Here I am again picking races and attempting to actually train for a half-marathon

Last July my bestie called me up and said, wanna train for the Disney Princess Half Marathon?? After I got done laughing until my side hurt (I have/had never run more than 4 miles at one time in my life) I decided what do I have to lose besides a little time. The gains seemed so much better than the lost TV time. So I started training, did the C25k program and in 8 weeks I was running 3 miles. I managed to work up to 4 miles then my bestie fell off the running band wagon, then something else happened, then I got lazy, then it got cold (yes, I am aware that 40 isn’t cold anywhere else but in FL). Before I knew it the habit I had tried so hard to make was broken. I convinced myself “I was never meant to be a runner”. I have every excuse in the book. I probably would have forgotten all about the half and buried my defeat in the back of my mind never to be pondered again…but I didn’t. You know why I didn’t forget, because a girl I knew in HS, a girl who was no different than I was, (in fact I’d say in HS we were pretty similar in body structure) never thin always carrying a little extra weight trained and ran a half marathon one short month before I was supposed to run mine. And she kicked that 13.1 miles ass, and fell in love with running.

I wanted that to be my story. Watching her progression unfold I was envious of her new found passion, and her new found ass (but more her passion). So I picked my head out of my… well you know where, and I started running again off and on, a couple miles here and a couple there. I kept thinking, I will fall back into a habit. But I am coming to realize it isn’t as easy as that, I need a goal I need something to strive for. So today, when I should be doing something constructive like working, or writing thank yous to the 9 departments that interviewed me at the beginning of the week, I find myself day dreaming about running.

I have been running pretty regularly for the past month. I manage about 2-3 runs per week, I am working on consistency and making 2-3 turn into 3-4. I was traveling this month and some last month, but that is over for a little while so I am rededicating myself to training. I went online and picked a race that I want to train for in Virginia. I am moving in the next few months. My hubby is moving in 2 weeks, and I will follow at a date yet to be determined, but most likely June or July. I am moving to or near Fredericksburg, so I started looking near there for a half marathon in the fall/early winter. I found one… it’s called VA Runner Blue and Grey Half Marathon, registration costs a whopping $39.00. And it is put on by a local running club. I may end up joining after my transition. I am going to be a runner…I am going to be a runner…I am going to be a runner. That is my new mantra. And I am sure I will be singing it the whole way on 12/11/11 when I am running my first half marathon.

I also picked out a 10k to run in October, it’s the Spotsy YMCA 10k, and there is a 10 miler (16.1k…if I have trained up to that distance) in August. I am kind of excited about building distance and actually being able to run 6.2 and 10 and 13.1 miles without dying.

I still hope to be able to swing the Disney Half in January 2012, but I needed a finish line that will be executable regardless of funding. I know that I can afford $39.00, no matter the circumstances.

So, here’s to tangible finish lines and realistic goals.

Sports Bra Review

Since I have started running my biggest hassle has been my ability to find a great sports bra for under $40. What can I say, I am cheap. My problem in the past has been that I HATE UNI boob, but I dealt with it because I never did many high impact sports so the jiggle didn't bother me too much. But once I started running, my 38Ds were dancing to their own beat. I had some old style uniboob bras, but they just weren't keeping the motion down enough. Plus all my sporting gear was a few years old and bought when I was in better shape (ie. smaller titties).

So my journey started out at the Nike outlet. I love the outlet. I can get so much stuff for so much cheaper than retail. And 2x a year I get really great coupons. I found a bra that I thought would fit great, tired it on, jumped around a little and was satisfied with the results. When I strapped my ladies in for their first run I was thinking, finally a bra that will work for a large chested lady. After the first run the stupid bra had eaten my boob. I had an aweful raw spot under my right breast. I actually didn't notice it until I jumped in the shower and lathered up..HOLY CRAP that stung. So then I had to start double bagging because the support was good but the rubbing was not so good. Faulty placement of a seam. My quest continued..... and continued... I went to Sports Authority and I think I tried on every sports bra know to man. I was really sad and my patient husband was getting restless, but he was a good sport. Then I saw it...the mother of all sports bras, it looked like armor for my ladies.
It's a little hard to riggle into but once I am in there...NO MOTION. That's right NO MOTION FOR MY 38D's. A dream come true.

Here's the picture in case you want one. It runs $39.00 at Sports Authority and 40 online. I love the underwire. And I love that it is a racerback and there is a claps on the back and adjustable straps as well. I have run in this bra 3 times. No RUB, no RASH. No BOUNCE....

Travel, Treadmills and Tornados

That my friends is the trifecta derailing my training. I haven't gotten out there in a week. I managed one treadmill run on my week of travel, but then I started sleeping instead of running. Then when I got back... rain from 5am to midnight Monday. Today is tornado watches/warnings and 74 mph wind gusts with sideways rain I really hope it stops soon so I can get out there. I may be off to join the gym this evening if not. GRRRR!!!

1 week down

I finished week one of my ease to 10K, and today wasn't so bad. My speed increased by 45 seconds per mile just this week, which makes me not feel too horrible. But I am still sad about the 30-60 seconds slower I am since I was running regularly. Time will fix this too...right??

Overall I can say that my first week wasn't so bad. I like that it's light out while I run now, and I hate that it's light out when I run. I have an overall aversion to others when I run. I don't like people watching my laDies flop around and my thighs sing as they rub together. But at the same time I very much enjoy seeing the sunset, I like breaking a little bit of a sweat and I yearn for the day that I can run 5 miles with out realizing and when my thighs remain silent the entire run. That will be the day, but until then I am going to embrace every run...enjoyable or not, watch out people, the LaDies are coming!!

2 part blog...

So tonight is my second run of the ease to 10K. I was supposed to run yesterday, but one of the side effects of the VFF is really tight calves. I don't know how to explain the tightness, it is different than other sore muscle pain. It isn't like tight quads that you can feel the slight burn all day long, it's a stealthy pain you forget about it until you get up and then your calves scream and you hobble your first 3 steps until you win the fight with your muscles to relax. From then on you're OK, until the next time you sit and forget your calves again. But other than that...my body felt great, no soreness, no pain.

I figure that part of EASEing into 10K is listening to your body, and my body said "NO, you will not run today". But I was only willing to listen to my body for one day. Tonight I will do my duty and run my run. Last time I was running in my VFFs it only took a couple days to adjust and not experience the calf pain. I hope this transition goes just as quickly.


I will post an update to this entry when I get back from my run... funny...i am writing this like I have followers. I don't. But it's out there in cyberspace for all to enjoy.

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Well I am back from my run. I made it 2 miles run/walk. No pain in my calves except a little tiredness during the run. That is understandable seeing I haven't run since December and that was just once or twice cause I fell off the proverbial running sneaker.

Glad I had an uneventful run, I will be happy when my runs are actually long....

ease to 10K

OK, so today something finally clicked and I got off my duff, put on my running clothes, velcroed up my shoes and pushed myself out the door. 30 minutes later I felt almost accomplished. I don't know what comedy of errors made me stop running during the holidays. I think it was partly the fact that I had reached a spot where I had never been before...the 4 mile mark. I NEVER ran that far in my life. As I looked at the training plan it got scary for me. I talked myself right out of my desire to become a runner. Then it became easy to make the excuses. I was tired, I was lazy, I was giving up. Fast forward 3-3.5 months and here we are today. My muscles I had been grooming are wasting away I am out of breath going up the 3 flights of stairs to work. I am almost right back where I started. But I know I haven't lost all my stamina so I didn't want to start over. I went in search of an APP, cause there is always an APP for that.

I downloaded the ease to 10K app from run helper. Today was W1D1- 5 minute warm up, 3 min run/1min walk repeat 5x, 5min cool down. (Probably the perfect starting point, not to hard...and not so wimpy that I feel like a total loser)

Wish me luck on this journey...AGAIN. 10 weeks until I am a 10K runner come hell or high water.

Gone too long

So today was my very first run since my last post. I had a series of unfortunate events. I never thought of Yoga as a place where one gets injured, but I happened to me. I hurt my back so much that I couldn't walk for 2 days. It took a long time for the pain to go away, in fact it still hurts if I sit wrong or curl up too much on the couch. I am fighting off a little bit of a cold, but I am going to run anyway. They say the rule is as long as it is above the neck its ok to run. I don't enjoy snotting on myself but at least it's dark and no one can see me.

Todays run was a little reminder or where I need to be. I only managed to run about 1.5 miles, I can't believe that at one point I was up to 4 miles non-stop. That would have killed me today. But running at 55 degrees is heaven. I am determined to get back to where I was and beyond. Life is a little stressful here, there is a lot of uncertainty at our house with work and bills and how to manage once the money from the business goes away. I think I need the run to help release that stress.

Till my next run.