favorite tunes to run to?"

I almost NEVER train with music, but I almost ALWAYS race with music. Weird, huh?

As for my playlist, here are some songs from my current rotation ...

All the Right Moves - OneRepublic
Poker Face - Lady Gaga
Misery Business - Paramore
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Whatcha Say - Jason Derulo
Fireflies - Owl City
I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
Crushcrushcrush - Paramore
Naturally - Selena Gomez
See You Again - Miley Cyrus