Oh what a week

Last week was definitely a blur and it's hard to believe that March is right around the corner. After my awesome visit to urgent care to find out I had bronchitis and was benched from running I hopped on a plane and headed to San Francisco and Tucson, AZ for work for a week. Originally I was pumped for this trip and the personal benefit of being able to run outside in the warmer air and sunshinier skies. I was definitely worn down and was just hoping and praying that the antibiotics would kick in and I'd suddenly feel great. Eventhough that didn't happen I pushed myself to get in a couple of workouts. 2.5 treadmill runs ( I say .5 because I had to stop early on one of my runs). I ran super slow and only went about 2 miles each time. After every run I was so out of breath and coughing up a storm. As the week went on I was feeling stronger everyday and when Thursday rolled around the gorgeous blue skies in Tucson were calling my name. I jumped at the thought of getting a good run in before my plane ride home. As I started the 3.5 mile run I immediately knew it was not a good idea and parked the run idea and went for a nice walk at a pretty decent pace.

I'm pretty bummed and getting nervous because I missed two long runs for training. I'm not sure how it will all work out with my training for the half but i'm definitely more nervous now than ever. I did manage to get a run in last night. It was a quick 2 miles but I'm hoping the shorter runs and the longer walk I had to do while sick will be enough to keep the muscle memory going in my legs.

I'm feeling a lot better now, still not 100% but much better and am really crossing my fingers that I will be able to jump back in to training.

T: 3.5 miles
W: 2 miles (hills) and belly dancing class!
T: 3.5 miles/strength
Sat: 6 miles (maybe 7 if I can push myself there!)
Sun: x train

Sidelined

And not happy about it. Just when we get a warm spell in the middle of February I can't get out and run. I run through sleet, wind, snowstorms, and freezing temperatures and when it finally hits the high 40's low 50's I can't lace up and go! I gave in and went to the Dr. yesterday and he was so nice in telling me that I have bronchitis and need to stop running until I'm all better. Doesn't he realize that I have a half-marathon to train for? Doesn't he realize that I just bought brand new shoes that I'm dying to break in? Oh yea, I'm kind of giddy over these shoes...

Hopefully this mini break doesn't hurt my training too much. Sigh.

Personal Bests

One thing I realized that is really unique about training for your first time marathon is the huge amount of opportunities there are to have personal bests. It seems like at least once a week you are able to accomplish something that chances are you have never accomplished before. Because every long run is an increase of the one before you area always running longer than you have ever run before, and because training is only making you stronger there are always the chances for a mid week personal best by running a short run faster.





This Saturday I had another personal best, 6.2 miles! I woke up and did the usual hemming and hawing about going to run. It was too windy, I couldn't find my headphones and God knows I can't run without my head phones, etc. etc. After a nice swift kick in the butt from my husband (and him generously finding me a new pair of head phones) the pup and I were off and running. We finally went through a warm up this weekend and it was really a gorgeous day to go for a run. Although it was windy I soon found out that I needed the wind to cool me off. It was definitely a bit of a struggle at times because I was running on three different kinds of terrain (packed snow, wet asphalt, and the dreaded slush) I took 3 very short (30 sec max) walk breaks and before I knew it I had my new personal best. 6.2 miles in 1:05:37





I was also treated to this pretty photo op when I took off my shoes and socks....

Lesson learned, always cut your toe nails before you go on a run. Somehow having a bloody foot made me feel even more like a real runner!

Now that I've been so kind as to gross you out I hope everyone enjoys their Valentines Day Chocolates!

New Music Friday

I'm ready to tackle 6 miles tomorrow and these are the new songs added to my playlist to get me through the run.

F**k You- Cee Lo Green
More-Usher
F**kin' Perfect-Pink
What the Hell-Avril Lavinge

Happy Friday!

G.I. Jane

I by no means am comparing myself to G.I. Jane in this post; although I wish I was as much of a bad ass as Demi Moore was in this movie. This movie was my saviour during today's hill workout. I recently have read on a few posts about the Nashville 1/2 that it can get quite hilly. This threw me for quite the loop as I hadn't planned on running a hilly marathon for my first. Instead of letting myself get scared and nervous about the hills I may hit in 12 weeks I decided I better start preparing for it. I'm thinking (and hoping) that doing one hill workout a week will be enough.

I hate hills but I also hate treadmill running and I've been stuck on the treadmill for every run this week thanks to the negative temperatures outside. I went on a search today to find a good treadmill hill workout in hopes that it might spice up my workout as well. This is what I ended up using:

5 min warm up run
2 min @2%
1min @0%
2min @ 4%
1 min @ 0%
2 min @ 6%
1 min @ 0%

I continued this set up until I reached my 3.5 miles for the day (Nike + read 3.74) and I was shocked at how quickly the time seemed to go. I'm actually pretty excited about doing a hill workout once a week on a treadmill after the success I had today.

It's been a good week on the running scene for me getting every workout in this week. I think I'll have to reward myself with a couple of new songs for the play list for this Saturday's 6 miler.

Gluttony

Gluttony, derived from the Latin gluttire meaning to gulp down or swallow, means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or intoxicants to the point of waste. In some Christian denominations, it is considered one of the seven deadly sins—a misplaced desire of food or its withholding from the needy

Gluttony is my middle name today. Super Bowl Sunday was a big day at our house and I now have a big stomach to show for it. We are huge Packers fans and I feel that our menu of cheese and beer helped get the Lombardi Trophy back home. My doctor may have other thoughts on that when I go for a visit later today! Here is a photo of us pre-game...I know I know, our poor dog!

All in all it was a fantastic Super Bowl Sunday and I'm going to try really hard to not beat myself up for over indulging last night. It's not every day that my favorite NFL team wins the Super Bowl!

In other news today starts the official training for the Nashville Half Marathon. 12 weeks and counting! No more slacking off; it's time to get myself motivated and make sure I check off every scheduled workout that I have. I'm thinking of starting a "reward" system for myself. Something along the lines of every week that I do all of my workouts and I can buy some new music from itunes; 4 weeks of workouts and manicure time, 8 weeks of workouts and pedicure time, 12 weeks of workouts and momma gets a new pair of jeans to wear out in Nashville after the half! Something along those lines at least. Here is what this week's workouts look like:

Mon: Stretch and Strength

Tues: 3.25 mi

Wed: Cross Train

Thurs: 3.5 mi/strength

Fri: Off

Sat: 6 miles

For any other runners out there, what motivates you to keep going?

The Perfect Winter Day

Today was a good day, a great day actually. It was one of those very rare beautiful, sunny, Michigan winter days. It's one of those days that makes you want to get outside and soak up some Vitamin D even though it's still chilly out. After running around most of the afternoon getting geared up for the Super Bowl I came home and layered up for a run. I was planning on running 3 miles and then finishing up the last 2 miles with a 5:1 run/walk ratio. From the second the run started I knew it was going to be "one of those runs." One of those perfect runs to be exact. The temperature felt right, the sun was shining and making little diamonds reflect off the snow. My play list was rocking and everything just felt right. Before I knew it I had hit the 4 mile mark and knew I couldn't stop now.

For only the second time in my life I ran 5 miles straight. It was one of those days that made me think, " I actually can run a half-marathon."

Cheers to finally having the "perfect" run!

5 miles 10:04/mile

Lazy Bones

Is what I feel like today. I have no motivation, and it's not just a lack of motivation to run, it's a lack of motivation to do just about anything. I'm feeling pretty guilty for not running 3 miles last night like I was supposed too. I had every excuse in the book not to run and I let all of those excuses win. Next week starts the official 12 weeks before the half marathon and hopefully the end of my slacking off. I am planning on tackling a 5 mile run tomorrow (more than likely inside on the track) and hoping that 2 days off will make it a great run. I'm considering starting to implement the 5:1 run/walk ratio after I hit 3 miles.

In other news it's a very exciting weekend around our house since we are huge Green Bay Packers fans. We are hoping that the Lombardi Trophy finally comes home this weekend. Our Super Bowl Menu consists of:

Buffalo Chicken Dip
Chips and Dip
Wisconsin Beer Brats
Cheese Curds
Spotted Cow Beer (only found in Wisconsin)

hmmmm maybe that 5 mile run should turn into a 6 mile run...

Why yes I did...

just go for a run the day after a Blizzard! True to the shirt my mom bought be "Run in the Rain, Snow, Sleet, Just Run!" And yes that is a huge pile of snow behind me! It wasn't a long run by any means but it was the 2 mile training run that I was supposed to get in today.

2 miles at 9:59/mile.

This could get interesting.

It's official, the massive storm that was predicted arrived last night. After getting off work early and running to the grocery store for a few essentials in case the power went out off to the gym I went to get a few miles in on the track. When I walked in to the gym it was a typical gray Michigan winter day but when I came out it was a completely different story. The winds were howling, snow flakes were flying, and visibilities were extremely low. It was an awful long 1 mile drive home.

We wake up today with an additional 13" of snow on the ground and snow drifts so high we couldn't even open our garage doors. It doesn't look like a run is in store for me this Ground hog's Day. Even if we could get the cars out to go to they gym, the gym is closed! Looks like a day of "cross training" a.k.a. shoveling the sh*t out of the snow.

2/1/11- 3 miles, 10:55/mile

It's about time...

to get motivated again. The last couple of weeks have definitely been a struggle with training. About 3 weeks ago I had a fantastic week of running. I honestly never felt better about what I was doing, how I was running, and what I was working towards. I did every scheduled run I had plus strength training sessions and felt great. My Saturday long run was looming and I was looking forward to tackling 4 miles. My husband and I were headed to a college basketball game late morning so I knew I had to get myself up and put in 4 miles before we left because there was no way I was doing it when we got home.

My alarm went off at 8:00 that Saturday morning and I looked out to see the beginnings of a typical Michigan winter day, dreary, snowy and cold! I suited up and the dog and I took off. It was a tough run with the snow accumulation from the night before and the ice that the plows left behind when they went by us ( I learned quickly that my dog hates snow plows, and I mean HATES them!). I felt so empowered at the end of the run; the time was a little slow but I chalked it up to the conditions I was running in and went from there. I felt great about myself and had a new confidence for this whole half marathon training; then I woke up on Sunday. I knew it was the beginnings of a nasty chest cold, one that took hold for days and didn't let up.

I laid low most of the week having more and more guilt building up for not running. I put in 2 torturous miles Thursday of that week and knew I wasn't even close to being over that cold. I laid low the rest of the weekend and when the following Monday rolled around I was ready to go again. I was really looking forward to having an awesome run; the sun was out, the snow was melting, and it was a balmy 30 degree's. I soon found out that the road conditions were nothing but slush and 3 miles later my knee's were screaming at me. 2 days later they were still screaming but I attempted to push out another run; it was disastrous. I haven't felt so beaten down by running (or lack thereof in this case) in a long time. I literally cried my way through 2 miles with nothing but self doubt running through my head. I came home and told my husband that there is no way I can run a half marathon. He just looked at me and said " Suck it up, I know you can do it."

Enough said, it's time to suck it up and do it. Last Saturday my husband and I went to check out a new gym with a track and when he was done with his workout he joined me on the track and pushed me through the final mile of my 4 mile run. He helped instill confidence in me that I actually can do this, and I will.

I may be running slower than I usually do but I can build myself back up to where I was. I may not have the best time when I cross the finish line in April but I will have the knowledge that I pushed myself to reach a goal I never thought I could do....of course with some "gently nudging" from my awesome husband!