Tuesday Night Fun.....WHAT?

It's called a Fun Run.  It's not a race, it's not necessarily designed to be training, nothing too organized about it....it's just fun.  When I trained for the half marathon I would just go out once a week and run a long run and increase the distance each time.  Probably not the best way but it was MY way.  For the full marathon things are going to be a bit different.  Sports Backers Marathon Training Team (MTT) has, what seems, a better approach.  But it does involve mid-week training.  Sooooooooooo I started looking at different ways to get in my running without it being the same old-same old.  Then it hit me! There is a local running club/group, Tri-Cities Road Runners, that I belong to and they have a weekly 'fun run'.  I had never attended, blame it on my introvert self, but now seemed like a great time to give it a try. 

They meet at a local restaurant, in Old Towne Petersburg, and run an unspecified distance.  Seems like it's a runners choice type thing.  Then after the run they stick around the restaurant for appetizers.  I like running and I like food so win-win.  I Facebooked the group that I would be there and come Tuesday evening I put on my running shoes and joined in on the Tuesday Night Fun Run.  It was just a hair over 4 miles and like advertised it started and finished at the restaurant.  And since it's just a group of people getting together to run there is not cost like at an organized race.  So really it's win-win-win. 

Geez that is a lot of miles

Part of the trail we ran with the fun run

 

I did come away from this with one thing....I need a different way to track my running.  I use the App Runkeeper but since it's on my phone I tend to forget to turn it off.  Plus it drains my battery.  I have been browsing Amazon for trackers and have a feeling I'm going to go with the Garmin Forerunner 15.  If anyone has used one before any advise would be appreciated. 

 

Next Tuesday Mr. Busy and I are going to a concert but after that I will be making the fun runs part of my weekly habit :-) 

 

Happy running/adventuring my friends. 

 

 

Finally! I Did It!

I mentioned in a few posts that I have been training for a half marathon.  7 weeks worth of training actually and I finally got to see it pay off.  The Petersburg Halloween Half Marathon was on this past Saturday in Petersburg VA.  Being only 10 minutes away from where I live, registering was a no brainer. 

Back in April of this year, the hubby and I, did our first half marathon down at the beach in Outer Banks NC.  We didn't train for it and walked most of it.  We've done countless 5ks, several 10ks but never had done a half marathon.  When we finished the race in OBX I set a goal for myself that if we did the race again next year I wouldn't walk it.  Then in July I signed up for a 17.76k (about 11 miles) race.  I trained for it and did well....and by did well I mean I didn't walk.  Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with walking a race, but I challenge myself to do something I don't usually do.  And I can walk ALL DAY.  And when I say I didn't walk I must clarify and say that me running is as slow as some people walking.  Either way I set a goal then and met it.  Then I found out about the Halloween Half in Petersburg....I couldn't resist and signed up. 

Now the running part didn't turn out to be my problem.  Time to run on the other hand WAS.  We are The Busy Bryant's after all.  I didn't sign up to train on a team because I felt comfortable with how well I had trained for the race in July.  I would just be adding a couple miles in order to do the half.  I did do some online research and read lots of articles on increasing distance safely and how/when to refuel.  I planned long runs on weekends, shorter runs during the week and cardio (non-running) also during the week at the gym.  I did say I planned to do long runs on weekends.  The problem was mother nature sent us monsoon season and I had to get creative.  Some long runs had to be done during the week.  Some had to be skipped all together and figure out how to make up the time and then there was a weird day that I went for a run and went a lot further than I planned and felt like I still could keep going.  So if you do ever want to run a race, of any size, keep training time in mind. 

 

 

  I must admit I was a little nervous about doing the race.  Whenever I run a new distance for the first time I feel those butterflies.  I had only trained up to 12.20 miles so the race would actually be the first time I attempted to run 13.1.  The week right before the race I did a short 8 mile run and it felt like I was cheating.  The night before the race I set out all of my things and went to bed early.  Before I knew it race day was HERE. 

 

 

The race started and finished in Old Town Petersburg.  The route was scenic for the most part.  I did find out the hard way that Petersburg is hilly!  The miles went by pretty fast and I kept a more consistent pace than I usually do with training.  Before I knew it I was at mile 13 and crossing the finish line.  My family wasn't there to see it, which made me a little sad, but I did this race for me and I met the goal I set out to meet. 

 



Goal met!

As I was training for the race I told Mark, on more than one occasion, to not let me ever sign up for another half marathon!  The time to train was hard to find.  But now after doing the race I think it was nerves talking.  I have already looked at a few to do next year.  I would like to keep up with doing the long runs once a month and see what happens...maybe a full marathon eventually???

 

Whatever

Our weekend went by in a flash and I'm just now catching up on the start of my week. 

We attended the Friday for the Arts in Old Town Petersburg, did the Rugged Maniac 5K, did a long run in prep for a half marathon and finished off with the Richmond Folk Festival.

 Friday for the Arts takes place in Old Town Petersburg the 2nd Friday evening of every month.  The shops in Old Town stay open late, art is out on display and many of the restaurants have live entertainment.

The Ward Center

The Ward Center



The Art Room

Saturday morning was overcast, sometimes rainy, chilly and overall gloomy.  Despite that we made it to The Rugged Maniac 5K in Dinwiddie VA.  25 obstacles, mud and beer...I think that is part of their slogan...and that is what we got.  Because of last weeks rain we had more than our fair share of MUD!  We sipped part of a beer and headed home to clean/warm up! 

Rugged Maniac



Emma at a birthday party...others enjoyed cake...she enjoyed the chicken

Sunday morning I headed out alone to get in a long run in preparation for The Petersburg Half Marathon.  I had a plan to get in 11.5 miles but somehow (I miss calculated) exceeded that.  12.2...guess I'm pretty ready.  The race is still a couple weeks out so I have no idea what to do until then.  Suggestions?

I even found a new trail in the park



Don't just my pace...yes I am slow...no that is not walking

Sunday afternoon we headed to Richmond for the 11th annual Richmond Folk Festival.  Amazing artists, food like crazy and all for free.  Free.  I still can't really get over that part.  Of course the band I wanted to hear was scheduled to be at the end of the day but The Alt was worth the wait.  The time allowed us to hear other bands.  Win-Win.



The Alt

Pretty packed weekend.  My house looks like a disaster area, no really it does.  We need to cut our grass.  The fridge is pretty barren.  But really it's all ok.  We had fun as a family, we saw some things we would never of seen had we stayed home and cleaned and I found a new group to add to my playlist.  I can clean tomorrow. 

New Discoveries Part II

So last week I told you about a "new to me" park I discovered locally in Colonial Heights.  And I mentioned that Roslyn Park is part of a larger concept...that concept is one that The FOLAR are slowly but surely putting in place.  I accidentally stumbled across the website for the group and discovered I have an entire trail system right in my back yard to explore.  Literally, as soon as I had a free hour to myself I went off to check things out.

In Dinwiddie

Appomattox Riverside Park in Dinwiddie County

Appomattox Riverside Park

In Petersburg



Between Campbell's Bridge in Petersburg and Appomattox Riverside Park in Dinwiddie

Between Campbell's Bridge in Petersburg and Appomattox Park in Dinwiddie

In Hopewell/Prince George



Appomattox River Regional Park in Prince George



Appomattox River Regional Park in Prince George County

City Park Location in Hopewell

The individual parks are all along the Lower Appomattox River and cover ground from Dinwiddie County to Hopewell City.  The FOLAR website indicated the that it would eventually be a 22.8 mile long trail.  That made me one very happy girl!!!!  With what is already in place the Busy Bryant's have logged some serious hiking/site seeing time already. Can't wait to discover more.

Is it Friday Yet

Is it Friday yet?  Am I the only one day dreaming about what the weekend holds?  Am I the only one that thinks back to the last weekend and can't wait to do it all over again?

Sometime we actually stay home on a weekend so there isn't a grand adventure to share...but there are still great things we get to do right here at home.  Saturday I introduced Mark to a new coffee spot in Old Town Petersburg.  I think I have him hooked ;-)

And there is always something to do....like change out the Seasonal Tree.  Father's Day is coming up so I tricked the tree out with "Dad Ornaments"....that means the tree has some fishing, beer, wine, tractor, blue, manly stuff on it.

I didn't do anything with these roses over the weekend except trim a few back...but they are too pretty not to share.

Other than the usual running around we pretty much have been keeping at home.  The next couple weeks are busy with school banquets, work commitments, a coupld of races (one being the dreaded Tough Mudder) and one dance recital that is taking up an entire week.  So yeah home is where it's at these days.

Day dreaming of this!

Attitude of Gratitude Day 11

I know.  I know!  I missed a few days on here but isn't it the thought that counts? We've been busy making memories and being thankful even tho I haven't posted about it the last few days.

Today I am thankful for our veterans.  Saturday night Mark, the kids and myself attended an annual service at Poplar Grove National Cemetery, in Petersburg.  The service is part of a Veterans Day celebration that results in the illumination 6,000 graves of Union Soldiers.  Some of the luminaries have memorials to more recently fallen soldiers and veterans.  And some of the luminaries have messages of thanks to members of our armed forces.

During the service park rangers narrated stories of some of the fallen soldiers.  Then from somewhere in the dark a bugler would play taps.  Park rangers encouraged visitors to find a spot away from other visitors just to sit and reflect.  It was a wonderful service to be a part of and one I hope to take part in next year as well.

Thank you to all of our veterans...past, present and future.

Monday Love

We're well into October and I don't have the first Halloween Tree picture up yet....shame on me!  This weekend we had much love for the warm weather and for celebrating all that October brings with it. 

Petersburg Haunts

What a monster of a pumpkin

We found plenty of excuses to get outside and enjoy the last little bit of warm weather that we could.  Thank you Mother Nature for an excellent weekend! 

Monday Love

What can I say except I have a crazy, mad, love for my friends and of course my family.  So when I can have lots of friends and family over to help us celebrate a Friday then I am as happy as a clam.

Mark and I worked on the yard during the evenings last week because we were having friends over Friday night to roast hot dogs and marshmallows.   For me that meant getting to play in the dirt again :)



Thanks to my mother-in-law I got this super cute cart :)



For Mark it meant sitting up the canopy and getting out all the chairs....Thank you honey!

I didn't get pictures of the festivities on Friday night.  I was just too busy catching up with friends.  I got to see friends I haven't seen in years and I got to see friends that I haven't seen in what FEELS like years.  I wish there were more times like these :)

We carried some of the fun over into Saturday.  Old Towne Petersburg had a wine festival and don't you know it was just calling all our names.  Three of us that went had won tickets various ways....so if that's not a good sign I don't know what is!

On Sunday I made a meal fit for a King....and then didn't eat ANY of it!  You heard right.  We didn't eat any of it.  I froze it instead.  I really like to cook and I like when my family can sit down for a meal together.  So I made 4 "main" dishes and a couple sides that usually take so long that I tend to leave them at the back of my recipe file.  I did throw in a new dish and from the smell of it I think I picked a winner.  So this week and the next few weeks I'll be able to still put a home cooked meal on the table after a day of working, going to cross country meets, going to the gym and all those other obstacles that get in the way. 

Apricot pork chops, lasagna rolls, mini meatloaves, chicken cordon bleu,
corn casserole and green bean casserole :)



I finished the weekend off sitting out on the deck with my feet kicked up....and I thanked my lucky stars that I have such good friends and such a close family.  :)  Happy Monday people.  It's the start to another wonderful week.