Running My Half Off

Sub 10's

2011-10-19T20:57:00.000-04:00

Why is it that some days I can run at a solid 9:45-10minute pace and other days I struggle to stay at a 10:30-10:45 pace?

I need consistency in my life.

WHEN WILL RUNNING BE EASY?!

Phew, I feel a bit better now that I got that off my chest.

After my glorious 7.3 mile relay on Saturday, I decided to give myself 2 days off before resuming my half marathon training. So, yesterday I was back to my regularly scheduled program of the ~~dreaded~~ weekly loooong run. I mapped out a 9 mile run...because I don't have a Garmin to guide my way (pathetic)...and the hopes and dreams of having a repeat sub 10 or at least a solid 10 pace. On my way out the door the Hubs announced that if I wasn't back in 1hr 40mins, he would send out the search party looking for me....no pressure...sheesh! Now, I was determined to run 9 miles in exactly 1hr 30 minutes....and then I got lost. In my own neighborhood. Less than 2 miles from my front door. I am officially directionally challenged. It's cool though, cause it just makes my need for a Garmin that much more apparent to the Hubs. Can everyone say Merry Christmas to me ;)

The run itself was good not great, although when you have an AH-MAZING run like I did on Saturday you're pretty much prepared for the fact that the next run you do will never live up to the previous run's awesomeness. Right? RIGHT! Why does running have to be like that? I mean seriously, who out there has a runner's high every. single. time. you go for a run? No, wait. I don't want to hear from you if you have awesomesauce runs on the regular. It's not normal and I'm totally throwing the bullhonkey flag on you. It's kinda like parents who pretend that every day with their children is like rainbows and unicorns...ummmm, notsomuch. I mean I love my ~~hooligans~~ angel faces, but some days are enough to make you go coo coo for cocoa puffs. for reals. So, I'm choosing to believe that peeps who claim to run like the wind without any pain and suffering on a regular basis are liars. Moving on....

At the end of the day, I was able to get my 9.45 mile run (hooray for getting lost?) completed in 1:34 at a pace of 9:56....HOORAY!! I took 3 Clif Shot Blok chews (tropical punch flavor w/caffeine) about 15 minutes before I left for my run and another 3 around the 50 minute mark since I felt myself starting to drag. I also took super quick breaks to stop and take a drink of water about every 20 minutes. I've been carrying a Nathan Sports handheld water bottle which I find easier to run with than the fuel belt, and when I took my second round the shot bloks I had to stop and walk. For some reason when I take energy gels or gummies, I find that the only way to get them down without wanting to vomit is to stop. walk. chew. hydrate. resume running....did you get all that? So, at the end of the day I stoked on my run because not only did I run at a sub 10 pace, but I did it with making quick water stops and a refueling stop...not to mention stoplights, etc. I'm really hoping to run the half in November at a 10 minute pace...fingers crossed!!!

Rockin' Bmore!

2011-10-17T20:28:00.000-04:00

Hey, Ya'll!

I ran a relay...it was awesomesauce...you should all run one....for realz...LOVED IT!

About a week or so ago my friend Heather asked me to join her 4 person relay team for the Baltimore Marathon Relay...ummmm, yes please! Their 4th member had to step down and they were in a scramble to find a replacement. I'm so happy that she thought of me to step in and take their friends place (THANKS TEAM FASTINISTAS!). I had originally wanted to run the relay, but couldn't seem to get a team together so I gave up and called it a wash. Heather new that I was already trained up for longer distances and that I had really wanted to do this relay, so it was a no brainer that I would love to join their team...duh!

So, what is a marathon relay, you ask? It's a full marathon (26.2miles) broken down into 4 legs. I was lucky enough to get the 4th leg (7.3miles) and was beyond excited! I mean who doesn't want to run through Camden Yards into the HUGE finish line with thousands of spectators? The first 4-5miles were all over the place with small hills, but it was a glorious run. The weather was amazing, although the wind was a bit redonkulous...like whoa. I mean I almost got blown away. Wind aside, I would run the race again in a hot second. I love it!! LOVE IT! Seriously, obsessed. You get all the excitement associated with a big marathon race, but without the anxiety of the loooong distance.

When I went to pick up my race packet on Friday night I felt such relief. I was only (only?) running 7.3 miles! It didn't require any real long distance preparation...YEEHAW! I was here to have fun. period. The end. This was also my first race that had an expo for packet pick-up. I officially felt fancy. I was running a marathon sized race WITH an expo and a finishers medal?! I will never run a small town race again. Okay, that's a lie. I will never again run a half marathon that does not have a medal. I know originally I was all about the free race t-shirt, but what I've learned is that if you're gonna be busting your butt running for anything more than say a 15k, you want the medal....and the t-shirt. Speaking of t-shirts, the expo had some HILARIOUS shirts/bumper stickers/magnets, etc and of course I have to share some of them with you....

This one is for my friend Tracey....we both have running induced toenail issues...TMI? nah.

Obviously.

1/2 crazy for now! We shall see if I ever work up the courage to run a Full...dun dun dunnnn

Is there supposed to be a difference?

I could have photographed funny shirts all night long, but I had to cut myself off. I was like a tourist. I am giddy with excitement about the expo in Savannah, GA!! Bring on the funny shirts!

On to race day....

I was up at 5:45am on race day and my team left for B-more at around 6:30am. We quickly dropped of our leg 2 member (Kerri) by the buses, so she could catch the 7:30am bus to her relay exchange, and found a parking spot. The race didn't start till 8am, and my bus didn't leave until 8:30, so I was able to hang with our leg1 (Mary)and leg 3 (Heather) runners for a bit. At around 7:50am I decided to head towards my bus stop and bid farewell to my teammates. I knew that I was gonna be hangin' at my relay exchange for a good bit...good thing I love strangers and making new friends! I arrived at my exchange by 9am, so you do the math for a marathon that starts at 8am...Mama was gonna be waiting for a good bit, and it was FREEZING! No worries though, the whole experience was worth every goose bump. I got to see the "real' runners...the Kenyans...no, really....the top finisher was Kenyan, and he was fast. I mean he was sprinting...it was bananas how quickly the leaders raced by us at mile 19...phew!

I love watching races, especially marathons. They are so inspiring. I was slightly disappointed by the lack of costumes. When I was at the Marine Corp Marathon last year I saw tons of people dressed up, but it seemed like only a small handful wore funky outfits in Bmore. I did love this old man.....


Yup, he's rockin' a light blue tuxedo

I also saw a dude wearing a Dunkin Donuts costume. Can't imagine running 26.2 miles dressed as a cup of coffee.

I had a rough idea of when the leg 3 runner, Heather, would be at the exchange point, but for the most part is was just a guess. The exchange was broken down by groups according to bib numbers which seemed to help a bit, and I easily spotted Heather as she ran up the hill towards me. I did however see a good number of people wandering around looking for their teammate to make the exchange. I can't even imagine how frustrating that would have been!

My leg of the run was amazing (as previously stated above)! It was better than I could have ever imagined and I was so glad that I had rested my legs in the days leading up to the race. I also made a last minute decision to pop 3 Clif Shot Bloks (tropical punch flavor w/caffeine) about 15 mins before Heather got to the exchange and I'm thinking it really helped with my energy levels on the hills. My finishing time was 1:12:54....that's a 9:55 pace!! YAHOOOO! Um, seriously? Did I just run like a Kenyan? HA, okay...I kid, I kid, but a 9:55pace for 7.3 miles is INSANITY for me. Such a fabulous day and I am so excited to run Baltimore again next year. I may even run the half!

Heather (leg 3) and Me (leg 4)....lovin' the medals!


Rockin' the "custom" shirts! I was "The Closer"...get it?!

FREE BEER!


Mary, Kerri, Heather and Muah

This race has me so excited for Savannah!! I'm hoping to be able to spank my previous half marathon time...fingers crossed!

Running for a Cause!

2011-10-09T21:37:00.000-04:00

Um, yeah......So sorry that I fell off the blogging wagon. My bad.

Let's see if we can get a quick recap of my life since I last blogged, shall we?

I ran a half marathon. BAM!

Oh, wait...Hubs cut my head off....whoops! I'm the blue shorts, black shirt, last two digits on bib are 83....that girl....that's me!


Someone's loser cruiser just got even more ~~lame~~ awesome!

I tried revamping my training regimen to help me work on speed, which to be honest sounds silly when I say it out loud since I don't consider myself speedy in any way, shape or form. After about a week or so on the new training schedule, I was burnt out...bleh! Does anyone else feel like I've been training FOR-EV-ER? I just wanna run for fun (?)...no agenda, just run! Only a few more weeks until my Rock n' Roll Half in Savannah, GA and then it's "run for fun time"....YEAH BABY!

Speaking of the Rock n' Roll......My friends and I decided to raise money for an AMAZING organization and if you feel compelled to donate, that would awesomesauce! Here's a little background info on why we chose to support the Naval Special Warfare Foundation...

For those of you that don't know, Josh and I spent the last 8 years in the Naval Special Warfare Community. In that time, we did multiple deployments and discovered a "family" like none other. Along the way there were lives of friends lost and many families left behind. In November we will run the Savannah Rock n' Roll Half Marathon with dear friends, who are also part of the NSW family, to honor our fallen brothers and sisters and support their families.

Please help us help those left behind by donating to our "One Team One Fight"! ALL proceeds go to the Naval Special Warfare Foundation!! Please help us out by making a donation to such an amazing cause. Its a foundation very near and dear to our heart.

Here are the instructions on how to donate to One Team One Fight, "Team McLurbin":

1. Go to homepage http://www.nswfoundation.org/

2. click "donate today" then scroll down to "make online donation"

4. Fill out info and in the "Program Area" choose "One Team One Fight"

5. In the "comments" section be sure to write "TEAM MCLURBIN-Savannah, GA Rock n Roll half"

6. click "submit" and that's it!

Thanks in advance to those who donate ;)

Cleanliness is Godliness.

2011-09-16T18:57:00.000-04:00

Half marathon results are in. I wish I could crawl under a rock and pretend that I didn't run a super slow 2:39 race.....ugh!!! I thought I was pretty well trained for this race, so that time is super hard to swallow. I know, I know....I finished and that's all that counts...yadda, yadda, yadda....It still stinks, just sayin'.

In other news....Big Sis totally came through with her awesomesauce laundry skills!! She brought my loverly shoes back to their former glory and they look radiant if I do say so myself! I should add that my beautiful Brooks are swiftly approaching the 300 mile mark and will be due for a replacement, so I didn't mind sending them on a spin cycle since I knew their glory was almost gone regardless. That being said, I will be hard pressed to ever part with the first pair of shoes that brought me to my half marathon ~~glory~~ finish. Shall we quickly have a before and after recap? Duh, of course we should....

Brand spankin' new and looking beautimous.....

A handful of miles in and quickly becoming my bff's

WTH? I betrayed my shoes and tortured them for a solid 13.1 miles.

They were so gross post-race, but have no fear.....Big Sis is here!! She worked her laundry magic and delivered these shiners to me the very next day! How's that for fast and efficient?


Cleanliness is Godliness.

So thankful to Big Sis for saving my shoes!! They're back to their former glory. sorta. I mean, maybe it's all mental, but they definitely "feel" different on my feet since taking a ride in the washing machine. Am I crazy? Perhaps. Guess the only way to find out is to get a new pair of shoes and compare. bummer (heehee). Besides, it's better to have two pairs of running shoes anyway, right? I mean every runner should have a pair of back-up shoes,it just makes sense. Totally. Sorry Hubs, but it looks like this Mama needs a new pair of shoes!

Moving on.....I've completely overhauled my training regimen for my half in November due to my lack luster performance this past weekend. My new training includes lots of speed work and tempo runs which is something I never did in preparation for my last half. I really think this will help me improve my endurance and hopefully shave some serious time off my runs. This past week has been what seems like a ton of 3 mile runs, which I've loved. It's kinda nice to go out for a quick run instead of a time consuming 6+ miler. I even set a 3 mile personal record of 27 minutes (that's a 9 minute pace)....GO ME! I looked at the results of the 5k from the same race that I ran my half last weekend and as it turns out, if I had ran the 5k (at that same 9 min mile pace) instead of the half....drum roll please......I would have placed 2nd in my age group! Um, hello...is that for real? I think I would have dropped dead from excitement if that ever happened to me. Maybe I'm more destined for greatness in the 5k realm? They're a hell of alot less painful, that's for sure!

And for all you inquiring minds......here is my new schedule....

			Intermediate	Table
Week	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
1	Rest	3-mi EZ	7 x 400 SPD	3-mi EZ	Rest	3-mi PC	8-mi LNG
2	Rest	3-mi EZ	2 x 10-min TMP	3-mi EZ	3-mi EZ	Rest	5-K RC
3	Rest	3-mi EZ	8 x 400 SPD	3-mi EZ	Rest	4-mi PC	9-mi LNG
4	Rest	3-mi EZ	2 x 10-min TMP	3-mi EZ	Rest	5-mi PC	10-mi LNG
5	Rest	3-mi EZ	9 x 400 SPD	3-mi EZ	3-mi EZ	Rest	10-K RC
6	Rest	3-mi EZ	20-min TMP	3-mi EZ	Rest	5-mi PC	11-mi LNG
7	Rest	3-mi EZ	10 x 400 SPD	3-mi EZ	Rest	3-mi PC	12-mi LNG
8	Rest	3-mi EZ	2 x 5 min TMP	3-mi EZ	Rest	Rest	Half
8	Rest	3-mi EZ	2 x 5 min TMP	3-mi EZ	Rest	Rest

Mission Completion

2011-09-10T23:35:00.004-04:00

I ran 13.1 miles today. Hooray for me!!

So many emotions racing through my mind before, during and even after my run, it was insanity! I am so proud of my accomplishment, but have to admit that my time was less than stellar. I'm not sure of my "official" time since I wasn't paying attention when I crossed the finish line, and I also managed to forget to stop my watch...whoopsie. Sooooo, my best guess of a finishing time would be 2:38 (I should have the official time by Wed). That is a super snail like pace of around 12 minutes. Not exactly what I had in mind for a finishing pace, but still proud of myself nonetheless.

The night before the half I was obsessing about having everything laid out and ready for me in the morning. I even went as OCD as to try on my running clothes to make sure everything was a-okay. I know, I'm a coo koo bird. I honestly think I would have been way less nervous if I weren't running by my lonesome...*tear*

All my "gear" laid out the night before...check!

Here was my checklist:
-Nike running shorts and shirt
-Brooks shoes
-Nike visor (I never run without it)
-watch (one day it will be the Garmin 405...heaven)
-Nathans handheld water bottle (this was a new addition to my run training after a couple uncomfortable runs using my "belt")
-Body Glide (because no one wants their thighs rubbing together for a solid 13.1 miles. seriously.)
-Ipod
-Gu Chomps (strawberry and orange)
-Nuun...my forever and ever all time fave electrolyte enhancing awesomeness!

I was up at 5am and had a quick bite to eat (half a bagel thin with a smidge of peanut butter) and a bottle of water with a Nuun tab. We (me and the Hubs) left the house at 6am and by 6:30am I was picking up my registration packet. I can honestly say that for the most part my nerves were in check. I was most panicked about running "alone". I am 150% a people person and would much rather run with others than by myself any day. Seeing so many groups of people pre-race made me wish I had a buddy to embark on this ~~hell~~ journey with. Much to my surprise I did run in to someone that I knew! HOLLA! One of my oldest friends little sister, Maria, was running the 10k with her hubby...hooray for seeing familiar faces when your body is racked with nerves! And, as it turned out, Maria's sister Patty was actually coming to watch her race...say what?! How excited was I that one of my most dear friends (we've known each other since 1st grade) was gonna be at the finish line to cheer me on.....it made my day!

Before I knew it, it was 7:30 and the race was about to begin...ruh row. No turning back now. ~~shit~~ shoot! And I was off......

love you Hubs, but really? This is the best you could do for a "starting line" photo? Hate to point out the obvious, but...uhhhh, I don't have a head! I'm in the blue shorts/black top directly behind the girl in the green shirt

The first 5 miles ticked by pretty easily. I was having a little bit of trouble controlling my pace, but I was holding my own and was under my sub 11 pace, so I was feeling confident.

Mile 4 (I think)...I'm in the blue shorts/black top and feeling great!

Then mile 6 entered my life and all hell broke loose....Okay, so maybe it wasn't that dramatic, but miles 6-8 were AWFUL. The trail turned from pavement to gravel/packed dirt/sand and then to top it all off.....standing water. My feet were completely soaked. We're talking up to the top of my socks, soaked. To say that I lost my groove once my feet became wet squishy prunes is an understatement. Mama was on the struggle bus. I wasn't even sure how I was gonna be able to finish I hurt so bad. Then, the most incredible thing happened....I rounded a corner and saw my amazing Hubs standing on the sidelines. I could have cried...in fact, I almost did. I felt so relieved to see him.

Hubs took this photo right as I rounded the corner and saw him...

I came to a screeching halt once I reached him and explained that I was in full on panic mode and would be needing his assistance for a little bit to get me back on track. He was happy to oblige and so we set off on mile 9 together. Then came mile 10 and I just wasn't willing to let the Hubs leave me. I knew that I needed him by my side if I wanted to finish strong. Not to mention trying to make up for all the lost time between mile 6-8 where I was crawling along the course like a slug. No, really, I was crawling. Okay, so I wasn't literally "crawling", but it was slooooow, so very sloooow. It was in fact pathetic, and I will be sure to up my training game to prevent these sort of shenanigans in November. Although, that's the shady thing about running...sometimes you can go forever with tons of awesome runs and then other times it's terrible run after terrible run...so humbling.

That being said.....the Hubs helped me finish out my run and I am forever grateful for his help. He has always been my #1 running buddy, even when we lived in Northern Cali and I could barely scrape together a 3 mile run. He always believed in me and knew I could do whatever I set my mind too. Love you Hubs!

Because my Hubs was running with me during the last leg of the race, I have no pics from mile 9 and on. I will be forced to wait until the race event posts times and finishing photos before I can bestill that excitement onto you. I do however have a lovely photo of my sopping wet shoes post-race. And before any of you "mud run/warrior dashers" get all up in arms because your shoes were 5 times as dirty...let me stop you and say "I don't care how dirty your shoes are because at the end of the day I did not sign up for any such "mud" race, I signed up for a nice flat and "fast" half that did not involve mud of any form".....soo there :) I don't like being dirty and I have a deep LOVE for my Brooks, so I would like them to stay perfect for always.


they're so wet and yucky. I've sent them home with Big Sis in the hopes that she can bring them back to their former glory! Oh, and my feet are still pruned from all the water....gross

Moving on....... When I got home from my race today, low and behold what had come in the mail.....A little post-race treat if I do say so myself


Why, Hello Mr. 13.1 bumper magnet...I love you too


Missy Muffin was oblivious to today's happenings, but she showed solid enthusiasm regardless!

And, so that was my recap! As soon as I get official results I will be sure to update you all!!

Show Time

2011-09-09T21:08:00.000-04:00

Can you even believe that I'm running my half off tomorrow? It's bananas. like whoa. (squeal)

Hard to believe that 4 months ago I could barely run 2 miles, right? ca-razy.

I'm so anxious about tomorrow. I mean who wouldn't be a little on edge the night before running 13.1 miles for the 1st time ever in your life. That's like a solid 2+ hours...HOURS...of running. I'm trying to pretend like it's just a 13.1 training run. easy peasy lemon squeezy....yes? no? We'll see how I feel tomorrow morning when my alarm goes off at 5am......so. early.

I hate to cut this post so very, very short, but it's getting late and I still need to lay out my clothes and other running necessities for my big day!

Wish me luck!!!!

Fast and Furious

2011-08-27T12:39:00.000-04:00

Today, I had no agenda for my run. I was "free running" if you will. 3 or 4 miles, no pressure, no biggie, easy day. Nevermind the impending Hurricane, right?

The Hubs said he wanted to join me on my run today and so off we went. About 5 seconds after we walked out the front door the sky got super creepy and looked like it was about to dump rain on us. We stopped for a sec to regroup and decided that the best decision would be to do the 1.5 mile loop around our neighborhood rather than risk getting stuck in a downpour. I should add that I have no desire to ever in my life run in the rain. Now, if I were in the middle of a race and it started to rain, then that would be okay, I would be forced to survive, but I will never subject myself to a rainy run for the fun of it....yuck. Not to mention the fact that I love, LOVE, LUUUURVE, my running shoes so much that I would never want to risk them getting funky by a rainstorm. I'm serious peeps, I don't even like running through dirt or puddles with them....How ridiculous is that?


wish I could keep them shiny and bright forever...tear...this pic is from a while back, so they aren't as bright and beautimous anymore

More on today's quick 1.5 miler.....

I was able to knock it out in 11:40! That's a 7:45 pace....say whaaaaat? Told you I really do NOT want to ever get rained on. I was bound and determined to run my half off....like for reals. The Hubs held his own too, especially since he hasn't been running at all since his injury. I mean I beat him, but I swear I'm not gloating or rubbing it in. So what if your wife can run a little bit faster than you during a short race, it happens. MUAHAHAHAHA!! Love you, Hubs!


Hurricane force winds....okay, not quite yet, but he couldn't resist.


Like Father, like Daughter.

Me and my Missy Muffin post-run

Missy Muffin wasn't amused with having her picture taken. She was very busy trying to track her position on her GPS.

Due to Hurricane Irene's presence on the east coast this weekend, I doubt I'll be running anywhere tomorrow, so we shall see what Monday brings. I plan on taking it easy the next week in preparation for my half marathon on the 10th (EEECK!!!).

Runner Girl...

2011-08-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Who me? Yes, please!

I ran 10.8 miles yesterday. BOOM.

I have decided that I am officially a "runner". I have been training my half off since May and after 3 roller coaster months of training, I finally feel worthy of the title. I'm not sure why it took me so long to decide that I was officially a runner, but it did. and so now I am. YEE HAW!

Hello, my name is Lori and I'm a runner. (squeal)

Yesterday, I set out on an 11 mile run, my absolute longest run to date. I really wasn't feelin' going for a run and tried to talk myself out of it quite a bit, but thankfully I got out of my funk and headed out the door. The first 3 miles weren't so great. My legs felt tired and I was already kinda bored...uh-oh, this was not a good way to embark on a 2 hr run (2 HOURS PEOPLE!). Thankfully, I was able to fall into my groove and find my stride. Towards the end of my run I was bit worried that I may have miscalculated my running route and that I might not hit exactly 11 miles, but I finished strong and honest to goodness felt that I could have easily checked off another 2 miles....HOORAY for me! I guess all my training is paying off? Weird. Practice makes progress....I get it now. As it turns out, I must have been half asleep when I mapped my route this morning because I was off......by just a smidge...a teeny tiny little bitty SMIDGE...FRUSTRATING!!!! Seriously, I am so proud of running 10.8, but that was not the goal people!!!! GGGRRRRR!! The goal was 11 and so I was obviously disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I still had a great run that I'm proud of, but it wasn't the full 11....bust. 10.8 miles aside, I did decide that I am ready to attempt my first ever half marathon in just 2 short weeks.....EEEEECK! Am I really ready for this? Is it possible for little ole' me to actually run 13.1 miles without dropping dead? I could pee my pants I'm so nervous!

Nerves aside, I told myself that if I was able to accomplish yesterday's run that I would be obligated to sign up for the half on Sept. 10th. Looks like I'll be running 13.1 very, very soon. My heart is seriously swelling with pride.

Overflow.

2011-08-21T22:35:00.000-04:00

Seriously, my brain is so full of a million things that I want to write about that I have no clue where to even begin. Bear with me people because I have a feeling tonight's blog is gonna be a bit coo coo bird.

I'll start at the beginning.......

After my 8 mile treadmill run on Friday, I knew that my Sunday run was gonna have to be outdoors. It's cool, I've come to terms with the fact no matter how far I can run on a treadmill, it will never end with a bumper sticker or free t-shirt.. Actually, here's a thought.....If you run 13.1 on a treadmill at the gym with no one watching, does it still count as running a half marathon? Probably not, right? Moving on....

I set out on today's run with a 4 to 5 mile course mapped, pending on how I felt. FYI, I use mapmyrun.com since I don't have a fancy pants GPS watch (helloooooo, Hubs....Christmas is soon upon us...hint, hint). Anywho, as I'm walking out the door my dear Hubs yells to me "hey, if you're feeling good then just keep running"....and so I think to myself, "Thank you Hubs for that last minute boost of confidence, but I RARELY decide to run farther than planned" and head out the door. As I'm literally stepping out the door I remember that one of my bestest friends from San Diego, Tara, is running her half off today, so I shoot her a quick "good luck" text and so begins the #1 motivating factor for todays run.

Tara and I have been friends from the moment we met. A couple months back Tara began her journey to run her 1st half with her college besties (who are awesome sauce by the way) and raise money for a wonderful charity Glimmer of Hope. This was my first glimpse into the world of half marathon domination....HA, okay so maybe it was just what started the wheels turning in my mind. Regardless, if one of my closest friends who was the same age as me, married, had 2 kids...etc, etc, etc could run a half, then why couldn't I? If I had still lived in SD at the time then I probably would have joined her on her journey anyway. At least I like to think I would have joined her.

So, while I was running today I really took time to reflect on all the people in my life that helped to inspire and motivate me, whether they knew it or not. It's so super cheesy, but I pushed myself to run 8 miles today because I was thinking about Tara who was running 13.1. She wasn't gonna quit, so I wasn't going to either.

The first couple miles are always the worst for me, but once I got past mile 3 it was smooth sailing. I was able to clear my mind of all the "quitter" thoughts and focus on all the inspiring people/situations in my life....such a sap tonight, right? I'm not too familiar with the mythical "runner's high", but if I had to guess then I would say that I had one today. My mind was racing a mile a minute with positive, motivating thoughts and running just came naturally. Weird!

I really hope that I'm able to channel all these positive thoughts for my next run, but I won't hold my breathe......

Hello Again!

2011-08-19T23:10:00.000-04:00

Whoa, it's been awhile since this Mama posted a blog and I apologize since I can only assume that my loyal followers (all 33 of you) have been on pins and needles waiting for my next post.

So, where to begin??? Since I last blogged, the Hubs has gone back on the injured list after a 4 mile run that aggravated an old back injury. Did I ever mention that my wonderful Hubs once fell through a roof during a deployment that led to an early return back to the States...surgery...and a metal rod sticking out of his foot that would inevitably lead to him having random "issues" with his back and foot FOR. EV. ER. Poor Hubs, he really wants to hit the ground running soon, so fingers crossed. I miss my running partner in crime....especially since I could probably spank him in a long distance run...muahahaha!

Even though I haven't been the best at keeping up with my posts, I have been consistently running and keeping my eye on the prize. Although I really, REALLY need to find a new running partner, especially for my long runs. I'm such a quitter when I run by myself. No, really, I am. Unless of course I'm running on the treadmill, which I shouldn't be because it's cheating......but it's just sooo easy to run long distances on the 'mill....I struggle daily.

I ran 8 miles today. on the treadmill.

In my defense, I had no one to watch my kiddos and so it was either ~~kickass~~ suffer through a treadmill run or do nothing. I chose to take one for the team and run at the gym. I've been doing 99% of my runs outside, but hey...I'm only human and every now and again a treadmill run will slip into the mix....sue me.

Last week I was in Minnesota for a super fun wedding and I actually managed to squeeze in a run. Can you believe it? I was hundreds of miles away from my Hubs and my wee babes and could have slept in and done nothing "active" for a solid 3 days, but NOOOO, I chose to RUN...BAM! Put that in your pipe and smoke it! I just so happened to be with the Big Sis and LFBIL, so of course I had him ~~walk~~ run with me. We ran a little over 4 miles and it was so fun running in the city. Although I should note that drinking ~~excessive~~ moderate amounts of wine the night before you run is a no no. You knew that already, right? We ended up running just over 4 miles and I was kinda, sorta, maybe on the struggle bus. Apparently LFBIL really LOVES city running, so after we got back to our hotel he pieced out to run another mile or 2.....show off. I should mention that the last teeny tiny leg of our run I decided to throw in a little "hey, let's sprint to the hotel"...and so we did. Guess what folks? I lost. shocker...however, I should add that I totally held my own for a short bit and even LFBIL said he was surprised at how fast my "sprint" was...boom...like lightening. And of course I have some super not so awesome pics from my time in the Twin cities....

LFBIL at "The Nook"...cheese STUFFED hamburger...yes, please!

Me and Big Sis at the rehearsal dinner....lots of wine.

LFBIL, Me and Big Sis on the Trolley tour during the rehearsal dinner. It was the most awesome rehearsal dinner to date.

more WINE! Have I mentioned my love for wine? I LOVE me some wine!

Lots of wine at the wedding.


end of the night. LFBIL had a few drinks ;)

I do have a few pics of me and LFBIL on our run through the twin cities, but of course I accidently
deleted them....whoops! I will post them once the LFBIL and Big Sis get back form their all around awesome sauce trip to Greece. It's okay to hate on them for a hot second....I do.

Welcome Back Hubs!!

2011-08-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

Oh, sweet, sweet outdoor running....Why do you make me want to poke my eyeballs out? Seriously, why does running have to be so hard? Don't get me wrong, I am still 100% committed to my goal, but it has been a rough couple of weeks trying to "run my half off" and I'm wondering when I'm gonna get my groove back....UGH!

Since I've broken up with the treadmill, I'm back to early morning runs that are scheduled around who can watch my wee ones. Yet another wonder of the gym is the free childcare that comes with it...sniff sniff...I miss you mill... I decided to ~~beg~~ ask the Hubs to come off the injured list to help me through my run this morning. After my last outdoor run I knew better than to try and go it alone today. I had originally asked LFBIL to join me on my run, but since he was unavailable I had no choice but to guilt the Hubs into helping me. How could he resist this face, right? He couldn't, so he ran with me...sucka!

And so we embarked on a nice little 4 mile run. My goal wasn't speed, but to finish...pretty pretty please just let me finish...I swear there is nothing more humbling than going for a long run, thinking you're conditioned for it and failing miserably. That being said, I honestly wasn't sure how the Hubs was gonna do on our run since it had been so long since he had pounded the pavement. I mean 4 miles is a legit distance when you're recovering from a stress fracture and haven't run in weeks. In the end he did awesome and even though I wouldn't call it an easy run for either of us, we FINISHED and that's all that counts!! I was so excited to complete 4 miles without quitting (even if at some points I really, REALLY, REALLY wanted too) and I owe it all to the Hubs! Just having a running partner made me accountable so that I couldn't quit and I am so thankful. I GUARANTEE if I had been alone I would have walked a bit, or alot....who knows. Point is, I'm a better runner when I have a partner.

So....after 4 not so awesome but we totally finished it miles......Here we are...


I think I may have been in a better place than the Hubs after our run.....our little Dude was the one who wanted to flex his muscle...the Hubs was just tryin' to breathe :)

We shall see how this weeks outdoor runs go, but I'm thinking I can only go up from here.....right?

It's Over.

2011-08-05T00:14:00.000-04:00

I'm breaking up with the treadmill.

It was fun while it lasted, but after my 2 week fling with the ole' mill, I'm moving on. I ran fast and furious over the last 12 days, but as it turns out.....the treadmill is just one big disappointment once you attempt to take your running to the "real world". Let me explain.....

I decided this morning that I would have an "outdoor" run. It had been a solid 2 weeks since I last "hit the pavement", but I had been so successful with the treadmill that I had a false sense of security. BUST. I'm sorry, but why did I think I had become an overnight "bomb.dot.com" success in my running abilities that I would be able to pick up and knock out 10 miles on a random Thursday morning without any real "outdoor" preparations? suckage...big time...like WHOA. I hate running.

I set out to run 9 miles (buahahahahaha!! silly little me....) but puttered out after mile 2....so, so, so very sad... I ended up with a nasty cramp in my side and was just not used to running with a fuel belt on, rolling hills and gnarly humidity. I was able to compose myself and knock out another mile, but that was it. 3 miles and I was dunzo. GRRRR! I spent the next few miles doing a run/walk combo and cursing myself, my fuel belt, my hubs foot injury causing me to run solo, the glass of wine I had the night before, the lack of food I ate pre-run, the lack of hydration I had pre-run...and so on, and so on, and so on....bleh. And so at that dark moment in my life, I decided to end my 2 week affair with the ole' mill. It just ain't healthy. Mama needs a shock to her system in order to be prepared for a half marathon. I refuse to fail and have come WAY to far in my training to let a treadmill come between me and that damn bumper sticker....I WILL have that bumper sticker on my loser cruiser (aka, minivan) come Fall. Period. The End.

Her Royal Schweatyness...

overly schweaty for such a lame-o run....


redonk.

I have big plans for getting back on the "outdoor running" track, so stay tuned. I promise I'll try to be a more consistent blogger. pinky swears.....

Treadmill 101

2011-07-27T20:04:00.000-04:00

Here's what I learned about treadmill running today.....

1.) Unlike running outside where I get to ~~ditch~~ leave my children at home and run in uninterrupted peace...I am still 100% responsible for them when they are in the gyms "kid club" and a certain 2yr old decides to drop a deuce when you are only on mile 2 of 7....joy.

2.) If the gym is crowded and you are sandwiched between other mill runners, their stride will always kinda throw mine off causing me to work twice as hard at keeping my breathing and own stride in check.

3.) Out running other people who get on the treadmill next to me will never get old and will always give me a second wind. Even if they don't know it....we're in a race and I'm gonna smoke em'....BAM!

4.) I will always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS pull the godforsaken emergency "stop" button on ACCIDENT...causing me to come to a screeching halt and losing all my valuable running info...GRRRR!! Nothing like being in your groove and settling into mile 4 only to instantly be at a speed of 0.0 and having to guess what your time was. I swear if this happens to me one. more. time. I am gonna go awol on the treadmill. That button is in the WORST spot. for reals.

Here is the breakdown of my run this morning:

-run 1 mile and get flagged down by the "kid club" lady who is holding up 2 fingers at me, which can only mean one thing to a mama who has a potty trained 2 yr old who is currently going through a HUGE regression since we moved.

5 mins later....

-run 1 more mile and accidently pull the emergency "STOP" plug....swear under my breath for a good minute, then resume run.

-run 4 more miles and manage to pull "STOP" plug. again. swear. again.

-run last and final mile at a super awesome pace and decide that running a fast 7 miler (9:24 pace) with a few unexpected stops along the way is waaaaay better than running in heat and humidity. But seriously, does anybody know the trick of how NOT to pull that dang "STOP" plug?


It ain't great, but the Hubs did snap a pic of me on the ole' mill this morning.

Wonder if people thought he was being a stalker since I was oblivious to my picture being taken? And why does it always look like I'm just walking fast when the Hubs photographs me running? I swear I was running in this pic, I was at a sub 9 pace. pinky swear. Although, if this was taken at the very end of my run than this running mama was actually at a sub 8......wuz up LFBIL, better watch it cause I'm gonna catch you......muahahahaha

Going for Gold

2011-07-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

Golds Gym that is.

The weather won the battle and it was time to move some of my runs indoors. I still plan on training outside on occasion, but girlfriend needs a break from the heat every now and again. After suffering through the last 3 weeks in super hot weather and having terrible, TERRIBLE runs, it was time. I feared I was losing my running mojo to the heat and lord knows I have worked way too hard to let that happen.

Today was my first day taking the gym for a test drive. I signed up on Friday, although my workout that day was a run to the gym...sign up....run home from the gym (3 miles in all). I mean am I coo koo? I think the guy at Golds may have thought I was crazy to run at high noon to obtain a membership. I could have easily driven to the gym, signed up, ran 3 miles in a air conditioned gym and driven home. Whatev's, I do what I want.

So, that brings me to today's fantabulous run! It had been 3 weeks since I had a run that was longer than 4 miles and I knew that I needed to put in work on the treadmill. I needed to rekindle my flame for running. The heat had made me start to resent my quest for the13.1 bumper sticker and I needed to get back on track. stat. My goal for today was 7 miles, but secretly I was thinking it would be a miracle to make it to 6. Seriously. My last 3 or 4 runs had been so miserable that I felt like I was back at the beginning of my training program. Running is redonkulous....just sayin'. I digress.....I headed to the gym this morning super excited to be running indoors. I had all of my supplies...

Nike Visor...check

Moisture wicking top and shorts...check (seriously, I think all this wicking technology makes you stink more when you workout. Anybody else agree?)

Ipod...check

Nuun...double check (obsessed.)

BodyGlide...triple check!! This stuff is AMAZING and I never run without it. Although I ran further than I had planned today so I didn't apply enough...I'm paying for that now with a nasty little blister on one of my toes (the same damn toe always gives me trouble) and a sports bra "rash/burn" from a seam under my tata's (tmi? nah...we're keepin' it real....right?). I didn't realize the sports bra rash until the water from the shower hit it...HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS AWFUL.....I literaly thought I had just been attacked by bees in the shower, it felt like a bazillion bee stings. Won't ever make that mistake again. From now on I will be applying bodyglide as if I'm gonna be running for days on end.


my new BFF

Which treadmill to choose? There were so many. I honestly stood in the lobby for what seemed like forever trying to make the "right" choice. Obviously I lead a very exciting life when my idea of a good time is obtaining the perfect treadmill location. I finally decided on a 'mill upstairs that over looked the main cardio floor. I liked having a birds eye view of the gym happenings and also the fact that no one would be running behind me since it was only a single row of machines. I would be way to consumed with "does my butt look jiggly" thoughts if someone was running with a direct view of my backside. no thank you.

With the perfect 'mill chosen, I was ready to get my run on. I started at a nice slow 11min pace since I had a rough couple runs recently, but quickly realized that running on a nice, flat, pace keeping piece of machinery is da bomb dot com and I can run way faster. So, I upped my pace to a 10:30, then 10:20, 10:10, sub 10, 9:40...and so on and so on....With every mile I ran I felt more confident. Of course I was still keeping in mind that I didn't want to burn out by mile 6 or 7, so I would say my sub 10 came closer to mile 4. By mile 6 I had made the executive decision to run 8 miles and had also decided that I love treadmills. It was such a nice change of pace to just run on a flat even surface in the AC without worrying about stoplights, tripping on sidewalks, the HEAT, getting attacked by rabid dogs, being abducted by a stranger...you know, normal outside things. It was just me, my Ipod, the Today show and AC....heaven. I really kicked it up the last 1/2 mile of my run and was almost sprinting...it was awesome!! All in all I ran 8.4 miles at a sub 10 pace. Not to shabby since I wasn't expecting to even finish 7. Looks like it's Game On.....that bumper sticker is so mine.

Holy Hiatus!

2011-07-20T22:58:00.000-04:00

I'm baaaack!

Did you miss me? Obviously that's a silly question, because of course you did...duh! So sorry to have abandoned you for the last 2 weeks. We just moved into a new house and then went out of town for almost a week, so it's been hectic. I was FINALLY able to get Verizon to come connect my cable and internet today.....phew, thank you lord!

Where do I even begin in updating you on my happenings? I guess I'll begin with our family road trip to Kentucky to visit some great friends and my epic fail in staying on my training schedule. Seriously. I fell off the workout wagon. HARD. We left for KY on Wednesday and I was scheduled to run 4 miles on Thursday, followed by a 10 mile long run on Saturday and then rest days until we got back to MD on Tuesday. Well, let's just say it didn't happen. BUST! The only run I was able to squeeze in was a little 3.2 mile run on Friday with my friend Anne. We used to be stationed in Monterey, CA together and she was my workout buddy, so I loved being back together with her and heading out for a run. Did I mention she's prego? I wish I had been so active when I was pregnant. I'm super impressed by her. Our friends live out in the country on Kentucky Lake and while it was gorgeous, running by myself would not have been an option, it was ca-razy rural and who knows if I would have even made it back from a run by myself....for reals. This Mama doesn't do "woodsy". not. one. bit. nature's yucky....unless of course by "nature" you mean a sandy beach with a drink in my hand...cause I'm 100% down with that....just sayin'. Here's a few pics of my Kentucky run...it's rural.

random rabid looking dogs without a fence or a leash? sure,....why not!

dead snake being eaten by bugs...awesome sauce.

random creeper man in the woods who mumbles loudly at you when you run by? yes, please.

Me and my amazing friend Anne! Love her and that baby belly!!

creepy looking house

Soooooo, as you can imagine, this run turned me off to running in KY. It was a bit too wild for my liking. After this HOT (115 heat index) run, I was D-U-N....dunzo. see you on the flip side. runner-out. peace. After coming to terms with my running hiatus, I spent the next few days enjoying our vay-cay...


Doesn't that HUGE cloud look like a pirate ship??


yup, we pretty much match...great minds think alike ;)

Heaven.

So, after 5 awesome days in KY it was finally time to head home to MD. We were sad to leave, but our other friends (the Durbin's) were gonna be coming to our house for a visit the day after we got back. Onto day number 4 of not running....eeeeeek! I was semi hopeful that I might get back on the running track while the Durbin's were in town since they're gonna be running with us for our half marathon in November....not so much. FAIL. dang it. GRRRRR! I was only able to muster up a 3.5mile run ONCE while they were in town. Seriously...what is wrong with me? Do I not understand what is coming my way? I have 13.1 miles calling my name and taunting me.....I better get my behind in check. My hiatus is unacceptable. period. the end.

Where am I now, you ask? Well, I've had a couple mediocre runs since the Durbin's left last Saturday, but I'm determined to get back on the wagon and get back to my training schedule stat. Stay tuned folks, cause Mama gets her running jive back.....

Run. Stop. Run. Sprint.

2011-07-05T12:30:00.000-04:00

Stop again. Run again. Stop one more time and decide you will NOT run again because you feel like poo poo. Run again because nobody likes a quitter and you really are kinda close to home, so you mind as well get it over with. Stop at the stop sign, cause duh, it told you to STOP. Change the game completely and decide the last mile and change of your run will be sprint work since the first 2 miles were utterly and completely PATHETIC.

Hot. Mess.

It was 3.2 miles of pure ridiculousness. The plan was to run 4, but I was all over the place with my running this morning, so I had to work with what I was feeling. I ran the first 2 miles at about a 9:30 or so pace, and I would categorize it as a "good, not great" run, but then....SCREEECH. My legs quit on me. It was so random and annoying, so I walked a bit. I really don't like walking when I know my body can run this distance.GRRR! With about a mile or so left, I decided to run sprints the rest of the way home. I am still confused as to why I thought this was a good idea or how I was even able to push my legs to not only run, but run fast. I guess the sprints seemed easier because, A.) I would be done with this run faster (hallelujah) and B.) I would be guaranteed breaks in between the sprints. Now normally the thought of running sprints would have me running in the opposite direction, but I guess it's what I needed today to get through a rough patch. Damn running shennanigans.

We're leaving for a road trip tomorrow, so my Thursday run will be on a treadmill at a hotel. Not sure how that's gonna go, but we shall see. And, sorry I don't have any lovely photos from todays run. My internet is out at my house and I'm not too great at bloggin' from my phone. Hopefully, our hotel will have internet so I can post my little heart out about running on a treadmill!

9.07

2011-07-01T23:26:00.000-04:00

Seriously? For reals? Did that just happen? Did I really run 9 miles this morning? 9.07 miles if we're gonna be exact...and we are, cause that .07 was hard earned and I could have stopped at 9, but I didn't.... BOO-YAH!

So as we all know, the Hubs had to sit this run out due to a self diagnosed stress fracture (what's up WebMD) so it was up to me to either...

A. Find a replacement for the Hubs...or
B. Run. all. by. my. self (gulp...double gulp...oh, hellll no!)

So, as I'm sure you can guess.....I quickly found a replacement, or "stand-in" I should say, since no one could ever really replace the Pacer, duh! Who was my stand-in you ask? This Guy....


It's the LFBIL!!!

My super awesome Lightening Fast BIL decided to get up super EARLY on his day off to come run 9 miles with me...YAY! A bazillion thank you's to LFBIL for being all around awesome sauce and for helping me pull through on the last couple miles. I was SPENT by mile 7, or maybe even before that, it was all kind of a blur after mile 4. You think I'm kidding? It was not the same glorious run I remembered from last weeks 8 miler. Curse you running gods!! Why am I doing this again? Oh, right, I want that flippin' bumper sticker. It's all coming back to me now...ridiculous. Moving on....
Here's me and the LFBIL before my not so awesome 9 miler...


Hooray for early morning runs? not so sure bout that.

Oh, and here's a great picture of me and my "I'm totally gonna dominate this run because last weeks long run was so awesome and so of course this one will be too, so nevermind that you're adding on a extra mile and the temp has risen and so on and so on and so on"......I'm a hot mess...

seriously? mess.

The first 3 miles felt really great and I was able to converse with LFBIL and although my pace was all over the map, I was pretty confident that I was gonna hold steady in my happy place for the duration...err, no. I was able to hold a pretty steady sub 11, but I was definitely on the struggle bus...alot. I am so greatful to the LFBIL for running with me and STAYING with me, even when I was running a dreadful pace and thought I might not make it till the end. He really did help me pull through, especially the last 2 miles, those were BANANAS. so hard. so very very hard. That being said....here is a little pic of how easy a run this was for my LFBIL....


umm, yeah. He's on his cell phone.

Are you kidding me? This guy was taking calls, making calls...you name it. I'm pretty sure he used the phone at least 5 if not 6 times during our run to talk to my Big Sis (LFBIL's wife) make Dr.'s appts, etc. Ummm, excuse me, but how do I apply for those magical athletic powers? At mile 8 or so he even asked me if I had anything left or if I was just maintaining. I'm pretty sure he was hoping I would have some juice left in my tank to run the last mile at a sub 10 pace. Sad, so very sad. Wish I would have, but nope. This Mama was dunzo. Next time LFBIL....promise. Here is my sad sack of a self after our run....


my tank was empty.

I'm taking the next 2 days off in preparation for a 10k on Monday! Hope my legs are ready to run again by then!!

Man Down!

2011-06-30T21:38:00.000-04:00

Houston, we have a problem.

The Hubs is unofficially on the injured list. Ruh Ro.

We have a self diagnosed stress fracture on our hands. How do I know this, you ask? WebMD, silly. Isn't that where you go for all your sound medical advice? Thought so. Perhaps it was the Hubs new running shoes that have betrayed him? Or maybe its just all those years in SpecWar catching up with the ole' guy. He's no spring chicken you know? Regardless of all that, dude is O-U-T of the running game for a few weeks.

NOOOOOOOOO!

What am I going to do without my partner? my buddy? the Hubs? the official pacer of "Team McClelland"? ACK! I'm in a panic I tell ya. My 3 mile run this morning just wasn't the same.*tear*sniff*

This is gonna be a true test of my dedication to power through all by my lonesome. YOWZ. Don't worry though, peeps. I've come WAY too far to wuss out now!

p.s.- tomorrow is the big 9-miler, wish me luck!! I've recruited the LFBIL to run with me and he's assured me that he won't leave me in his dust...we shall see

Tuesdays

2011-06-28T22:44:00.000-04:00

Tuesdays are not my friend. Lemme explain...

1. Tuesday is trash day in my neighborhood...stinky poo poo when it's hot and humid and you're on a run

2. Sundays cross train workout never happens (shocker, right?), so I'm coming off a 2 day workout hiatus...no bueno

3. After my Saturday long run, I always seem to eat and drink my way through the weekend (duh, I totally deserve a reward after running 8 miles) leaving me sluggish by Tuesday...bleh

4. The fear in knowing that this "short" little run is only a warm-up to the big kahuna run coming my way on Saturday (9 miles people. 9 MILES.......eeeck!)

See why I don't fully embrace Tuesdays? You probably wouldn't either, just sayin'.

Oh, and I think my "Pacer", the Hubs, has officially become "that guy that just so happens to always be running when I am, but he's way out ahead of me on his own program" guy. While I admit that I totally understand his need for speed, I will never admit that I may have been the one to give him the "go ahead" to leave me in his dust. What the......? I was in the bitter barn after our run this morning. for reals. It was a "good, not great" kinda run for me this morning, so to have the Hubs "running his half off" way up ahead of me basically put me over the edge. I'm cool now...I'm prepared to whoop his arse on Saturdays long run....muahahahahaha!!! LOVE YOU HUBS xoxo (watch your back)

Almost forgot....I had a quick trip back to Charm City Run to pick up some Sport Beans for my long run this Saturday! I'm hoping they are less "vomit inducing" than the GU gels (eeewwwww)! Stay tuned!

What do you use to stay hydrated and fueled on long runs?

Crazy 8's

2011-06-26T11:20:00.000-04:00

8 miles down. Holy moly that's a long arse distance!

Can you believe it? Doesn't it seem like I just started this journey yesterday? Monday will be the start of week 7 in my training program and I honest to goodness cannot believe I've made it this far, ha! Not that I thought I would drop the running gig completely, but I thought it would take me longer to work up to the longer runs. Turns out I'm just super awesome, so I'm staying on track. That 13.1 bumper sticker is soooooo gonna be mine (said with fingers and toes crossed....eeeck, 13.1 still really really scares me!).

The Hubs plotted out our run the night before and we were both really excited (excited about running? strange.). We decided to run from point A to point B instead of having to turn around at the half way mark. This my friends is genius. It makes the run so much easier when you don't have to have this whole conversation with yourself in the middle of your run...

"ackkk... you mean this was only the halfway part and I still have to run my happy behind all the way back to where we started, are you kidding me? running is so stupid. I hate this. I need someone to blame for making me do this running thing. who me? no, it 's not my fault, gotta find someone else....hmmm, let me think....damn. Have I really done this to myself?"

Seriously, this is what I deal with when I run. Moving on...

The Hubs and I took separate cars so we could drop one at the end of the run and then drive back to the start line. The trail took us on a 3 mile loop and then you "jump" onto a different trail to finish out the last 5 miles. Now normally I am not the type of runner who even notices the scenery. I'm more of a head down, ipod blasting, visor on, don't make eye contact with me, don't look up from the ground to catch a glimpse of how much further you have to run or the hill up a head, just keep soldiering on and stay focused. However, this run was different. The first 3 miles were on unpaved trails, so it was a bit of gravel, grass, sand, etc and it was so fun (?). WAIT WAIT WAIT.....not so much "fun", but more like different and new, not the same ole boring loops we do in our neighborhood where you know every hill, every speed bump, every everything. The last 5 miles were on a paved trail and the whole run was so flat, it was heavenly!

Let's talk gear, shall we?

Sparkly new Brooks
I decided to wear my new shoes for this run, even though I'm pretty sure most people will say you should slowly break in a new pair and not run 8 miles the first time you wear them. Whatev's, those puppies feel like I'm running on clouds and there was no way I was gonna EVER go back to my old beat to death shoes. It's hard to say if I had such a great run because of my new shoes, or if it was just an overall great run because the running gods had punished me enough with two previously awful runs earlier in the week. Either way, the shoes were the bomb dot com and I'm super impressed with Charm City Run for creating such a love connection.

yes, my feet are large.

Fuel Belt
Dorkiness aside, this belt was fantabulous! I filled up the 2 bottles with nuun enhanced water and then put my ID, car key and 3 GU gels in the little carry pouch (aka, fanny pack). The Hubs brings his phone so I don't run with mine, but I'm fairly certain it would have fit in the pouch with everything else. It took me roughly the whole first mile to figure out where the belt was most comfy on my waist, but once I got it in the right spot I was good to go. The bottles were super easy to get in and out of the holder and the velcro on the pouch is really secure so I wasn't worried about anything falling out. Oh, and there's a little thingy (great explanation, I know) for you to attach your keys to for added security. Overall, I'm so glad I decided to geek out and buy a fuel belt.

practicality. check.

GU Energy Gels
Oh Lord, where do I even begin?? gross. vomit. vile. disgusting. never. ever. ever. again. SERIOUSLY. Mama no likey. bleh. I'm having phantom gag reflex flash backs over here just writing about it. We were at about mile 4 when I decided it was time to break out the reinforcements. I was feeling pretty good, but knowing that I was only at the halfway mark I wanted to be sure that I was doing everything possible to keep my energy up and soo....dun, dun, dun....I opened up a GU. My LFBIL had warned me that they were thick and to swish some water with them to help it go down, but sweet mother of all things gross. I was not prepared. I managed to choke half of it down, but when I went for my 3rd swig, it just wasn't happening. No amount of water was gonna allow me to swallow another drop of that vanilla bean flavored disaster and so I ended up having to spit it out, all over the side of the trail, it was gross. Pretty sure if someone had seen me they would have thought I was actually throwing up because of the NASTY consistency of the Gu mixed with a ton of water. yuckers. Not to mention that little fiasco cost me a good portion of my water supply. grrrrr! Safe to say I won't ever try another GU gel, however I'm willing to give some of the other products a try, so I'll be heading back to the running store for round 2.

All in all it was a great run. My legs felt strong and my breathing was on point, no gasping for air for this girl (not today anyway).

Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:25:30
Pace: 10:41

We shall see what my next run brings :)

Kickin' it

2011-06-24T23:50:00.000-04:00

Mama got a new pair of shoes! YEEE HAW! I am officially official in the running shoe department. No more running in shoes that I bought because I like the colors and they were on sale. No, no my friends, this is serious business. My new shoes are for function, as in you don't even get to pick the color or brand...they tell you what to buy and you listen, because they are "runners" and you are just a work in progress. period. the end.

I've been dreaming about taking a trip to Charm City Run in Annapolis for about the last 4 weeks and the Hubs finally agreed that it was the right time to get some new kicks. Say no more, I'm there! This place is A-MAZING. First off it's 100% a running store, so as far as I'm concerned they can be the boss of me. They literally take all the guess work out of finding the perfect shoe. Here's the rundown of how they work their shoe magic....

step 1- measure my tootsies to determine the correct size of my ~~ginormeous~~ petite feet

step 2- watch me walk barefoot and evaluate my arch (sooo fancy)

step 3- bring me out 3 options to try and send me to the treadmill (yes, treadmill) to video record my feet while I run in said shoe (told you....super fancy, it's how I roll)

step 4- fall in love with the 2nd pair I try on, take em' for a spin on the ole' mill (short for treadmill, cause we're close like that) and then bounce around the store in new shoes like I'm walking on clouds

I should warn you that step 5 is where I geek out in the running store....

step 5- ask about how to stay hydrated and "fueled" while running long distances and end up drooling over fuel belts that are really just glorified fanny packs (so lame, but so functional, but seriously. super lame). That being said......I totally bought one, ha!

Hold on to your hat folks, cause you're about to see all of my new awesomeness........


swoon

And because I know you're all dying to know the exact details of those amazing purchases you see above. Here's the low down...

Shoes: Brooks Glycerin 9
Fuel Belt: Nathan Speed 2
Energy Gels: GU (banana-strawberry, vanilla bean, choc outrage, espresso love)

Not so sure about how the GU's will go over, but I'm testing them out tomorrow and rest assured that I'll give you a report. Not gonna lie, kinda grossed out about eating anything called "gu", that is reportedly the texture of icing, when I'm running. icky.

And in case you wanted to see my new best friends again....


	I'm in luurve

Don't worry, the Hubs got some new kick's too

it's like a happy little new shoe love affair

Well, I'm off to la la land since I have to get up at o' dark thirty tomorrow morning to run 8 miles. Don't be jealous :)

Saved By the Bell

2011-06-23T23:10:00.000-04:00

Guess what happened today peeps?? My alarm didn't go off........Say whaaat?? It was kinda awesome, not gonna lie. I was supposed to run another "little" 4 miler today, but due to my ~~awesome~~ dysfunctional alarm clock not going off, that just didn't happen. BOOOOO! Hahaha, just kidding...it was AWESOME!!! Thank you sweet alarm clock for allowing me extra sleep and giving me new juju for todays run...mwa mwa mwa mwa (those are my wittle kisses to my alarm clock).

So, I am a bit nervous about my 8 miler on Saturday since I didn't fulfill my 4 miler today, but I'm fairly confident that it helped me mentally. Being able to run a "fast" 2 miles today sorta reminded me that running can be rewarding (huh? that last line confused me too). The last time I ran a 2 mile run it was at an almost 12min pace, so to be able to go out and run a 2miler at a 9:30pace is INCREDIBLE!! Goooooo ME!!!! I'm still a wee bit scurred to run 8 or 9, or 10, or heck even the thought of running period makes me nervous but, whether I like it or not, I'm improving! Ca-Razy

It's just what I needed!! I've been a bit nervous about my new found running addiction and I'm pretty sure the people closest to me feel the same way....minus the Hubs of course! My Little Dude wants me to succeed so bad! Every time the Hubs and I come in from a run his 1st question is ALWAYS..."Did you beat Daddy in your race, Mommy?"....um, no, but thanks for the thinking it was even possible. Never mind that Daddy's legs come up to Mommy's belly button therefore making his stride twice as long as Mommy's. It's an unfair advantage that you will one day understand, little person!

Oh, and tomorrow's post will be OH-SO-FUN!! The Hubs and I went to a running store today and got fancy new shoes!!! It's all very, very exciting! We're growing up so fast, it just makes me proud!

What Goes Up

2011-06-21T14:41:00.000-04:00

What goes UP, must come down (we're talking about my runner's high, peeps)

Today kicked my badunkadunk.

I mean really, really, really put a hurtin' on me...and my ego. It was sad, UGH! From the moment I took the first step on my run, right up until the very last moment, I was in P-A-I-N. (On a super exciting side note: if you notice my dailymile tracker to the right, you'll see that I finally ran a sub 10 pace....YAHOO!) Now back to the pain part......

Let me first start out by saying that I wasn't mentally prepared for my run this morning. We had spent a glorious weekend at the beach and it's safe to say that I ate my weight in food daily and indulged in a variety of adult beverages without doing one ounce of exercise. We're talking zip, zero, zilch, nada! Whoopsie, guess that might make for a painful run today, right? RIGHT!! Soooo right!! Scream it from the mountain tops.....RIGHT!! I'm so mad at myself. Seriously, it's annoying. I've vowed to never go 3 days without some form of exercise ever again (unless of course we're back at the beach with friends having a blast....I'm only human). Okay, I'm getting off track. Back to the run....

Mile 1 was unpleasant. I knew it was gonna be bad as soon as I started running, but I just kept telling myself to slow down, take my time and fall in to stride. Um, yeah...that didn't happen.

Mile 2 was a disaster. I had given the Hubs the go ahead the night before to leave me in his dust during our runs if he was feeling really good and so.....yup, I got left in his dust...curse him!! Okay, don't curse him.....but seriously, I was in the bitter barn for a hot second about not being able to even keep him in my line of sight. I tried to reassure myself that it was better this way. I could run at my own pace and not feel pressured to keep up, but my mind wasn't right today, so it had the opposite effect. I couldn't shake the feeling of defeat and wanting to give up.

Mile 3 almost brought me to tears. No, really, I almost cried. I was that pathetic. Am I really capable of running a half marathon when I can't even knock out 4 miles? I was my own worst enemy by this point in the run. In my defense, I really need to redo my ipod so that when I'm suffering through agonizing pain and feeling as if I'm gonna drop into a pile of mush on the side of the road, a sad, lonely, heartbreaking John Mayer song doesn't come on and send me over the edge. It's really not fair.

Mile 4 brought a quick sprint and some speed walking. You see, the Hubs had stopped to make sure I was still alive, so when I rounded the corner and saw him, I naturally thought the run was over and gave it all I had left and sprinted to the finish. Only problem....it wasn't the finish, it was just the Hubs making sure he still had a wife...sweet, I have to run some more. Awesome sauce. The last half mile forced me to do a wee bit of speed walking, but hey....I survived and I'm sure it won't be the last time I have a horrid run!

Say a prayer for me that my 4 miler on Thursday is more kind to me!

mile 7.

2011-06-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

Hi friends! I'm going all high tech and blogging from my phone.....I'm so fancy. We're on our way to the beach for the weekend with some fab friends, but I just couldn't wait till Monday to tell you about my run this morning!

Who ran 7 miles this morning? Who woke up at 5am to squeeze in said run? Who then wrangled 2 hyper excited children into clothes, pack suitcase, pack snacks, shower, look presentable , load up the car and not forget one. single. thing.....all before 8:3am? This girl, that's who!

The run itself felt really good. I was at about an 11min pace which was really comfy for me and I had no desire to push past comfort. I would say that hardest part of the run was all the hills......GRRRRRR! I know that training on such hilly courses will help me in the long run, but can a girl get a nice flat stretch of road for longer than a quarter mile?? no? damn.

Flying Solo

2011-06-15T22:50:00.000-04:00

Yes, today was a cross training day. No, I didn't cross train. Anybody out there surprised? Didn't think so.

Don't worry peeps, I didn't 100% flake on the training schedule. I decided to run a 3 miler tonight...all by myself. My first official run by my lonesome. I was even forced to bring my phone so that I could use the "runkeeper" app to track my distance and time. I really need one of those fancy Garmin GPS watch thingys. It would change my life.....I'm sure of it. Did I mention that I carry my ipod in my hand too? I can hear your whispers..."wait....she does what??? poor girl, someone needs to show her the way". I hear ya people and I'm working on upping my running gear game. I have a laundry list of things that I need in my life that I just know will make running more ~~bearable~~ enjoyable.

Okay, I'm getting side tracked. I plan on dedicating a whole post to all the fun, wonderful, magical running items that I feel I need in my life, but more on that later. Let's get down to business...the real reason I am so excited to be blogging tonight.

Drum roll please...........

I RAN 3 MILES IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES!!!!!!!

This is HUGE friends! Do we remember that 5 weeks ago I was running a 12min pace and tonight I ran a 9:45....YAHOOOWEEEEE! Now, I know that I said it wasn't about the time, it was about finishing. I still feel the same way....about my long runs. I kinda feel like I've waged a war with the 3 miler and I'm determined to run it faster...each and every time.

Is it possible? Could I one day catch the LFBIL in a 5k race??? Maybe? Watch your back LFBIL......MUAHAHAHAHAHA (that's my evil laugh)

Here's how I rewarded myself after my run....

mmmmmm.....yum-o

Don't go getting your panties in a bundle.....I drank a bottle of water with a nuun tab before I hit the bottle ;)

Practice Makes Progress

2011-06-14T14:01:00.000-04:00

Who woulda thunk it, right? Practice does indeed translate into progress.....it's genius, I swear! Why did it take me 31yrs to realize this and actually put it into action? Have I been living in a hole? Under a rock? Why have I not already earned myself that 13.1 bumper sticker? why? WHY? Why didn't someone slap me and say "get off your badunkadunk" or better yet, "get off your badunkadunk and become a runner while you live in beautiful, sunny, 70 degree San Diego where you can enjoy nice long runs along the gorgeous pacific ocean admiring palm trees and cool breezes instead of waiting till you move back to the east coast into a hilly neighborhood where the humidity is bananas and the thermostat is only gonna keep going up...that is until summer's over and then you'll get to suffer from hypothermia during your runs and your ears will hurt so bad from the cold that it will feel like needles being poked into your brain"......whoa, sorry bout that, got a wee bit carried away, and for the record I don't know for sure if cold ears in the winter will feel like needles to my brain, it's really just an assumption.....forgive me. Let's move one...

Today marks the start of week 5 in my training schedule! I can't believe I'm actually still excited about running after 5 weeks full of high's and low's. I've had some awesome runs and I've had some not so awesome runs, but at the end of the day I get 'er done, so that's all that counts! Here is a quick look back at all of my 3 mile runs over the past 4 weeks....

5/21/2011
time: 36:21
pace: 12:07

5/26/2011
time: 35:23
pace: 11:45

6/01/2011
time: 31:52
pace: 10:37

6/07/2011
time: 30:24
pace: 10:07

6/09/2011
time: 33:25
pace: 11:04 (this was my "cramp in the side...not...gonna...make...it...run")

6/14/2011
time: 30:15
pace: 10:05

TOOT, TOOT!!! (That's me tooting my own horn in case you were confused)

I'm supposed to cross train tomorrow.....bwahahahaha! Who am I kidding? It'll be a small miracle if I'm able to complete a cross train workout, but lord knows if it does happen I'll be sure to document it with photographic proof. Stay tuned!

10k. BOOM.

2011-06-11T15:58:00.000-04:00

Pow. Zap. Bing. Zip. Fwap. I......did.....it (please imagine that being said in Oprah's "you're getting something totally awesome for free" sing songy voice, mmmkay?)!!!!!!!

I am woman, here me ~~roar~~.......MEOW! Come on peeps, we all know I'm still a work in progress. Do we all remember my 3 mile run from Thursday? owie. This lady had good reason to be in anxiety attack mode this morning (and all last night).

Today was the Crofton 10k and I was NeRvOuS!

What did I get myself into?

I had never run 6 miles before. ever. like forever ever. like never before in my life would I even consider running more than 4 miles when I could just jump in my car and drive there ever. EVER! It was do or die today. I had to run 6 miles today per the training schedule and hey....I do what I'm told (unless of course it's a cross training day and then it's hit or miss...if I'm keepin' it real).

I was up at 6am for the run and was pacing the kitchen by 6:20am trying to figure out what to do with myself. Do I eat? Do I hydrate? What do I eat? How much should I hydrate? AHHHHH, the stress is redonkulous! My LFBIL (lightening fast brother in law...in case you forgot his nickname from the last post) suggested I eat a bagel with peanut butter, so I took his advice, although I only ate half of a mini bagel with a smidgen of pb. baby steps....I didn't want to have any "issues" at the race.....youknowwhatI'msayin'. I also decided to hydrate with a NUUN tab. Found this little gem for your water about a week ago and I'm sort of obsessed. I swear it works, it really makes you feel better before and after you run. Maybe it's mental, but the Hubs would agree that it's magic juice, so we go with it. When we got to the race I was feeling pretty good, nerves were in check (sorta) and was happy that there were enough free t-shirts to go around. Who wants to run a race and not get the free t-shirt? Not this girl, I'm in it for the t-shirt. 100%.

got my t-shirt....ready to run!

My friend JoAnn was running the race today too, so we all met up and were at the starting line together.

pre-race

I lost LFBIL and the Hubs pretty early on in the race, but JoAnn and I were side by side, pounding the pavement together (doesn't that sound so dramatic and inspiring? yes, you say? I thought so too). We ran together until about mile 3 and then split off on our own, but it was a great 3 miles. We were in stride together and she really kept me going strong!(Big shout out to JoAnn...whoop, whoop...double thump to the chest). Oh, and did I mention that the ENTIRE course was hilly? Holy cow, it was insane how many hills, mountains, rolling hills, speed bumps, sidewalk curbs....well, you get the point. There was alot of elevation change happening. My only saving grace was that for the past 4 weeks almost all my runs have been on slightly hilly courses, so I guess it could have been worse. yes? no? Yeah, the jury's still out on that one.

Here's the million dollar photo of me coming up on the finish line and thinking "Thank you sweet baby Jesus for allowing me to survive the last 6 miles without dropping dead"....


enthusiasm! check.

And of course a little family shot of the Hubs, me and LFBIL after all was said and done...


so very schweaty.

As a little side note......my finishing time posted to the right of the blog is my "unofficial" time for the run. I'll let you know what it was "for reals" once they post the race results on the 10k website.

Mrs. Quiter McQuiterson

2011-06-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

QUIT, quit, QUIT, QUIT, quit, QUIT..........

Seriously, this was the one and only thought racing through my mind from the very start of mile 2. I got attacked by a nasty cramp in my side that would not go away. At one point I may have been running like the hunch back of Notre Dame. Yuppers, the pain was so intense I couldn't really stand up straight. Forget about it when we started running downhill. ouchy. I was a hot mess hobbling along, gasping for air and clutching my side. Are you getting the visual people? We're talking 6:30am, busy road with lots of travelers, a stint at a stoplight waiting to cross the road and did I mention I inadvertently dressed like a bumble bee for today's run? Not embarrassing at all. promise.

I was borderline turning it into a song in my head it was yelling at me so loud. Geez, I hear you thoughts....got your message....loud and clear.....go bother someone else's thoughts...no, seriously....scoot. skidaddle. beat it.

My pleading didn't work and so the unthinkable happened...dun, dun, dun...I had to STOP running. GAH! I just. couldn't. finish. BOOOO!!

dramatic reenactment

buzzzzzzzzzzzz

Running is ~~not~~ awesome! Gonna move past today's speed bump on the road to becoming a runner and focus on resting up for Saturday's big ole', what the hidey ho was I thinking 10k!

Chasin' the Pace

2011-06-07T19:51:00.000-04:00

Or dare I say....."chasin' the PACER"?

I'm fairly certain that the Hubs was trying to kill me this morning on our 3 mile run. No, honestly, he WAS....I'm sure of it...would I lie to you? Apparently, he was trying to get me a new personal record and forgot to let me in on his little secret. I know I've mentioned it before, but let me refresh for any newbies to my blog.......

This is my official "pace setter", the Hubs

such a zest for running (note sarcasm)

I'll admit that I may have mentioned to him this morning that perhaps we pick up our pace just a itty bitty, teeny tiny, wittle ole' bit. Big mistake.....HUGE....Open mouth, insert foot. Here's what our run looked like this morning

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 30:24
Ave pace: 10:08
mile 1: 9:42
mile 2: 10:20
mile 3: 10:22
tunes: Mumford and Sons (because I know you are all dying to know what I run too, duh)

Here's what I looked like this morning...

d-e-a-d

This was FAST for me people! We're talking new PR, soooooo....... I guess it was "mission accomplished" for my Hubs, although I'm still sitting firmly in the bitter barn. You know when you have that dream that you're running and no matter how fast you try and go you can't catch what you're chasing??? THAT WAS ME THIS MORNING! No matter how hard I pushed to try and catch the Hubs, it wasn't working. My legs felt like bricks and I couldn't seem to fall into a stride, so frustrating. Especially after such an amazing run on Friday where I felt like a champion (yup, "champion"...I said it...moving on). This is gonna sound ca-razy, but the only times during the run when I could "catch" the Hubs was uphill, strange I know. He would take off on any downhill sections and then go warp speed on the even flat parts, so when he slowed a bit on the hills I was able to pick up a bit of speed to close the gap. Now, I'm sure in a rational persons mind he was just trying to set a quick pace and get me moving, working harder, yadee yadee ya....but HELLOOOO people, mommy no likey. Not after my 3 day workout free weekend that involved wine, desserts and loungin by the pool. Guess I learned my lesson about taking time off and over indulging, right? maybe.

Oh, and before I go, you should know that I've signed myself up for the Crofton 10k this Saturday since I would be running 6 miles anywho, per the training schedule. I'll be running with the Hubs and my lightening fast Brother in Law. Seriously, homeboy can r-u-n....it's like he's running for his life fast.....someone is chasing him with a machete fast....you win a million dollars if you finish first FAST! He's humble and tries to act like he's a slow poke, but he's not fooling me. I'll be eating his dust on Saturday and probably the Hubs dust too, but I'm just in it to finish. for reals. Here's a pic of my LFBIL(lightening-fast-brother-in-law...stay with me peeps) at his MARATHON last year....

LFBIL and my Big Seester

Can't wait to run in a race that gets me a free tin foil blanket when I'm done! Soon enough ;)

Cross Training

2011-06-05T22:28:00.000-04:00

FAIL.

So, today was supposed to be either an easy 30min run or 30mins of cross training. Let's just say it didn't happen, okay people. I mean I could sit here for days coming up with all my ~~excuses~~ reasons for not completing the task at hand. Lord knows that my run on Tuesday will probably hurt like whoa since I did virtually nothing athletic all weekend long, but hey.....such is life. My motto with running is "it's a marathon, not a sprint" so that being said, I'm just pacing myself....taking some time.....resting up for the big run on tuesday.....HA! Who am I kidding? I had that amazing run on Friday and have since rewarded myself with a night out with friends, heavy drinking, another night "in" with friends, followed by more socially appropriate drinking, an end of the year soccer game for the Dude, a trip to Wendy's (are you kidding me?), a pooptastic trip to the playground thanks to my Missy Muffin 2yr old who has the ability to hold.. it.. forever... until the absolute most inopportune time......so, needless to say, the workout didn't happen. However, since you better "go big or go home", this is how I'm choosing to wrap up my Sunday night...........

Don't judge.

5 Miles Per Hour

2011-06-04T10:25:00.000-04:00

I had the most AH-MAZING run yesterday morning!!! I not only survived running 5 miles, but I swear on my life I could have kept going (for reals. pinky swear. cross my heart.). My day started a little something like this....

6am - Alarm goes off and I shoot out of bed with extreme anxiety about this 5 miler and decide 15 more minutes of sleep will help calm my nerves

6:15am- damn alarm goes off again and I'm forced to face the beast

6:20am- time to find the perfect outfit (don't judge) I need all the running gods to be on my side and
everything about this run must be set up for success. Who wants to run with a wedgie for 5miles (just sayin')

6:30am- drag my pace setter (aka, the hubs) out of bed and throw coffee at him. Who drinks coffee RIGHT before a run you say? This guy......

not exactly a morning person

7am- time to begin my longest run to date! I could have peed my pants I was so nervous, but I am determined to run the entire 5 miles!

nervous much?

7:55am- run is complete and I feel amazing!! we're talkin' "fist pump" amazing..... "who am I and what the hell happened to the real me" amazing! Can you believe it? It's a miracle! Here's a pic of me right after the run...

The Hubs told me to look dramatic and tired, but I couldn't cause I was on cloud nine! I had just survived a run that I was convinced was gonna kill me......YAHOOOO! Here's the Hubs....being all dramatic and what not

Here's the breakdown of our run ....
Distance: 5 miles
Average Pace: 11:07
     mile 1 - 10:59
     mile 2 - 11:18 (I think I slowed down because I knew mile 3 was uphill...energy conservation people)
     mile 3 - 11:06
     mile 4 - 11:03
     mile 5 - 11:11
Calories burned: 799 (um...yes please)

Overall, I was happy with my times, but for me it's more about distance. I want to show up to the starting line in November with 100% certainty that I will run the entire race without needing to stop. Maybe as my running gets better I'll change my tune and speed will become more of a factor, but for now it's just about finishing. I should also mention that the weather was GORGEOUS for our run. After training for the past 3 weeks in 90+ degree heat, it was such a blessing to walk outside and have it be a brisk 65. I'm hoping that this is the weather I can expect in Savannah, GA for the big race!

My next run/cross train is Sunday, so stay tuned ;)

slow, slower, slowest

2011-06-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

Yup, that about sums up how my running began...sloooooow. We're talking snail pace, it was sad. My first 2 miles out of the gate was a whopping 11:45min pace......yowza! I mean, I certainly wasn't expecting to set any records on our first run, but geez, that was embarrassing. Little did I know that a few short days later I would set a new personal slowest record of a 12min pace on a 2.5mile run....yay, me!

Don't worry peeps, I didn't let it hinder my new found enthusiasm for running! I know that I can only get better from here, and guess what.....I have!! Not to toot my own horn, but I ran 3miles on Wed. at a 10:30 pace!

Tomorrow will be my longest run to date, 5 miles. My guess is that it won't be pretty, but hopefully I'll survive. I'll let you know ;)

Training for a Half

2011-06-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

I'm officially registered for the Rock n' Roll 1/2 marathon in November! It was fate that brought us together ;) I had literally been talking to myself all week about how I would LOVE to accomplish a 1/2 marathon and then.....BAM! My great friend Tracy called me and said we should sign up and run a 1/2....say whaaaat?? YES, please. I would love to pay a ton of money for a hotel room, travel expenses and registrations fees so that I can suffer through 13miles of agony!! And so, my journey begins!

Here's my training plan for the 1/2. I'm actually gonna finish my training almost 2mths before the race, so I plan on working on my pace time once I reach my goal of being able to actually run 13miles.

Week

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

1

Stretch &
Strengthen

3 m run

2 m run or cross

3 m run +
strength

Rest

30 min
cross

4 m run

2

Stretch &
Strengthen

3 m run

2 m run or cross

3 m run +
strength

Rest

30 min
cross

4 m run

3

Stretch &
Strengthen

3.5 m run

2 m run or cross

3.5 m run +
strength

Rest

40 min
cross

5 m run

4

Stretch &
Strengthen

3.5 m run

2 m run or cross

3.5 m run +
strength

Rest

40 min
cross

5 m run

5

Stretch &
Strengthen

4 m run

2 m run or cross

4 m run +
strength

Rest

40 min
cross

6 m run

6

Stretch &
Strengthen

4 m run

2 m run or cross

4 m run +
strength

Rest or easy run

Rest

5-K Race

7

Stretch &
Strengthen

4.5 m run

3 m run or cross

4.5 m run +
strength

Rest

50 min
cross

7 m run

8

Stretch &
Strengthen

4.5 m run

3 m run or cross

4.5 m run +
strength

Rest

50 min
cross

8 m run

9

Stretch &
Strengthen

5 m run

3 m run or cross

5 m run +
strength

Rest or easy run

Rest

10-K Race

10

Stretch &
Strengthen

5 m run

3 m run or cross

5 m run +
strength

Rest

60 min cross

9 m run

11

Stretch &
Strengthen

5 m run

3 m run or cross

5 m run +
strength

Rest

60 min cross

10 m run

12

Stretch &
Strengthen

4 m run

3 m run or cross

2 m run

Rest

Rest

Half Marathon

I have a dream....

2011-06-02T17:19:00.000-04:00

I want to be a RUNNER!!! There, I said it.

I want to be one of those gals with the "runner girl" bumper sticker on her car, or maybe even the "13.1" bumper sticker (swoon). I want to learn to love running and be able to use it as a way to decompress after a long day and let's not forget another fun thing about running.....staying fit! Who doesn't want runners legs?

I've tried and failed many times in my life to become this "runner girl" that I dream about, but I have to say that this time it seems like it's gonna stick! Here's why I think this time is different....

1. I've birthed 2 kiddos, so pain is gain (right?)
2. I've finally lost ALL my baby weight and would like to keep it that way (nevermind that my youngest is almost 3yrs)
3. I've actually had a few runs where I thought to myself "wow self, this feels great"
4. My friend got me all signed up for a 1/2marathon in November and it cost a small fortune, so no turning back!!

So, here goes nothing!

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Stretch & Strengthen	3 m run	2 m run or cross	3 m run + strength	Rest	30 min cross	4 m run
2	Stretch & Strengthen	3 m run	2 m run or cross	3 m run + strength	Rest	30 min cross	4 m run
3	Stretch & Strengthen	3.5 m run	2 m run or cross	3.5 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	5 m run
4	Stretch & Strengthen	3.5 m run	2 m run or cross	3.5 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	5 m run
5	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	2 m run or cross	4 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	6 m run
6	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	2 m run or cross	4 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	5-K Race
7	Stretch & Strengthen	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	4.5 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	7 m run
8	Stretch & Strengthen	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	4.5 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	8 m run
9	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	10-K Race
10	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	9 m run
11	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	10 m run
12	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	3 m run or cross	2 m run	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon