Upper Uwchlan 150th Anniversary 5K Run

Big Ole’ Ribbon

Today… Joe and I ran the Upper Uwchlan 150th Anniversary 5K Run together.. when I say we ran it together I mean T-O-G-E-T-H-E-R…

Our township was celebrating their 150th Anniversary and I thought it would be a great idea to sign up the WHOLE family and do a family run.. unfortunately the whole family had other ideas…… like, “OH..I haven’t walked/run in weeks” ....or “I forgot about it, when is it again?” ....or the best yet, “I have to go to the Kenny Chesney concert”.....now why is it I am the only one who hasn’t heard any of his songs???? and WHO IS HE@@! ?

Anyhow, low and behold Joe said he would do the 5K with me.. since by the way it was only 2 miles from our house…..so we head down to the township building to pick up our race packets. A sign at registration posted the winning award brackets.. they offered the top 3 male and female in only three brackets: ages 15-28, 29-45, and 46+ Holy Smokes.. that means Joe and I would be competing with a LARGE group of people...the 29-45 year olds.. and by glancing around THAT’S ALMOST all that were here, not too many younglings getting themselves out of bed on a Saturday morning.. so that kinda sealed the deal.. we would just run nice and easy… Joe was nursing a bad paw anyhow… (hurt the pad of his foot this week) so should be easy enough to stay on the easy plan. Until the gun goes off..

I really did try and hold back… no starting off like someone shot me out of a cannon.. I took it nice and E-A-S-Y…I look over and there is Joe.. hmm.. I must be going too easy.. so I pick up pace… I look over again and he is AHEAD OF ME!!!!… HMMMMM… so I pick up pace again…Did I not mention that we ran T-O-G-E-T-H-E-R? ... Most of the race was this back and forth.. I would be ahead.. we would be besides each other.. he would be ahead and then we would be besides each other… I looked at time on watch.. what part of EASY did we miss??!!….. We both PR’d today…Joe taking over 2 minutes off his best 5K time… I placing third in my age group and 15th overall and Joe placing 17th overall. And what a BIG OLE’ RIBBON they gave out…

Zip Me Up

You know with all the hours of training, working, and doing nothing….I sometimes forget to thank the ones who have been the most helpful and supportive… On the top of my list today is my mom… who quite literary got me OUT OF A BIND this am….. see..

…this morning I thought it would be special to wear a dress to work.. it’s Friday, it’s going to be hot and I thought .. ok .. dress day… well this particular dress zippered up the back…. you know like a wetsuit.. well I am not sure how many of you have worn or put on wetsuits but I have found that it’s next to impossible to zip yourself up in one without help.. so I thought of this ..as I zipped up the dress… and luck be have it.. the zipper sticks..

And of course it sticks in the exact spot in the middle of your back where you cannot reach it either by putting your arms up or down the back.. and so I fussed around with this predicament for a little bit and got myself into a nice state…SO NOW not only was my zipper stuck it was somehow wrapped around itself.. and now I am really STUCK.. literally stuck in my dress.. I cannot get out of it.. nor can I zip it up completely… and I have to go to work.. THUS comes in the big THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to mom…

[I had to drive all the way across town to have my mom release me from my bondage!]

Please make sure you thank your mom and/or loved ones…every day because they are INVALUABLE…. THANK YOU MOM!

MIND TRAINING:

Wendy’s Update on her Personal Training Certification:
FINALLY … finished the course work, exam and essay questions for my Personal Training Certificate and now anxiously await to see if I pass and get certified. Amazing how fast the months do go by! My head is full of all sorts of WONDERFUL knowledge that I have been sharing with a few of you…. Although I think I need a course on, “How to deal with difficult people”.

….Like when I suggest that you do an easy run that does not mean you go out and run like wild animals are after you...and when I suggest that you ice your leg for 10-20 minutes that does not mean that you ice for 25 minutes and then proceed to do (I SWEAR) an Irish jig in place in front of me to prove that 25 minutes was ok… SIGH…

Eagleman Half Ironman 2008 Pics

Loop to Loop:

When its hot out and you have a long run to attend to there are a few options to keep properly hydrated… along with running at the CRACK of Dawn… the one option which really makes sense is the loop course option… you run out for XX amount of miles and then back home, refuel, and then run out again for XX amount of miles and back home.. easy enough…

OF course what you FORGET is that coming in after your first loop of 10 miles…. knowing you have 6 more miles to go.. is MADDENING!…. you look up and see your home and the door welcomes you into air-conditioning and your legs feel like toast but you are not done……

SO close but yet so far away. Just think Joe.. after this 16.. we only have 10.2 more to go… that Marathon on November 2nd is going to be G-R-E-A-T!

Workout Madness:

Madness: Noun:
· The quality or condition of being insane. See Synonyms at insanity.
· Great folly: It was sheer madness to attempt the drive during a blizzard.
· Fury; rage.
· Enthusiasm; excitement.

The sheer thought of doing 75 miles on the bike trainer for a total time of 3-1/2 hrs of blissful ENTHUSIASM.. then jumping off and running 6 miles easy… what is easy? I have to remind myself again WHY am I doing a Full Ironman??.. Time sure does pass a bit faster when you get to watch the ENTIRE 1st episode of Lord of the Rings Extended version and heck start the second and HOW LONG ARE THESE VIDEOS!!!! And real sorry to the Saturday morning sleep “in”ners at my house… as I really truly needed the movie on that loud.. it helps drown out the pain…

Unable to walk now or stand upright … Tomorrow is our long run 16 miles… Joe better be rested from his 25+ mile bike adventure today to French Creek and oh yeah and cutting the grass.

AFLAC IRON GIRL COLUMBIA TRIATHLON

On August 24, 2008, Wendy will be racing in the AFLAC IRON GIRL COLUMBIA TRIATHLON in Centennial Park - Columbia, Maryland (0.62mi Swim - 17.5mi Bike - 3.4mi Run).

It is an all women's event. Individuals who raise $500.00 or more for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults will receive the following: Iron Girl shirt, Iron Girl bag, Iron Girl socks, Iron Girl visor, Iron Girl mug, Her Sports & Fitness Magazine Subscription, Special race bib, and Recognition at the award ceremony.

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCF), is a 501 c-3 non-profit charity organization based in Columbia, MD, is the first and largest organization in the country solely supporting young adults living with cancer.

You can find out more about it at http://www.ulmanfund.org/ (TAX DEDUCTABLE) DONATE DIRECTLY TO my fund raise webpage so I get credit.. http://www.active.com/donate/ucf2008/wendymastripolito

If you dont want to do the donating online you can write a check just make sure you put my name on memo line.. and send to:All offline donations must be recorded on your online web campaign page with Active Donations. Please make checks out to Ulman Cancer Fund and note Iron Girl in the check memo line. Offline donations can be turned in at race registration or mailed to Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults PMB #505 4725 Dorsey Hall Drive, Suite A Ellicott City, MD 21042 Attn. Kelly Lance.