Races

Look what Bella got this year. Here are my first and only half Marathons that I finished this year. A year ago, I was signing up for my first half Marathon (13.1 miles) now this year I am signing up for my first marathon (26.2 miles).

One of many Cheerleaders!!!

Logan and I lunch after the 500 mini on 5/8/2010

I did it again....

I ran another half marathon today and went very well - 2 hours and 18 minutes. That makes two half marathons in two weeks. I think its time to take a break for a while and rest.
Speaking of rest....I need to pack tonight because we are flying out to Florida for a week!!!
See you all when we get back!

Mini is completed

I ran for me and I loved every minute of it. It was a real cold windy day but I pushed through it and enjoyed the experience. I am looking at signing up for another one in a few weeks if everything works out!

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE SUPPORT AND CHEERING ME ON TO COMPLETE MY FIRST MINI MARATHON!!!

Did I get hint by a Bus or run 12 miles

This last Wednesday I ran 12 miles for the first time. I started off my day by being so busy at work I never thought about running that night. Until I got the gym and showed up 30 minutes before the run. Than I relized that I had a long night ahead of me and it was going to be a rewarding run if I could complete it.
Like always we started going in the same direction and started the run, I never even thought of the sun and how hot it was that day. When I got onto my 5th mile I could feel the sun beating down on me and I was slowly loosing one of my friends that I started the run with. When I looked back I could not find her anywhere. I continue to run but I found myself getting dehydrated. However, when you are in a middle of a run and the only thing you want to do is get back to your car....the only way you are going to get their quick is....RUN RUN RUN!
After running a little over another 2 miles I saw the friend I had lost...she was getting sick along the road. I stopped to ask if she was fine than kept on running.
As I continue to run, I came up to two girls that decided to stop running and walk. As I caught up to them I continue to run towards the next water spot. I felt so dehydrated when I finally arrived to the water spot, I could not open the water bottle - I had to ask some random person to help me. After finishing running my last 3 miles and got back to the YMCA I couldn't even move or walk straight.
I made it through the whole 12 mile run. I felt for the amount and the heat really made it hard. I know 1/4th of my group had got sick and half them had to walk during the walk. However, everyone made it and this makes us all ready for the big run on May 8th!!

Feeling Lucky tonight...

It started running before my run than it stopped ran 4 miles than it started raining when I got done. However, running in lighting wasn't that much fun.

Its official I have ran in every kind of weather!

The results are in.....

One year ago I started my life style change which consist of eating right/better and being more active. After being REALISTIC and having what I want but not all at once and remembering my daily intake of food is like a bank account I have lost a total of 47lbs.

My goal is to loose 65 lbs total but trianing for a mini marthaon has put this goal kind of on hold. I can't loose weight if I am gaining muscle. So in my last 18lbs I will work hard and change up some of my exercises and eating to make the goal after the mini.

Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

No Pain No Game

I will be honest, I was hoping to not experience any pain during this training but I was wrong.

Last Saturday I ran 7 miles and the day after my foot started to hurt. I just stayed off of it and played it off. Monday morning no pain, so I ran the normal 4 miles. Tuesday light pain, so I went to a Physical Therapist that is working with my training program. He asked to see my shoes and this first thing that came from his month was "WOW, THESE ARE THE WORST SHOES TO RUN IN" I thought GREAT! 100 dollar plus shoes that I been running in are bad on my feet.

Long story short-He filled out a paper and said go back to the running company (where I got my shoes) and have them exchange them for another pair of shoes and he wrote down three different kinds to try. He had me try some out that night and watched me run to make sure these would help.

Wednesday night was our long run (8 miles) so I just grab a pair of old Nike's that I had. God was I wrong. My big toe has been rubbed raw and my foot was in so much pain it was shooting up my leg to my lower back. No worries- I finished/ran the whole 8 miles and went straight home and put ice on my foot.

Thursday (Today) I am in pain. I turn in my heels for tee shoes today. I barely walked away from my desk and I just kept close throughout the day. I went straight after work to the Running Company and after 3 months of training they did exchange my shoes and they was CHEAPER!! So I walked around looking for things to also purchase, since I had a credit. Did I mention I had a $10 coupon as well? So, I got a new pair of running shorts, some non rub stick and a new pair of shoes for $3.19.

When the guy said 319....I asked again how much he said 319. I said 3 hundred and 19 dollars? haha

Personal Best

Every week I been hitting personal best.

I was doing 11 to 10 minutes a mile
than 9:50, 9:45 and this past Monday
9:30 minutes per mile and ran 4 miles total.

I never had a personal goal to run for speed I was running for distance. I think I am doing both.

Bring it on!

So, Do you REALLY want to know whats the hardest thing so far training for the mini marathon?

Its not running endless miles...but ask me again when we get to the 10 or 12 mile marker.
Its not running in the rain, wind, snow or ice.
Its not running in the road and almost get run over.
Its not learning to listen to my body- I have learned a lot about my body and how it reacts.

Its EATING....yes eating. I been on a diet for a year now and I have train myself to eat about 1200 to 1500 calories a day. Now, that I am now running 7, 8, 9......and ect miles I NEED TO EAT MORE. Its very hard to force myself to eat.

So Bring on the bagels, muffins, pasta, bread, and mash potatoes
BRING IT ON CARBS.

Side note - If I eat more Carbs I normally loose weight, if I don't eat a lot of carbs that week I gain or don't loose any weight.

10K Race

On Satruday I ran a 10K race downtown Indy. It was my first race ever and it was great knowing I could run 6.2 miles. It took me 1 hour, 6 minutes and 10 seconds. The average race time was 1 hour and 5 minutes. They had a little over 1700 runners/walkers.

I really enjoyed running with people through out the race. I even looked for places where my husband and family can park during the mini so I can have some cheering during the race.

Just think that I almost ran half of the mini race. Only 61 days left!!!

The Tredmill Vs The Road

I have benefits and disadvantage running inside vs. outside.

Treadmill VS. Outside
Treadmill
1. Boring (running in the same place its hard to keep mentally strong to finish the run.
Outside
1. Entertaining (Run to that road than run to the next road, Keeps me mentally entertained.
Treadmill
2. Control Weather Climate
Outside
2. Snow, Ice, Rain, Sunny, Cloudy, Cold
Treadmill
3. Limited time frame (I can only have the Treadmill for 30 mins, so I lie and add another 30 mins under my husbands name.
Outside
3. Run as far and as long as I want.
Treadmill
4. Calculated Calories, miles, time....
Outside
4. Est. Calories, Miles and Time
Treadmill
5. Smooth running path
Outside
5. Watch out for the potholes, crack in the
sidewalk, and gravel roads.

The worst so far....

Today I went on my normal run with the group but it was the most difficult run so far. They always said you will have good days and you will have bad days.

This was a horrible day.....

I started off real good with the group, right in the middle keeping tempo until I notice my shoe came untied. Without even thinking, I just stopped and tied my shoe which I completely forgot I had people right behind me running!!! (Sorry, for the people I caught off guard). After tieing my shoe I looked up and they were 20 to 30 feet away. My goal for the rest of the trip was to get back with the group. I never even came close to the group.

So as I am trying to caught up with the group, which I am now at my 1st mile marker and I am starting to sweat. I didn't put two and two together when I wore my glasses that morning that I might of wanted to take the time to put in my contacts....my glasses began to fog up . Which caused me to not see as well as I needed on the new route that we took yesterday. I just kept my eye on the group's back and thought to myself....if I can still see them through my foggy glasses than I wont get lost (Did I mention this was a new route that I NEVER took). When I took my next turn on a side road it was covered in snow and ice.
So, I am running in my foggy glasses, on ice and snow going towards the sun which was making it even harder. I kept trying to use my gloves to whip down my glasses; however, when you are hot and sweating through your second pair of gloves, you are battling a battle that you will never win.
(I ran about 80 percent of my 4 miles with fogged up glasses)

Through the whole run the wind was so cold, It was hard enough to breath in the cold 13 degree weather but even harder to keep your face moving so your face didn't freeze in place. I could feel the cold wind even through my teeth.
I thought to myself how am I going to make it? I normally run with two friends which both was not there yesterday. So, I had to keep positive and "I told myself I WAS NOT GOING TO WALK I was going to run the whole thing. I still had people behind me running and I wasn't the last one. SO I CAN DO THIS!!! Right?" As I have this peep talk to myself running through a neighborhood and I am pumping myself up mentally - A GUY PASSES ME ON MY RIGHT!

So I only had one other person left behind me....I thought to myself - "All I have to do is stay in front of that person and finish this" In the last half of mile she passed me - so I just took off and stayed on her ....right behind her in fact.

So what I finished last- but the cold, my shoe and my glasses where all working against me yesterday.

This weeks obstacles are ..... We are getting more snow tonight/tomorrow day and I have to run tomorrow night in that mess and Wednesday night we increase to 5 miles!!!

I had a hard time at 2 miles and never thought I could even run 4....now I am at 5miles. I don't think about it....I just do it.

Month 1 out of 5

I wanted to recap my first month of training for the marathon. I started running back in November and it was only a few miles on a treadmill. Outside is all different ball game.

I remember my first night outside running...I got all dressed and I was scared, excited and butterflies in my stomach. I stood in the lobby waiting for 6pm to come around. There was expert runners standing all around me in the lobby with the latest running gear. I stood there with two layers of clothes with a coat on top, 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves and most important my ski mask. As we walked outside in the dark the cold 30 degree air hit my body like needles I was scared and wondered to myself....."What am I doing and why am I out here" We took off down a snowy path along 126th street in fishers. It was such a cold and dark night and with headlights blinding me as I was running in between ice and snow piles I just took off and said "I CAN DO THIS". We ran a mile out to a stop sign than turn around and ran the mile back to the YMCA.

Now, after a few cold nights and feeling great running down the main road and passing people as they are riding in their cars.I am running four miles now. I feel like I am climbing a large mountain and I still have four months to get to the top.

In the first month I have realized not to analyzed the weather. I looked at the temperature- dress according- then just go run with the group. I have ran at 3 degree windchill to 40 degrees on a sun day. I get excited when I see 35 degrees.

I been told February is the worst month. More miles and colder temperatures. Stay in tune for my 2nd month update.

I stalk the weatherman

Yes, this is true....I watch the weatherman three to four times a day. I get excited when I hear its going to be 35 degrees.

Now that I am training outside and running in the rain, snow, cold, wind and the dark.....I watch it closely and pack my gym bag like there might be a blizzard that day.

I am pushing myself and this has been one of the most rewarding and hard things I have done.

I run 3 times a week and 2 weight training days a week. The best time so far is 3 miles in 31 minutes. But I am forcing on length and not so much on time.