SnoFlake's Blog

Hi!  I'm SnoFlake.  I'm Snoqualmie's daughter.  As you might have read on my mom's running blog, I've been running since this Sunday (Aug. 9).  On Sunday I did 2.1 miles, on Monday I did 2.09 miles, on Wednesday I did 3.13 miles, and today I did 1.3 miles.  I would have probably gone farther today, except that it was pouring outside, and both me and my mom were soaked within minutes.  

 Right now, my goal is a 5K.  I haven't signed up for anything yet, but my mom is helping me train.  I'm so excited to finally have my own blog!  I never really liked running before, but once I started doing it more, it became more fun for me.  On my first run, however, I ate a huge dinner and went running right after it, and had a horrible stitch in my side the whole time.  On Monday morning, I tried eating just a banana before mom and I went out in the morning, but I guess it didn't quite finish digesting or something because I still had a stitch in my side.  For the past few days, I've eaten nothing before a run (just water or juice), and it's gotten a lot better.

 In addition to running, I also really like horseback riding (I take lessons once a week, and this summer I've been helping out at the barn one morning a week as well) and gymnastics (I go to gymnastics class once a week too).   I'm homeschooled.

 I'll probably run again tomorrow morning.  If not, I'll definitely be back on Monday!!!! 

Great weather.  I ran with mom today (as usual) and I had a great time.  Ran a bit farther than 5K distance again -- well, at least I know that I can do it.  I'm taking a lot of walk breaks right now, so it took a long time, but it was definitely worth it.  I'm pooped now, though.  I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so it was hard to wake up this morning.  I might even have to take a nap later, which I almost never do.

I forgot to write about something that happened to me yesterday while my mom and I were out running together.  Our neighborhood has a lot of really young trees spaced along on the strip of grass next to the sidewalk.  One of them, a few blocks from my house, has a very young branch (it wasn't there last year) that comes down towards the sidewalk, so that if you don't duck, you'll walk right into it.  I was not walking.  And I did not duck.  I was running, and I crashed right into it.  I didn't actually hurt because the branch was so young that it bent when I hit it.  I didn't really realize what had happened to me until I had emerged from the leaves, my face covered in water (the leaves were, of course, wet because of all the rain we had that day), and looked back to see the branch still swaying back and forth behind me.  No more looking down at the ground while running for me.  Well, at least I'm able to laugh about it now, right? :-)

The tree incident happened yesterday.  Today, luckily, the most that happened was running under a telephone wire with a huge flock of swallows sitting on it, and hoping nothing would fall on my head.  Luckily, nothing did.;-) 

Have a great weekend everybody! 

Boy am I pooped.  I don't think I've ever been this pooped after running 2 miles.  Anyway, it was a good run.  We went a way we don't normally go, because it's so hilly.  But I figure if I show up at a 5K and there's a ton of hills that I'm not prepared for, that's not going to be a ton of fun.  Oh, yeah, and if you count me looking at the clock, freaking out, and sprinting down the stairs just as mom came through the door, we did some speed work too.;-)  

We went out just as the sun was coming up, so that was really pretty.  I was going to go for a run yesterday morning with my dad, but when I woke up, I just didn't feel like it, so I decided to pass and wait for today.  Maybe next week.  I did go for a walk that evening with my dad.  

Gymnastics tonight -- hope I'm not too tired.  I really do not enjoy running several times around the floor with no walk breaks at top speed.  I can run fast for a very, very short time, or run slowly for a couple of miles, but I cannot combine the two to save my life.;-)   

I'm planning to run again on Wednesday.  Hopefully I will not make the same stupid mistake of not drinking any water before going out in the morning.  There's your SnoFlake-runs-into-a-tree moment for today.;-) 

Once again, we got lucky on the weather.  Really nice -- perfect for running.  I was a little bit cold at first, but once I got warmed up and started running, it was great.  Luckily, no running-into-a-tree moments today.  My legs got really tired after about one mile --they don't usually do this until 2 or 2.5 miles.

I do have a sad story though.  Yesterday, I was siting in the kitchen when I heard a big thump and looked around to see that a bird had hit out living room windows and was falling to the ground (it's a long way down).  We rushed outside, and the poor thing wasn't moving.  It was breathing though, and flapping it's wings, trying to stand up.  We have had birds get injured by our cat before now, so we keep a shoebox with holes punched in for air handy just in case.  We put the bird in the box and put the box in a dark, quiet room for a while.  Just before we put it in the room, the bird appeared to stop breathing.  When we came back into the dark room to check on it, it was definetly dead.  We wrapped it in a paper towel and buried it in the front yard.  

We're not quite sure what kind of bird she was, because she looked like a goldfinch, but was way to big to be one. We think she died of a concussion, which I've read can sometimes happen when birds hit windows very hard.  I hate seeing animals die and it was very sad.  At least she didn't die at the hands, or rather, at the paws, of our cat, who enjoys playing with his food before eating it.

Does anyone know of a type of bird who looks like a goldfinch but is bigger than one? 

Ran with dad today, that was a lot of fun.  Our average pace was 10.5 minute miles, which to me felt really fast.  We just did a short run today.  I woke up thinking, "Hey, this is great weather!  Cloudy, but it's not raining!  Well, at least I won't get hot today!"  I did not get hot.  That may have been due to the fact that the moment I stepped out the door, it started raining.  It wasn't too rainy, mostly just a mist, but there was wind which made it feel rainier and colder than it really was.

Am I destined to keep running into tree branches?  It seems like I might, so far.  I ran into two more this morning.  Both were very young, so it didn't hurt, but they were also very wet.  Luckily, the both only hit my hat.  I am so glad I wear a hat.  Unfortunately, it is now covered in brown marks, as it it smacked into a tree while it's owner was looking down.... three times.  I didn't forget my water this morning, but I may have drunk too much at a water stop because I got a stitch in my side and could hear it sloshing around in my stomach about three blocks from home.  Slosh slosh slosh.

 Have a great weekend everybody, and happy running!

Ran with dad again today.  Awesome weather.  About a third of a mile in, it started misting, and that stayed for quite a while.  Beautiful morning.

Carolyn, I don't know where you heard that thing about looking at the horizon, but it WORKS!  I didn't hit a single tree.  Yay!  I kept wanting to look down, but I forced myself to look at the horizon, allowing me to miraculously avoid two cherry trees, a ginko tree, and some kind of flowering shrub.  By allowing myself a glance down every now and then, I also avoided numerous slugs and snails.  :-D:-D

As you know, I'm doing run-walk.  This makes me extremely slow, most of the time.  But according to my dad's iPhone, when I wasn't walking, I was going 9.08 minute miles.  I'm not sure how accurate it is, but I'm pretending it's perfect (which it probably isn't). ;-)  Either way, YAY!!!!

Ran with mom today.  Lots of fun.  We ran past a fenced backyard with two very small Siamese kittens in it.  They stared at us for a second like they were terrified, then one of them trotted forward and put his nose through a gap in the fence and sniffed our hands thoroughly.  The other one, still slightly terrified, bounded off into the bushes.  And when I say bounded, I mean bounded.  He was springing along like a rabbit.  It was so funny.

Once again, I managed to avoid the trees.  No slugs or snails to avoid today, either -- hooray!  I'm always so afraid that I'll step on one.  Not for the sake of the slug or snail, though -- for the sake of my breakfast. ;-)

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

Ran with dad again today.  I was going to run yesterday but I decided to sleep in instead.  I'm very glad I did, because if I had gone running yesterday, I'd have missed today, and wouldn't have run in today's lovely fog!!!!  Like my mom, I am a total fog-lover, so today was awesome.  Temps in the mid-high 50's throughout the run.  We also did some hills today, and as I am not used to hills, I am totally wiped out.  But I figure I'll be even more wiped out if I show up a a 5K and there are a ton of hills, and I don't have any practice at running them.

I think I'll go get something to eat now.  Happy running, everybody, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

I ran with mom today.  We got really lucky on the weather -- foggy again!  Yay!  I am still recovering from Gymnastics last night, so I was pretty slow, and that combined with the fact that I am not quite awake yet resulted in mom stopping me in the middle of the sidewalk, to show me that I was about to run into, yes, you guessed it, another tree.  I kept trying to make myself look up at the horizon, but that's hard when you're only 50% awake.  Once again, the offending tree was wet.  But at least I didn't hit it!  What would I do without my mom?:-)

 So happy it's finally September.  Have a great Tuesday, bloggers!

Ran with mom again today.  Didn't hit a single tree.  Did a really nice route -- very interesting.  Great weather, although it was pretty cold when I first went out.  But as I started running and got warmed up, it was perfect.  Saw some kids out waiting for the schoolbus -- I'm SO glad I'm homeschooled!

Have a great Wednesday everybody! 

Ran with mom on her warm up, then she dropped me off after almost three miles and went back out.  That worked out great.  Very strange weather.  One minute, it was pouring down rain, the next moment, it was sunny and warm and I was pulling off my jacket.

We saw the cutest cat who followed us for half a block, before we realized that she was right there, trotting along behind us.  We turned around and brought her back to her house.  She was very affectionate and a bit round, so we thought she might be carrying kittens.  Eventually, I just set her in her yard and we sprinted for about a block until we were sure she wasn't following us.  I still have a ton of her fur on my lower legs (she was rubbing on us and trying to trip us up), so I have some explaining to do to my cats.  I think one of them is already mad at me.;-)

Glad I could finally drag myself out of bed on time to get out the door and go running.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, bloggers!

Ran with mom.  We ran past the kitten's house today, but they were not out.  Maybe it was too cold.

I got to try out the new running jacket that I got yesterday, and it worked great.  Very comfy.  For some reason, getting new stuff always makes me want to go running.:-)

 Have a great Wednesday! 

Ran with mom.  Just a short run, since I ran yesterday too, and usually I take a day off between runs.  I guess I didn't warm up slowly enough though, because I started getting a stitch in my side after about two minutes.  It started to go away when I reached about 1 mile, and then returned when I was around 4 blocks from home.  Next time I'll try warming up slower and see if that makes any difference. 

Ran with mom today.  I feel like such a lazybones.  I just looked at the calender, and I have not run in a WEEK.  I felt really good, but now my legs are sooo sore.  Why did I not run on Tuesday, like I had planned to, you ask?

Bonnie, thanks for asking about my co-op classes in your comment on my last entry.  For those who do not know, I go to a co-op on Tuesdays now (hence the not running on Tuesday this week -- I was totally stressed out), which I just started at this week, where homeschooled kids like me can take classes.  I'm taking Marine Biology, Chemistry/Physics (introduction), and Journalism (where we publish a newsletter for the co-op, kind of like a school newspaper).  The reason I'm writing about this on a running blog, is that in my Journalism course, we were talking about covering an upcoming festival in our area, and I said that I would try to cover the 5K/10K, and even maybe run the 5K if I could.  It's on October 4th.  Mom say it's pretty flat, so I'm thinking it might be a good one for me to start on.  I think it sounds like a ton of fun, but there is a part of me that is wondering if this is the craziest thing I've ever done in my life.  I am running a 5K for homework.  You can't get much weirder than that.

Enjoy your Thursday, everybody!

Ran with dad.  Felt a little bit congested when I got up, but I decided some fresh air would do me good.  Even if I only went half a mile before I turned around and came home.  Well, I ran my half mile, and did not turn around to come home.  I felt pretty good, actually, and my congestion is almost gone now.  It was a bit cold out, but it was great to be running again.  

The 5K is a week from today, and I'm going to try to get another 3-miler in before then.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, bloggers! 

Ran with mom.  Meant to go a bit farther today, but because I'm recovering from a cold, we thought I should ease back into it kinda slowly.  It was 48 degrees and breezy, which is my favorite kind of weather.  Besides snow and rain (though not at the same time). ;-)  I'm planning to do a 3-miler tomorrow and rest on Saturday, then have the race on Sunday, which should be a lot of fun.

Have a great Thursday, and happy October, bloggers! 

Ran on the treadmill today because it was so rainy.  I don't mean like, "Oh, it's just a drizzle, but I'd rather not run in it" rain, I mean, "Oh my gosh, that's a lot of water" rain.  Pouring.  No way was I running in it, so I watched movies and ran indoors.  I'm not exactly sure of how far I went, because at some point, the treadmill deleted my workout, and I had to start over.  But I know I had gone about 1.5 miles by that time, so my total must be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.2 or 3.21 including what I did after the treadmill did whatever it did.

Most of the time I was doing about 12-13 minute miles, but for a while I decided to dip down to 9.5 or 10 (somewhere around there), and I also did that incline thing where the treadmill tilts and you are running on a hill.  The highest I did was 1.5, but it still felt pretty steep.  Hills do seem seem to feel worse the longer you've been running, don't they?

This was my last run before the 5K.  It was easier than I expected, but maybe that's because I was running on flat for almost the whole time.  Either way, it's the farthest I've ever run before and I am very proud of myself.  

I'm sooo glad it's not hot anymore.  This cool weather is just perfect.  I love fall!  I hope it's not pouring on Sunday, though!  It's not supposed to be as far as I know,  but I never trust the weatherman. ;-)

Have an awesome Friday, bloggers! 

This was an AWESOME race.  I had a great time.  The whole family ran (me, my mom, and my dad).  The extra .5 in my total distance was my warm up.  Mom and I ran around a big gravel parking lot area close to the start line.  Dad ran barefoot, as usual, so he did not participate in the gravel parking lot warm up.  He did great, though.

I did run-walk, like I usually do in training runs.  I didn't walk nearly as much, though.  I was really happy with my time.  There were an amazing amount of kids in this race -- a couple of six year olds came in literally right behind me.  They seemed to be announcing the names of all of the kids as I was coming across, so I got my name announced!  That was really cool.

For those who don't know, I was partially running this race because I take a journalism class at a homeschool co-op I attend, and we publish a student newspaper, and I agreed to cover the race.  I was terrified about interviewing people, and in the end I only got one interview, but it was with the winner, yes the overall winner of the 10K!  He was a really nice person and really fun to talk to.  

The course was flat as a pancake with some downhill, so it went pretty quickly, but I was surprised at how fast it went by.  When I crossed the finish line, it felt like I had just started.

Oh, and by the way, for any barefoot runners reading this, tying a timing chip (the kind meant for a running shoe) around your ankle works.   My dad tested it and it worked fine.

I had a blast at this race and I will definetly try to run it next year -- maybe I'll even try for the 10K.  It feels really good to have accomplished one of my goals.  Check! :-D

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everybody!!!!!!!!! 

LATER:

Okay, that settles it, I am definetly crazy.  A 5K then 2.87 miles in the treadmill?  I am justifying my craziness with this: I was testing the new shirt I got at the race.  It worked wonderfully, and of course, all I really needed to do to test it was to sprint around the yard a couple of times, but I felt good so I decided to get on the treadmill.  One thing I wish I had remembered before my not-so-little evening jog: dinner in your stomach + running = stitch in my side.  Although another thing I like to remember is couch + knitting + just got off the treadmill = HAPPY RUNNER!  Hopefully I can run again in the morning -- I'm going to try to go 4 miles.  Wish me luck!:-)

Ran on the treadmill.  If I made over four miles I was going to sign up for the 8K in Victoria, but they sold out.  Well, at least it'll make my suitcase lighter -- although I probably will still bring my running stuff, just in case.  I don't need that much.  I'm considering signing up for the kid's run, but it's only 1K.  But I could jog to the start line and back to the hotel afterwards, so that would give me a little bit more mileage.  Not much, though.

Anyway, I had an extremely uneventful run, and the only thing worth blogging about is the fact that I went farther than I've ever gone before, and that the cat tried to climb onto the treadmill.  And I muddled out a problem I've been muddling for weeks.  

I'm dreading packing my suitcase, because once our cats see them, they do one of two things: they either sit in them, or they pee on them. ;-)

If I go running in Victoria, I think I will be able to blog, providing they have computers, because my dad isn't bringing the laptop.  If not, I'll just write everything down and record it when I get back.

Enjoy your week, bloggers! 

Ignore the word Marathon in the title of the race.  I wish I could say that this was the Marathon, but no.  It was only 1K.  

Allow me to say that passing people is so much fun.  At the start of the race, they had us all lined up by age.  the 10-12 group was in the front, so I felt like an elite up there about three feet from the start line.  So, you know that thing about 'don't go out too fast'?  Apparently not a lot of kids know of those wise words.  After the countdown, everyone zoomed forward and I got passed.  A lot.  For those of you who have seen the movie "Hidalgo", picture the scene where the horserace starts and it's all chaos and everyone takes off at a gallop and Mr. Hopkins is the only one smart enough to go out at the canter?  That's what it was like.  For those who haven't seen that movie, you should.  It's really good.  Anyway, the good part was that I was the only one who wasn't slowing down to a walk after the first 100 yards.  Then I got to start passing people.  Oh, yeah, and about the walk breaks... I DIDN'T NEED ANY!!!!!!!!  I was planning to let myself have one at the aid station, but since there were no aid stations (something I had not anticipated, although probably should have), I didn't get my precious walk break in.  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was out of breath by the end, though.  But still, this is very big for me.

Here are some things that I noticed about this race:

1. I was the only one who knew what she or he was doing.

2. I was the only one in running clothes (other kids were wearing things like jeans and fancy jackets and stuff)

3. I was the only one who didn't take a walk break. 

4. I was the only one who did not know anyone by my dad at the start line (everyone else seemed to know each other.  I guess they all go to the same school or something).

5. For parents and kids who didn't run together, there was an area where you could claim your child with the tear-off strip from the bottom of the bib number, and it was CHAOS.  Total chaos.   I'm so glad my dad ran with me so I didn't have to go in there.  

Of course, my wonderful father, who ran with me (barefoot -- he got more attention than the announcer before the start) knew exactly what he was doing, did not take any walk breaks, was wearing normal running clothes, and, well, didn't know anyone at the start line but me either.  And the pick up area was still chaos.

Anyway, I had a great race and it was a lot of fun.  I'd do it again next year, but I'll be over the age limit.  Oh well -- I'll just have to run the 8K then! (pretends to be disappointed) :-D:-D:-D:-D

We even got to see Auntieem before the race and had a lovely dinner with her the night before at a greek restaurant that served Fettuccine Alfredo.  Uh, isn't that Italian?  Anyway, it was very good, and I can't wait to see both her and my wonderful mom, Snoqualmie, after the race.

This race was so much fun.  I think my next race is going to be a 5K.  I'm not sure which one yet, but I will post it here when I decide! 

PS-- I got a medal, too!  YAY!!!!  And BTW, there's an extra .2 on the end of my total miles, and I'm not really sure what that was.  It was probably not an exact 1K distance.

Just a short recovery run with mom.  I'm quite impressed with myself for getting out the door this morning because I've been sleeping in and avoiding running all week because for some reason my brain thinks that I need to recover at the same pace as her even though she ran about thirty-five times farther in her race than I did in mine (I just did the math).   

Anyway it was a good recovery run (what am I 'recovering' from again?) and I had fun.  Even though I went out at my normal time, it was the darkest this morning I've ever run in.  I'm sure there's a more grammatically correct way to say that, but just to paraphrase it, it was dark.   And I didn't actually take too many walk breaks.  I think not walking in the race payed off.

Happy running everybody! 

I'm back!  Ran with mom.  Okay, class, what did we learn today?  DON'T RUN WITHOUT DRINKING WATER FIRST.  It was just a short run, but by the time I was done, I was so dehydrated that I had a headache.  The second water entered my body it went away.  Well, at least I wasn't freezing.  As I am one of those people who likes wind (running in it, playing in it, that kind of thing), this was a pretty good run.  I took it kinda slow, since I have had a bit of time off from running, but I felt great.... until I my body decided that it would rather give me a splitting headache rather than let me die of thirst.  Strangely, I didn't actually realize that I was thirsty until I got home.  Other than that, though, it was great.  Glad I'm getting back into running. :-)