Hello running world! I'm back with another post. I'm finally really starting to notice a change in my body structure and am more in tune with my body's needs more than I have ever been. It's awesome to be able to tell what my body is craving and nourish it properly instead of giving in to the craving. I have almost been running for a year now and it has been a wonderful journey. In January, I will do a year recap post, but for now I will just leave it as a "wonderful journey."
I'm now in the middle of week 5 of marathon training. With each passing day my anticipation and excitement grows. Running is definitely an addiction, and frankly that is all I want to do is eat, sleep, and breathe running. (weird, right?) I feel my legs and mind getting stronger each week. Only 13 more weeks of training. I'm currently looking for a half marathon to sign up for, for week 8.
I missed two days of running two weeks ago and I was very frantic about it. However, I picked back up last week and was fine. Getting into my higher mileage weeks though, I will have to be sure to get all my runs in so my body gets used to the distance.
Happy Running!!!
Total Mileage: 446.23
Marathon Countdown: 101 days 18 hours 13 minutes
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Back to Running
The last month has been kind of a let down in the running department for me. Brandon and I have gone on a few trips that didn't allow for my long run on Saturday, I dealt with a small sinus infection and I was just bored with running. I started an 18 week marathon training program well in advance of 18 weeks of actually running a marathon. Needless to say, I took it easy over the last month, but am back at it now.
As of last week I am 19 weeks out from the Cowtown Marathon. I started training last week, so I have a week of rest time before the big race. The program I follow doesn't allow for that week of rest, but it is something that I have decided to take after some talks with my mother in law.
I haven't been totally lazy over the last month; I did run the Rahr 5k with a friend of ours. It was pouring rain, I had a sinus infection, we were stopped for traffic, I walked A LOT and I set a PR for a 5k. Just goes to show with training you can do great things. I wonder what I could have done had all those other factors not been there.
I feel like I'm in the home stretch of training for the marathon even though it is still 18 weeks away. I'm sure they will go quickly.
Total Mileage: 404.18
Marathon Countdown: 124 days 20 hours 39 minutes
As of last week I am 19 weeks out from the Cowtown Marathon. I started training last week, so I have a week of rest time before the big race. The program I follow doesn't allow for that week of rest, but it is something that I have decided to take after some talks with my mother in law.
I haven't been totally lazy over the last month; I did run the Rahr 5k with a friend of ours. It was pouring rain, I had a sinus infection, we were stopped for traffic, I walked A LOT and I set a PR for a 5k. Just goes to show with training you can do great things. I wonder what I could have done had all those other factors not been there.
I feel like I'm in the home stretch of training for the marathon even though it is still 18 weeks away. I'm sure they will go quickly.
Total Mileage: 404.18
Marathon Countdown: 124 days 20 hours 39 minutes
Monday, August 27, 2012
Week 2: Marathon Training
I'm proud to report another successful week of marathon training. My 2nd week, I feel like was more successful than the first and I was less tired after each run. This week of training consisted of 3,3,3,7 for a total of 16 miles.
I had a pretty long stressful weekend with work, so my 7 mile run on Sunday was super easy. I got to run all my frustration and stress out. It was so nice. I even rewarded myself with a nice ice cold Coors Light afterwards :)
Normally, my long run is on Saturday, but I decided to run it on Sunday instead. I still got it in, which is the most important thing to start building distance. Only 19.2 more miles to go for a marathon...easy breezy, right?
Words of Wisdom: Even if you miss your long run day on Saturday/Sunday, make it up on Saturday/Sunday. Getting that distance in is what is crucial for building up your distance and stamina.
Quote of the Day: "Pressure is nothing more than the shadow of great opportunity." - Michael Johnson
Positive Side Effects: Again...frustration and stress relief
Total Mileage: 341
Marathon Countdown: 180 days 14 hours 55 minutes
I had a pretty long stressful weekend with work, so my 7 mile run on Sunday was super easy. I got to run all my frustration and stress out. It was so nice. I even rewarded myself with a nice ice cold Coors Light afterwards :)
Normally, my long run is on Saturday, but I decided to run it on Sunday instead. I still got it in, which is the most important thing to start building distance. Only 19.2 more miles to go for a marathon...easy breezy, right?
Words of Wisdom: Even if you miss your long run day on Saturday/Sunday, make it up on Saturday/Sunday. Getting that distance in is what is crucial for building up your distance and stamina.
Quote of the Day: "Pressure is nothing more than the shadow of great opportunity." - Michael Johnson
Positive Side Effects: Again...frustration and stress relief
Total Mileage: 341
Marathon Countdown: 180 days 14 hours 55 minutes
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Week 2 of Marathon Training
Hey Running World,
I have almost made it through week 2 of marathon training! Saturday is another "long day" at 7 miles. I'm very excited to report that my diet and water intake has greatly improved with my increase in running. I'm back to consistently running 4 days a week, and this week will be my first Sunday to do cross-training. Not sure what I am going to do yet though.
Every run is always a surprise and different than the run before it - wait I just described how my husband describes baseball. I re-tract my former statement. Just kidding! Different strokes for different folks, right? Last Saturday when I ran I found a small treasure in the road - $1 peso. It's not much but it sure does look fancy. If I wasn't so lazy right now I would hook my phone up and put the picture on here.
Marathon training has been absolutely fantastic and has definitely re-energized and re-motivated me to get serious about running.
Words of Wisdom: JUST RUN!
Quote of the Day: "We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable." - Sir Roger Bannister
Positive Side Effects: In a matter of two weeks all my prior worries and heavy heart are gone. My mind, body, and heart have been restored. A lot of this has to do with God and my husband, the rest has to do with running. Running focuses the mind.
Total Mileage: 333.99
Marathon Countdown: 184 days 10 hours 52 minutes
I have almost made it through week 2 of marathon training! Saturday is another "long day" at 7 miles. I'm very excited to report that my diet and water intake has greatly improved with my increase in running. I'm back to consistently running 4 days a week, and this week will be my first Sunday to do cross-training. Not sure what I am going to do yet though.
Every run is always a surprise and different than the run before it - wait I just described how my husband describes baseball. I re-tract my former statement. Just kidding! Different strokes for different folks, right? Last Saturday when I ran I found a small treasure in the road - $1 peso. It's not much but it sure does look fancy. If I wasn't so lazy right now I would hook my phone up and put the picture on here.
Marathon training has been absolutely fantastic and has definitely re-energized and re-motivated me to get serious about running.
Words of Wisdom: JUST RUN!
Quote of the Day: "We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable." - Sir Roger Bannister
Positive Side Effects: In a matter of two weeks all my prior worries and heavy heart are gone. My mind, body, and heart have been restored. A lot of this has to do with God and my husband, the rest has to do with running. Running focuses the mind.
Total Mileage: 333.99
Marathon Countdown: 184 days 10 hours 52 minutes
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Marathon Training: Day 1
Yesterday was my first training day for the marathon in February. I was super excited to get back out there and have a goal. Yesterday was a easy hard, and I mean hard three miles. I hadn't ran in 10 days and been eating and drinking terribly wonderfully yummy things.
It was a brutal 3 miles and I really felt like I wanted to die. My phone stopped working due to "heat" and so I just guessed on mileage. It stopped working at 2.88 miles, so I'm sure that I made it the full 3 miles. Even though I felt terrible I still finished. I can't wait till we start seeing 60 degree temperatures again!
Here is a picture before my run of day 1 - there is no after picture, as I looked half dead
I really want a Garmin gps watch for running and a shuffle for my music instead of wearing the arm band.
Words of Wisdom: Find something to be excited about when you run and re-energize your motivation. Register for a race, even a small one. It gives you something to work towards.
Quote of the Day: “Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.”
-Hal Higdon
Positive Side Effects: Increased focus on nutrition and training. Reminds you of all the bad things you put in your body (like the yummy chicken tenders and sweet potato fries I had for lunch, that I will feel while running this evening).
Total Mileage: 315.96
Marathon Countdown: 192 days 17 hours 35 minutes
It was a brutal 3 miles and I really felt like I wanted to die. My phone stopped working due to "heat" and so I just guessed on mileage. It stopped working at 2.88 miles, so I'm sure that I made it the full 3 miles. Even though I felt terrible I still finished. I can't wait till we start seeing 60 degree temperatures again!
Here is a picture before my run of day 1 - there is no after picture, as I looked half dead
I really want a Garmin gps watch for running and a shuffle for my music instead of wearing the arm band.
Words of Wisdom: Find something to be excited about when you run and re-energize your motivation. Register for a race, even a small one. It gives you something to work towards.
Quote of the Day: “Even when you have gone as far as you can, and everything hurts, and you are staring at the specter of self-doubt, you can find a bit more strength deep inside you, if you look closely enough.”
-Hal Higdon
Positive Side Effects: Increased focus on nutrition and training. Reminds you of all the bad things you put in your body (like the yummy chicken tenders and sweet potato fries I had for lunch, that I will feel while running this evening).
Total Mileage: 315.96
Marathon Countdown: 192 days 17 hours 35 minutes
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Hitting The Reset Button
Isn't it nice that no matter where you are in life you can decide that today is going to be the day you decide to start over, create a new beginning, and in turn create a new ending?
I have been really down on myself lately for letting external factors get me down and put a damper on my running.
I was going to run my first half-marathon in October at Texas Motor Speedway with some family members, but my training for it had really slacked off and I just wasn't feeling that great about it. Brandon and I decided to go to California when Brandon's brother Kyle returns from deployment. We don't know an exact date for it, so we are kind of on hold with any "fall plans." Seeing him return from deployment outweighs any other plans we may have had. However, I do hope that we are still able to attend our beautiful cousin's wedding in October.
With all of that I made up my mind on Friday that I was going to register for the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth for February. When I was 21, I always said that I was going to run a Marathon BEFORE I was 25, but it was always with a sense of "yeah, right" in the background. I turn 25 the end of this month, so I didn't make it before 25, but at least I'll still be 25.
Running has always been in my heart ever since I won my first race in high school. To think about running a marathon both excites me and scares the daylights out of me. As soon as I clicked the "Submit Payment" button on my registration I felt like I was going to be sick.
I set about making a plan, contacted my mother-in-law for some tips to get started on the right path, and by the end of the day I was super excited. I purchased Hal Higdon's "Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide" and am working my way through it. I have already teared up several times while reading it simply because of the thought of how it is going to feel to cross that finish line.
So, back to my opening line of this blog....I'm starting over. I'm starting my training all over as if I've never ran a race in my life. I have a renewed sense of excitement in my soul for this journey I'm about embark on. Tomorrow is a 2 mile day...yes, I said it 2 miles...really, that is just a warm-up for me. With the heat of the summer though 2 miles is probably about all I can tolerate right now in this heat. At the peak of my prior training, running 30 miles a week, to now running 10 miles in a week, I'm sure it is going to feel like a breeze in the beginning.
I'm not going to include my normal things in the blog such as words of wisdom or total mileage, but I am going to leave with these final thoughts from Hal Higdon's book.
"26 miles 385 yards"
"Even thinking about running that far takes a certain amount of endurance. And courage. And maybe even arrogance."
"Finishing a marathon changes your life forever."
"Completing a marathon is like tacking a PhD at the end of your name, getting married, or having a baby. You are special, and whether anyone else knows it or not, you certainly do."
I can't wait to write a blog the week after February 24 and put down all my emotions into words, if that is even possible.
Happy Running!
Marathon Countdown: 195 days 16 hours and 36 minutes
I have been really down on myself lately for letting external factors get me down and put a damper on my running.
I was going to run my first half-marathon in October at Texas Motor Speedway with some family members, but my training for it had really slacked off and I just wasn't feeling that great about it. Brandon and I decided to go to California when Brandon's brother Kyle returns from deployment. We don't know an exact date for it, so we are kind of on hold with any "fall plans." Seeing him return from deployment outweighs any other plans we may have had. However, I do hope that we are still able to attend our beautiful cousin's wedding in October.
With all of that I made up my mind on Friday that I was going to register for the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth for February. When I was 21, I always said that I was going to run a Marathon BEFORE I was 25, but it was always with a sense of "yeah, right" in the background. I turn 25 the end of this month, so I didn't make it before 25, but at least I'll still be 25.
Running has always been in my heart ever since I won my first race in high school. To think about running a marathon both excites me and scares the daylights out of me. As soon as I clicked the "Submit Payment" button on my registration I felt like I was going to be sick.
I set about making a plan, contacted my mother-in-law for some tips to get started on the right path, and by the end of the day I was super excited. I purchased Hal Higdon's "Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide" and am working my way through it. I have already teared up several times while reading it simply because of the thought of how it is going to feel to cross that finish line.
So, back to my opening line of this blog....I'm starting over. I'm starting my training all over as if I've never ran a race in my life. I have a renewed sense of excitement in my soul for this journey I'm about embark on. Tomorrow is a 2 mile day...yes, I said it 2 miles...really, that is just a warm-up for me. With the heat of the summer though 2 miles is probably about all I can tolerate right now in this heat. At the peak of my prior training, running 30 miles a week, to now running 10 miles in a week, I'm sure it is going to feel like a breeze in the beginning.
I'm not going to include my normal things in the blog such as words of wisdom or total mileage, but I am going to leave with these final thoughts from Hal Higdon's book.
"26 miles 385 yards"
"Even thinking about running that far takes a certain amount of endurance. And courage. And maybe even arrogance."
"Finishing a marathon changes your life forever."
"Completing a marathon is like tacking a PhD at the end of your name, getting married, or having a baby. You are special, and whether anyone else knows it or not, you certainly do."
I can't wait to write a blog the week after February 24 and put down all my emotions into words, if that is even possible.
Happy Running!
Marathon Countdown: 195 days 16 hours and 36 minutes
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Dedicated to Running
When I started this blog I was running regularly and really wanted to share my stories and experiences with everyone and was excited that I had finally made time in my life to write a running blog in addition to our family blog. Over the last few months I have been dealing with some very stressful and emotionally taxing things. It seems as if no matter how much you try to listen to someone, help them, be there for them, and go above and beyond in doing for them, it will always come back around to bite you and somehow comes out be your fault. Over the last year my sweet husband and I have spent a lot of time and money on an event, and being there for people. However, when it comes down to it you can't change the way someone is. I'm thankful that I only have to answer for my actions and not the actions of others. I have learned that having a job, responsibilities, feelings, and the right to make my own choices somehow makes me a selfish person. But I guess if having a career, being successful, being true to my feelings, and making choices that are right for me are selfish, then I'm okay with that.
Things like this really make a person stop to evaluate why they even try to do nice things for others and really makes you want to give up on doing nice things for people all together. However, I have made the choice that I will continue to go out of my way to help others and be there for them whenever I am given the chance. I do several things in my day to day life to be nice, kind, and helpful to others, and the anger I was holding on too because of what I went through was not fair to me or anyone else.
So as much as I am dedicated to remaining true to what I know is right, I am going to find my dedication to my running and blogging once again. The overwhelming stress of everything is gone, and I can again focus my energies on running and eating right and not stuffing my face with cupcakes, cheesecake and wine.
Words of Wisdom: Stay true to who you are no matter how hard it is or what others think of you. At the end of the day the only person you have to answer for is yourself. Don't let stressful situations interfere with your motivation; in the end it will only make you feel worse.
Quote of the Day: "Reputation is for time; characters is for eternity." - J.B. Gough
Positive Side Effects:Well, I haven't had in any in awhile but looking forward to filling this section back in soon.
Total Mileage: 313.08 (only 7.03 more miles than my last blog)
Things like this really make a person stop to evaluate why they even try to do nice things for others and really makes you want to give up on doing nice things for people all together. However, I have made the choice that I will continue to go out of my way to help others and be there for them whenever I am given the chance. I do several things in my day to day life to be nice, kind, and helpful to others, and the anger I was holding on too because of what I went through was not fair to me or anyone else.
So as much as I am dedicated to remaining true to what I know is right, I am going to find my dedication to my running and blogging once again. The overwhelming stress of everything is gone, and I can again focus my energies on running and eating right and not stuffing my face with cupcakes, cheesecake and wine.
Words of Wisdom: Stay true to who you are no matter how hard it is or what others think of you. At the end of the day the only person you have to answer for is yourself. Don't let stressful situations interfere with your motivation; in the end it will only make you feel worse.
Quote of the Day: "Reputation is for time; characters is for eternity." - J.B. Gough
Positive Side Effects:Well, I haven't had in any in awhile but looking forward to filling this section back in soon.
Total Mileage: 313.08 (only 7.03 more miles than my last blog)
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