An easy 8

Well today has been busy and successful!  Yesterday was a rest day and I did just that, went out to dinner with Bryan and got all my flowers for my hanging baskets to plant today.  I worked 5 hours last night and then met up with the group for an 8 mile run through the beautiful Hollywood district neighborhoods in Portland.  It was a whole new look at this area and the houses and yards made my jaw drop.  Perfectly manicured and it made me wanna run home and do some yard work!  The run was awesome and 8 miles was a breeze.  I ran with another runner in the 10:30 pace group this time, but there was just the 2 of us.  We ended up keeping a 10 minute pace and that felt comfortable.  It felt so good at the end and I felt like I could have kept running, and I could have, the group was doing another 8 miles for a total of 16 for the day, and I was tempted but knew I had some things to get done and eventually needed to get some sleep.  So I headed home.
The weather has been cooperating and it's been perfect for running.  Hopefully it will stick around, but there are showers in the forecast.  Looking forward to resting the rest of the weekend, maybe a BBQ!  Hope you all have a great run this weekend too!

You'd think he ran 8 miles today!  

Playing in the mud

Well the weather has been fairly nice this week and I have been able to make it out for some good runs in between rain showers.  Yesterday Maverick and I did a quick 3.75 mile run on one of our regular routes through town.  We had a great pace of 8:39 average per mile!  I'm always amazed when I see my pace get faster and faster.  I don't physically feel like I'm running any faster than the day I started running.   It's such an accomplish to see my improvements!
Today I just wanted to get out and not focus in pace, but explore a new trail my neighbor had told me about.  Mav and I headed out and it was about 2 miles until we came to the trail.  We followed the trail around and it wasn't very long and didn't seem to really go anywhere.  It ended up taking us to the high school track where there was track practice going on.  The coaches would fire off guns for the runners to start and Maverick wasn't a fan of that.  But it's good exposure for him.  He didn't freak out too much and I didn't pay any attention to his reaction, just kept running and he quickly got back into focus.  We tried to avoid all the school kids by running on a trail that was above the field and about half way in we came across a big mud pit with no way around, about 2 steps in, as I was sinking down I thought about my new, pretty shoes!  Mav was ready to charge through the mud, but I decided we better turn around.  So that meant we were gonna have to go through the swarm of high school students.  We made it through and got back on the road and headed home.  While stopped at a crosswalk I looked down and noticed my legs were splattered with mud and Maverick's belly and legs were pretty covered.  He looked up at my with his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth and a big grin on his face and I just smiled back at him and gave him a "good boy!".  It was a pretty fun run after all!
One of my favorite things about running in Sandy is the view of the mountain I get on my way home.  I try to focus in it and take my mind off the fact that I'm running up hill.  Today is was especially beautiful.  The sun was hitting it just right that it made it look illuminated.  It was a crisp, bright white and I couldn't take my eyes off of it.  Wish I would have taken a picture for you all to see it!

What's your best pace so far?  And what's your goal average pace?

First sweat of the year!

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Happy Monday everyone!  Hope you all had a fabulous Easter weekend.  Mine was filled with family and yummy food!  I made a cake for dessert.  It's always fun to decorate and be creative with a holiday cake!  

But of course all the indulging on Easter meant I had to get a good run in on Monday!  Luckily the weather was still nice and warm.  I decided we would go on the Tickle Creek trail so Maverick could take a dip in the creek if he got too warm.  And once we got going and on the trail, I was hot enough I felt like jumping in with him!!  Yesterday was the hottest of the year so far, even tho it was only in the low 60's, but I think today was even hotter!  It defiantly made me feel sluggish (which also could have been from all the champagne yesterday too) and for the first time on a run this year, I was dripping sweat!  Lovely image, I know, but I had forgotten what it was like to run in the warmer weather!  Which made me think I was also gonna have to start getting my runs in when I get home in the morning while it's still cool out.  Once we got to the end of the trail I decided we would just take the trail back home instead of our normal way which takes us through town, just so we could stay out of the sun and stay in the shade to help stay cool.  I usually don't like going this way home because there are some difficult hills, when you're at the bottom looking up, it looks like stairs you're about to climb!  Going through town is more of a steady incline up.  We made it to the top of the "stairs"  and only had a half mile left until we were home, so we picked up our pace, thinking about getting a drink of water the whole time!  The 5 miles I did today felt harder than the 12 I did Saturday!

Which brings me to my next thought!  As my runs get longer, and the weather gets warmer I'm looking into getting a hydration belt or camel back.  Most runners use a belt, and I tried one on at a store and it was light and comfortable, but trying to get the water bottle out of the holder while running, wasn't so easy.  I also tried on a camel back, and the water is easier to access because you have a straw, and you can carry more water, which would be nice for longer runs and hotter days.  But it would be heavier and I think would make me hotter having something on my back.  It's a tough decision and at the end of the day I think I will end up with both, but will start our with a belt :))

What do you prefer to use while running to stay hydrated and why?

12 miles in the bag!

Today was another milestone for me as I surpassed my longest distance of 10 miles with 12 miles!  The weather was clear and sunny, which was a nice change from rainy and rainy.  It was a bit cold to start tho, about 33 degrees.  I met up with Coach Jim's group at 8am in Downtown Portland.  I was really looking forward to running along the water front, I've been wanting to run it since I have started running. And I couldn't have pick a better day to do it!

  Last time Jim had suggested I run in the 11:15 group, but this time I decided to go in 1 group faster which was 10:45 pace.  It was still slow, but a good pace for long distance.  I was tracking my run with the Run Keeper app I always used, but it glitched on my run and ended up saying I went a total of 16.58 miles!  I was disappointed in the app, but glad I had other runners that were tracking without problems so I knew our pace and distance.  I felt strong the whole run and it was nice to have sun and blue skies!  The weather is suppose to continue to warm up, but it looks like the rain will be back tonight or tomorrow.  So I'm glad I got a good, long run in while I had a chance!
Next week is two 8 mile routes with the group for a total of 16 miles.  I think I will only do the first 8 miles next weekend.  But I will see how I feel when I get there!
Hope everyone else had some good weather to run in this weekend! Have a great Easter!  Eat some peeps and keep running!

Not looking too bad for running 12 miles!

Where's your favorite area to run?  The beach, country, along a river?  

The rolling hills of Sandy

April snow showers bring May...wait, what?!?  Snow in April?!  Yup, that's what I came home to after work last night!  Big old fat flakes too, and that stuff is no fun to get in your eyes, so I decided I would hold off on a run until the afternoon.  My rhododendrons got the memo that it's spring time, so hopefully the weather will figure it out soon!
Once the afternoon became dry and the sun was peaking out, I thought it was prime time to get out!  I had been thinking about going a new route for a while now that involved some beautiful country scenery, but I was hesitant since the roads have no shoulder and cars travel fast.  But at the same time, there isn't a lot of traffic so as long as I kept my music down and was observant of cars, I figured I could give it a try!  I can't think of many things more beautiful than the country!  But one thing I had forgotten about, is how hilly the back roads of Sandy are!  It was like a roller coaster!
While running along taking in the sunset and country air Maverick saw something out of the corner of his eye

OH PLEASE CAN WE STOP AND SAY HI?!?!

I wasn't sure how Maverick would react to a horse, or if the horse would even come over and say hello.  Mav has seen horses before, but never up close.  He was pretty interested in meeting him, so I thought we'd try. And what do you know?!  They were quick friends!  Mav greeted him with lots of kisses and the horse didn't seem to mind.  After a few minutes of meet and greet we said our goodbyes and promised to bring a carrot next time!  

It made my day to meet the horse too :))

We loved our new found route and am looking forward to running it again!  Maybe not as often as I'd like since it is more dangerous than I would be comfortable with doing regularly.  

And did I mention the hills???  Yea, they were brutal.  I have only ran with Coach Jim's group once, but he has already taught me something I find very valuable and useful for hills.  He said there are 3 things to do when running up hill, 1) look up, which I already do, 2) Shorten your steps, also something I do.  But the third was the one that has changed it all for me, 3) pump your arms like you're trying to elbow the person behind you.    Could this really help?  Is this the answer to powering up hills??  The answer is YES!  I have been doing it ever since he told us and was amazed how much easier it makes hills!  I almost look forward to hills just so I can try this new found method!  So next time you come to a hill, look up, shorten your steps, pump your arms like you're elbowing someone behind you and KEEP RUNNING!

Do you have any tips or tricks for powering up hills?  

Don't forget my carrot next time!

A Little Change

Hello!  If you have been reading my blog regularly, you probably are wondering, "What the heck?  What happened to the name?"  Well like I said before, this is a new territory for me and when I originally created the blog I didn't think about making the web address the same as my blog title.  So I thought before I had a million followers (I hear you laughing) I would make the change now and hopefully make it less confusing to find and follow!  So, Run with Me and Mav it is and it will stay :))  Hope you all like it as much as I do!  I love to encourage others to run and especially run with their dogs, and if I know you, I encourage you to come run with me and Mav!  So I thought that title was perfect :))
Well on a runners note, we have had two good weather days to get some miles in!  Monday started my week with a sunny 60 degree day and I couldn't pass up a run.  So we got out and paced ourselves, which I'm learning the importance of, on a 4 mile run.  Today came and I wasn't really in the mood to run.  I was sitting around trying to talk myself into it when Bryan mentioned he wanted to go to the movie store.  I love to run places in town and meet Bryan there, because it gets me out for a run and I get a ride home! LOL!  So I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get a little 2 mile run in for the day.  I was glad I went, and yes Mav came too!  They love him at the movie store.  I'm happy my week has started off strong and I am looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!!  Although, I may do some leg exercises.  Gotta get my stems looking good for summer!
Hope you all are having a good start to your week too!  Keep running, even when you don't feel like it, "The only runs you'll regret are the ones you don't do!"

Coach Jim's Elite Runners in Training

Well it's a little after 2am and of course I can't sleep!  So I thought I would talk a little bit about how my Saturday run went!  Earlier in the week I discovered a FREE runners group.  They meet every Saturday and I thought I'd check it out.  They train you for half and full marathons and they will even customize unique runs tailored to your specific level!  Really a great program.
So I met up with the group in the morning and walked in like a lost puppy, there were probably over 100 runners there and had been running with the group for a long time.  Coach Jim welcomed me with open arms and talked to me about my goals and where I was currently at as a runner.  After talking with me he decided to put me in the 4 hour group (4 hours marathon time) which was about an 11:15 pace...I was like, 'but, but I'm around a 9 minute mile!' He assured me he knows what I can do, but expressed importance on pacing for long distance runs.  No way I can run a marathon with an average 9 minute mile.  I understood it is important to learn to pace myself. So I reluctantly held back as the faster pace groups took off.
I brought my Iphone and earbuds with me ready to listen to some tunes to get me through my run but ended up running with a Chatty Kathy who was also being held back in a slower group due to injury.  Talking with her really helped pass the time.  And after a while of trying to avoid giving our pace leaders flat tires we eventually broke off from the group and upped our pace a little.  I know I know, I was suppose to go slower, but we still were keeping it around a 10:45 pace.
Our run was just under 9 miles and we went up Mt Tabor, which is about a 2 mile uphill run, It was my second time running Mt Tabor and it was a lot easier this time!  It's such a great satisfaction making it to the top!  Oh did I mention the rain??  Yea, we tied a record set back in 1957 for the month of March for total  rainfall!  And the last day of the month took no mercy on us!

See my hair?  It was beautifully straightened ponytail before the run, and this is what it looked like after!  That was a fun mess to brush out!  
But overall I had a really successful run and I'm really looking forward to more runs with this group and going on some longer runs!  
Hope you all have a successful run this weekend too!   Keep Running!