6 Days!!!

I am getting very nervous and excited today! It dawned on me that this time next week I will have accomplished a goal I have been working toward for a very long time. I will be a marathoner! Just a quick recap of the past week.

San Diego is known for its beautiful weather year round, so last week was a little bit of a blow to the training schedule. El Nino kicked in full force and we got flooded. I mean it was bad! Thankfully the house escaped and because we got the back hillside landscaped there were no mudslides in the back yard. I am sure the neighbors at the top of the hill behind us are grateful for that. I would hate to have their house fall into ours because of our landscaping (or lack there of previously). So, we escaped that one. However, this SoCal gal doesn't really run in that much rain. I will gladly race in rain and I will run in a nice slight rain shower, but not during flash floods.

Yes, this was the weather report at 3 on Wednesday, 1/6/16

So, my Wednesday hill repeats got pushed to a treadmill on Thursday and that meant my Friday run was delayed til Saturday. But I am so glad I was able to get the run on Saturday in. My oldest daughter had the opportunity to swim and learn from the high school students on her swim team and so that meant getting her up and to swim practice on a cold but beautiful Saturday morning. I took that time to get in my 3 miles. I enjoy when I have a time limit because it pushes me to get done a little faster. I was pretty pleased with my splits on that run.

Sunday was another cold but dry day. We did have clouds and originally I was excited thinking I only had to do 5 - 1 Mile repeats. I could go down to the park and hammer those out in the loop that goes around the soccer fields, nice and flat with a bathroom and water fountain if I needed a refill. No big deal. And then my coach sent me a revised plan. He decided we needed just one more lesson on hills. A 5.8 mile lesson of major ups and downs to be exact. Plus, as an added bonus he would meet us bright and early at 7:30 AM at the starting location. I was glad and sad at the same time. Glad because he would be there to help me get my form correct and really make sure I was doing what needed to be done. Sad because that meant I had to set my alarm and really show up ready to work with no excuses. But none the less we did it. Amanda and I got there and got thru it with some good times despite the injury on her foot and the head cold that hit me on Saturday (did I mention I have no time to be sick!). Best words we heard at the end of our training run, DON'T RUN ON MONDAY and NO GYM ON MONDAY. Yes, that is right I am excited for a rest day today!

Coach Bill, me, and my running partner Amanda

The rest of the week will be minimal training runs and some yoga/pilates. Taking the youngest on an easy stroller jog on Wednesday, just 3 miles, and then an easy 30 minute run on Friday just to keep loose. The hardest part will be making sure I am fueling correctly this week. I am still craving sugar after the holidays and have been working on that, but otherwise I am good to go!  Saturday it is off to the expo, dinner with friends, good
night sleep in a hotel (so no littles with bad dreams can keep me up) and then race day! I am as ready as I will be. Praying that is enough!

2016 Goals

So, here I am on January 6th, 2016. A new year has started. I have my goals set, I think. Last year was a year full of new experiences with new friends and old. Things have changed in my life and I am learning to adjust and roll with the punches. As for my fitness goals last year I met some and didn't quite get to others. I did see a major shift in my mindset and that is a big change and a great thing. I stopped acting like I needed to go on a "diet" and started make lifestyle changes. 2015 was a pretty good year all the way around.

Now onto 2016. Goals for this year? Lets start with goals I will be achieving this month: Run my first marathon! For those that don't run, that is 26.2 miles, and yes I may be that person that puts the sticker on her car. I am sorry but that is a really big accomplishment and if my sticker upsets you that is not my problem (said with love). I have been training for 7 months now and am excited and scared to finally hit the start line on January 17th. Best part about it has been getting to know a new running friend and training partner better! I don't know if I would be as prepared and motivated with out Amanda by my side!

I am allowing myself 1 week to recover and then on to the next thing. I will be starting the new Masters Hammer and Chisel program on January 25th. It is a 60 program and I am very excited to start. A lot of my friends started it on the 4th so I am behind the curve on that, but the Marathon is the goal and so I decided to wait. I want to give it all my attention when I start to get the best results. Now, that isn't to say I won't still be running at this time, but no major goal races so these are all just for fun!

Race schedule at this point thru April - Carlsbad Marathon on 1/17/16; Mermaid 1/2 Marathon on 2/13/16; Hot Chocolate 5K with my 9 year old on 3/20/16; Ragnar SoCal with Mermaids Out of Water on 4/1-4/2/16. I had plans to do all these big races this year. Once I evaluated the training time and the goals for the year I decided I am taking it month by month and only doing races that I want to do because they sound fun, not because I want a PR or because I think I should and it fits in a schedule.

Ultimate Goal is to continue setting an example for my daughters of what a healthy and balanced lifestyle looks like. I am also setting the goal to blog weekly and keep everyone up to date on my training, nutrition, and life in general. Keeping the list small and attainable. Stay tuned for more posts on what I am doing to live a happy, active, and balanced life!