Tis the season to run and by Jolly! I mean I have to run this week or I may go nutz! I went to Target to do some shopping and it was CRAZY!! I should have been wearing my shirt that says "It's All Good I Ran Today" from anothermotherrunner.com. It is red so it would have been festive and so true!
Today I actually had the time to get out and run on the ROAD! I have hardly been running due to time factors. I know that running helps keep my anxiety and stress at bay. However, I have just been to lazy at 5 AM to get out of bed and get a good treadmill run in. I tell myself, I will run this evening after the girls get to bed. However, as the day progresses and I realize how much I still have to do with work and Christmas prep, it just hasn't happened. But today starts vacation and that means no excuses, time to run.
I am hoping to run every day until Christmas. Then I will take a few days off to taper for the 1/2 Marathon coming up a week from tomorrow. As you can see from the fact that I haven't been running but 3 times in the past 2 weeks I have no real high hopes for a PR at this race. In fact I am simply looking at it as a fun time with my sister and her husband.
All that being said I did get out and get a nice chilly 3.5 miles in first thing. I did manage to run the first mile with no walk breaks at a fairly good pace. It was downhill from there, but I enjoyed the time out on the road. I so notice a difference between the road and the treadmill.
I try to tell myself it is a good thing that I live at the top of a hill. It means my first mile or 2 (depending on my route) are down hill when I start. The down side is that the last mile is always uphill. Again, all excuses but still true.
On the bright side always running hills makes a flat course so much nicer!
Is it bad that I have already moved past next weekend in my running schedule? There is no "cramming" for a run like you may have done for a test. I mean honestly, cramming didn't really work in college and it isn't going to work in running. The only thing I am risking by trying to cram for a run is injury and then where would I be? So, I will run for the next few days and enjoy the time on the road. Then get the 1/2 done and really start looking forward to the next run. So far that includes a 15K with friend and hubby in March and the Ragnar So Cal in April. I am thinking a 5k in February may be a good idea and then a 1/2 sometime.
All fun things, I am just praying that i have set up a realistic training schedule and that I can get my pace up to that of hubby and friend by March so they don't have to wait to long for me at the end of the 15K.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
The Beginning
Well, it has been mentioned that people may not care to read my Facebook status updates about running. I am a working wife and mother of two beautiful girls. I have been overweight for the majority of my adult life. About 2 years ago I decided to join my love for Disneyland with my desire to get in shape. I signed up to run the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon.
Keep in mind I have never been a runner. I figured it shouldn't be that hard to start running right? I mean you just get shoes and you go. Hah! That is a good one. As most runners know there is a little bit more to it mentally and physically than just putting on shoes and running. And of course the simple way is not how I can do most things.
I suppose I can thank my mother for the wonderful OCD tendancies. I decided I should read about how to train. I researched running styles, training plans, all things running. Thankfully I have a level headed Husband who pointed me back to the simple fact that reading about running will not make actual running any easier. So I finally put the books down and started running/walking.
I knew that completing a 1/2 Marathon is a big deal. That is after all 13.1 miles. I spent the next 8 months "training" loosely for that race. As much as I knew it needed some dedication I still wasn't committed enough to do all the training the plans called for. I have a family and full time job after all. I was so paranoid about the time limit, in theory 16 min/mile sounds like so much time, I mean you could walk that fast and still complete it right?
So, I went into the race with the Jeff Galloway mindset of run/walk and get it done. I had never fit in a longer training run than 6 miles, so I was pretty excited when I hit mile 7 and realized that I had now gone further than ever before. However, by mile 8 I had such bad blisters I had to alter my running style and walked most of it. By mile 12 I realized I was actually going to finish and do so in the time allowed. I had to hold back the tears of joy because I already couldn't breath, crying would not make that any easier. It wasn't a record breaker, I think my pace was a 13:30ish/mile, but I wasn't last and I was going to get the medal! It was starting to dawn on me that I deserved to be proud of myself, I accomplished it on my own and met my goal.
That race started my addiction to races. I was still not as focused on the running aspect but I was addicted to the thrill of the race atmosphere. I have never considered myself a "competative" person. I don't need to be in the lead, normally. However, after numerous 5K's, three 1/2 Marathons, and a 10K I am starting to think that maybe a run/walk attitude is not good enough.
I am really trying hard to start running with no walk breaks. It is so cathartic to get out of my own head and start just letting thoughts flow as my feet pound. I tend to get lazy on these colder winter mornings and I hit the treadmill more than I would prefer, but I keep reminding myself that I am running/moving and that is what matters.
So, as I prep to complete my 4th 1/2 Marathon, first one with my twin sister, in 12 days I am getting excited about the new phase of my running. I am not really ready to run with no walk breaks. However, I feel confidant that by March 23rd I will be ready to take on the Hot Chocolate 15K with a full run. Will I keep up with my wonderful Hubby, probably not, but I love starting with him and having him at the finish line to cheer me on that last little bit!
Stayed tuned, this is the place I will try and update what I am learning from my running.
Keep in mind I have never been a runner. I figured it shouldn't be that hard to start running right? I mean you just get shoes and you go. Hah! That is a good one. As most runners know there is a little bit more to it mentally and physically than just putting on shoes and running. And of course the simple way is not how I can do most things.
I suppose I can thank my mother for the wonderful OCD tendancies. I decided I should read about how to train. I researched running styles, training plans, all things running. Thankfully I have a level headed Husband who pointed me back to the simple fact that reading about running will not make actual running any easier. So I finally put the books down and started running/walking.
I knew that completing a 1/2 Marathon is a big deal. That is after all 13.1 miles. I spent the next 8 months "training" loosely for that race. As much as I knew it needed some dedication I still wasn't committed enough to do all the training the plans called for. I have a family and full time job after all. I was so paranoid about the time limit, in theory 16 min/mile sounds like so much time, I mean you could walk that fast and still complete it right?
So, I went into the race with the Jeff Galloway mindset of run/walk and get it done. I had never fit in a longer training run than 6 miles, so I was pretty excited when I hit mile 7 and realized that I had now gone further than ever before. However, by mile 8 I had such bad blisters I had to alter my running style and walked most of it. By mile 12 I realized I was actually going to finish and do so in the time allowed. I had to hold back the tears of joy because I already couldn't breath, crying would not make that any easier. It wasn't a record breaker, I think my pace was a 13:30ish/mile, but I wasn't last and I was going to get the medal! It was starting to dawn on me that I deserved to be proud of myself, I accomplished it on my own and met my goal.
That race started my addiction to races. I was still not as focused on the running aspect but I was addicted to the thrill of the race atmosphere. I have never considered myself a "competative" person. I don't need to be in the lead, normally. However, after numerous 5K's, three 1/2 Marathons, and a 10K I am starting to think that maybe a run/walk attitude is not good enough.
I am really trying hard to start running with no walk breaks. It is so cathartic to get out of my own head and start just letting thoughts flow as my feet pound. I tend to get lazy on these colder winter mornings and I hit the treadmill more than I would prefer, but I keep reminding myself that I am running/moving and that is what matters.
So, as I prep to complete my 4th 1/2 Marathon, first one with my twin sister, in 12 days I am getting excited about the new phase of my running. I am not really ready to run with no walk breaks. However, I feel confidant that by March 23rd I will be ready to take on the Hot Chocolate 15K with a full run. Will I keep up with my wonderful Hubby, probably not, but I love starting with him and having him at the finish line to cheer me on that last little bit!
Stayed tuned, this is the place I will try and update what I am learning from my running.
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