blunckintraining: Ready. Set. GO!

Hello! Well...race season is now in FULL SWING, so 'ready, set, go' is something heard a lot around here these days (actually, we hear it mostly from Mason who has taken a liking to 'racing' himself just about anywhere..any time... dr's offices, through the house, any ol' place will do! I'm pretty sure he always wins, too, which is good for the self esteem..). My 1st race o' the season was the IU Mini (or 1/2, to most) Marathon, which was a HILLY half, to say the least, and was on a rainy day (luckily I didn't start in the rain.. That's always a bummer... I just got caught at about mile 8 and then it didn't really get pouring until I was less than a minute from the big finish, which was therefore dramatic, for sure!) the 1st weekend of April.. I'd say it went well. Other than the weather, everything else was smooth as butter! I felt pretty good the whole race, except for my legs getting a lil tired by the end due to those hills! But for not really following a training plan, I fared purty darn well. In fact, I ran this one faster than the 'oh, so flat' Indy Mini Marathon just a little less than a yr ago! (my time at IU this yr was a 1:52 and I think, if memory serves me, the Indy mini was about a 1:56) And the hills, I must elaborate a bit to give you folks that are going 'hills in Indiana??'...trust me.. These folks were serious about giving us midwest runners a hilly challenge. It was pretty comical, actually (at least I thought it was). Most of it would be long, gradual climbs and then you turn a corner and BAM! a short steep son-of-a-hampster right there waiting for ya! And in the last mile of the race... TWO more hills packed in there! And if there was a downhill...I don't remember it. But anyway, it was fun. Matt and Mason were there with their new (courtesy of my fabulous husband) 'Team Blunck' shirts on to cheer me on. It's always so amazing to see them...and Mason's really starting to recognize me more as I come running by! The down side of that... he started calling 'up' when I came by the 2nd time and then started crying when I passed?! Oh, dear...we'll have to work on that one... Any way. So racing has started and is going well. Training is still fun and going well... I was even able to get some good runs and trainings in while we were out in Baltimore visiting family and watching the O's home opener (don't ask... for those that are fans, they were a bit bitter about the finish..), which was fabulous fun. We (being Mason and I..Matt has to work) have the Komen Race for the Cure 5k this saturday.. Mason will be riding in style in his stroller, which I will push while I run the 5k (even though they'd prefer we stick w/ the mile family walk...but if I'm going to get everything together and get out there by myself on a saturday morning... I'm running 3 miles darn it... So LOOK OUT! Here comes Team Blunck!). Then this sunday I have my 1st tri of the season! It's a sprint...the swim will be in an indoor pool, but the ride and run are outdoors... I'm looking forward to it! I'll let ya know how all of that goes... Here's some pics of the IU Mini and our trip out to Baltimore..