This winter has proven to be a trying experience for my half marathon training. I feel as if I've been sick all winter long which is really bringing my training to a halt. Last week was another week where I only got one run in because I got sick on Wednesday and have been sick ever since.
My goal for my long run last week was nine miles in preparation for the Heart Mini Marathon, followed by another nine mile run this coming weekend before scaling back to start conserving energy for the race. Since that hasn't happened, I'm starting to wonder if maybe I should call off my 15k and just focus on finishing my training for the half. I honestly don't know if my body will be ready for a 9.3 mile race in three and a half weeks. I want it, badly, even if it means walking it, but I just don't know if I'm going to be ready.
This has been the sickest I've been in what seems like years. I don't know why that is, but it's really screwing with my training. Denise keeps reassuring me I'm fine and I have plenty of time but when I take more than one night off of running, my mental battles flare up and then I just get discouraged. Part of me is so ready to throw in the towel but I feel like I've come too far for that.
I know that part of my training is admitting what I'm capable of at the moment so right now I need to decide if I'm ready for a 15k or if I should just back off and keep focusing on the big goal of 13.1 miles in May. Decisions, decisions. I just need to keep myself from getting discouraged so hopefully getting back to the gym this weekend will help. I sure hope so.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Thoughts on the future
I don't typically blog twice in one day but I need to settle my mind down so I can get some sleep to go back to work tomorrow.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the future tonight because I just sent eight different e-mails to various school counselors to try and set up an internship for next year. I'm at the "holy crap!" period of my Master's degree because I can't believe it's time to start thinking about this already. How have the last two years gone by so quickly?!? If I were in the program full time and not part time, I'd be graduating in four weeks. I'm going to miss my co-hort but I'm thankful for the fact that Jen is part time too and will be there with me all next year. I couldn't make it through this without her.
After I graduate next spring, I really want to move out to Denver. I know I've been saying it a lot, but it's been on my mind a lot. I'm so serious about it that come next paycheck, I think I'm going to go to a different bank and open up just a savings account and start depositing money into it with each paycheck and refund check from UC. The boys have offered to let me live with them until I can get on my feet and a place of my own, something I am extremely thankful for. I'm going out for two weeks this summer so we'll test the waters and see if I can make it without wanting to kill them. haha
I just spent the last half hour surfing different school district websites and keeping my eye on the job market. Of course, it's still early to be posting jobs for the next school year but I like to keep my eyes open anyway. I'm hoping and praying that when it comes to this time next year and I'm applying for real jobs that I'll be able to find something. I'm going to apply here in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky as well but honestly my heart is in Denver and that's where I really want to be.
I know that if this is God's plan for my life that it'll all work out and He'll provide a way for me to get out there. For now, I just keep praying for me to be content in whatever His plan is for me, even if Denver isn't meant to be. I never thought I'd want to leave the place that's been home for the last ten years but I've had Denver on the brain for the last year ever since visiting the boys for the first time.
I don't know if this has made any sense or if I'm just babbling. There's a real entry one back. For now I think I need to sleep.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the future tonight because I just sent eight different e-mails to various school counselors to try and set up an internship for next year. I'm at the "holy crap!" period of my Master's degree because I can't believe it's time to start thinking about this already. How have the last two years gone by so quickly?!? If I were in the program full time and not part time, I'd be graduating in four weeks. I'm going to miss my co-hort but I'm thankful for the fact that Jen is part time too and will be there with me all next year. I couldn't make it through this without her.
After I graduate next spring, I really want to move out to Denver. I know I've been saying it a lot, but it's been on my mind a lot. I'm so serious about it that come next paycheck, I think I'm going to go to a different bank and open up just a savings account and start depositing money into it with each paycheck and refund check from UC. The boys have offered to let me live with them until I can get on my feet and a place of my own, something I am extremely thankful for. I'm going out for two weeks this summer so we'll test the waters and see if I can make it without wanting to kill them. haha
I just spent the last half hour surfing different school district websites and keeping my eye on the job market. Of course, it's still early to be posting jobs for the next school year but I like to keep my eyes open anyway. I'm hoping and praying that when it comes to this time next year and I'm applying for real jobs that I'll be able to find something. I'm going to apply here in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky as well but honestly my heart is in Denver and that's where I really want to be.
I know that if this is God's plan for my life that it'll all work out and He'll provide a way for me to get out there. For now, I just keep praying for me to be content in whatever His plan is for me, even if Denver isn't meant to be. I never thought I'd want to leave the place that's been home for the last ten years but I've had Denver on the brain for the last year ever since visiting the boys for the first time.
I don't know if this has made any sense or if I'm just babbling. There's a real entry one back. For now I think I need to sleep.
One of those weeks
It's only Wednesday and I'm already having one of those weeks. It actually started on Friday evening and has just gone from there.
The one perk to the week has been my incredible best friend because she sent me these amazingly gorgeous flowers for Valentine's Day. They were delivered to me at work and after a long, rough day they were much welcomed. I am so lucky to have such an incredible best friend.
Then yesterday after work my check engine light came on. I've already been having problems with my car not wanting to start properly and this just added to it. I dropped the car off at the mechanic's last night who called me today with a final price. I don't even want to talk about how expensive it is but I'm thankful at least that the mechanic is willing to work with me and let me pay for most of it now and then the rest out of my next couple of paychecks.
Today I woke up with a low grade fever which isn't suprising because I knew it was just a matter of time before I ended up sick. My whole class has been passing around this fever and stomach bug and I finally came down with the fever. I feel okay right now which is good but hopefully it won't be like the rest of the class where it goes away and then spikes up again later.
I'm just having one of those weeks and am more than ready for it to be over.
Friday night sometime between 11 p.m. and noon on Saturday some stupid person decided to spray paint the side of my car. Originally we thought it was an isolated incident but then discovered that whoever had done it had also spray painted a set of mailboxes in our neighborhood and someone's garage door. I filed a police report and a claim with my insurance but luckily magic eraser takes it off without taking my paint off so I'm not going to have to pay to have it repainted.
The one perk to the week has been my incredible best friend because she sent me these amazingly gorgeous flowers for Valentine's Day. They were delivered to me at work and after a long, rough day they were much welcomed. I am so lucky to have such an incredible best friend.
Then yesterday after work my check engine light came on. I've already been having problems with my car not wanting to start properly and this just added to it. I dropped the car off at the mechanic's last night who called me today with a final price. I don't even want to talk about how expensive it is but I'm thankful at least that the mechanic is willing to work with me and let me pay for most of it now and then the rest out of my next couple of paychecks.
Today I woke up with a low grade fever which isn't suprising because I knew it was just a matter of time before I ended up sick. My whole class has been passing around this fever and stomach bug and I finally came down with the fever. I feel okay right now which is good but hopefully it won't be like the rest of the class where it goes away and then spikes up again later.
I'm just having one of those weeks and am more than ready for it to be over.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Half marathon training week 4
Well, if I thought last week's training was an epic fail, then this week definitely surpasses it. I didn't run at all this week and I'm still trying to figure out where things went wrong and why I didn't end up running.
I had a breakdown before church this morning to Denise who quickly assured me that I was fine and that maybe we just needed to reassess my training plan. She reminded me that my running is something I'm doing for me and that it should be fun and not stressful. If I stress over it, I'm just going to end up mentally setting back my own training so I need to figure out what is going to work best for me and then go from there.
After much discussion this morning, I am contemplating changing my next race from a 15k down to a 10k. I'm just at a point right now where I don't know for sure that I can pull out 9.3 miles in a few weeks. I know I can handle 6.2 (a 10k) and that running a 10k instead of a 15k is NOT a setback in my training. There is NO reason that I can't still finish the half in May if I choose to run a 10k instead of a 15k. It's just being realistic about my abilities at the moment instead of trying to put my body through something it's just simply not ready for.
I knew coming into this that training for the half wasn't going to be easy but I never expected there to be so many barriers that popped up. However, I am still certain I want to do this and plan to keep pushing through until I cross that finish line in May. I still want this...badly...and I'm willing to work through those barriers that pop up from time to time.
I know I say it in every entry I write, but I truly, honestly COULD NOT do this without Denise. She is my rock and my encouragement and without her I would fall apart. Oh and we can't forget her amazing husband Jon too who is pushing both of us and cheering both of us on as we both work towards our goal of the Pig in May! He is our biggest cheerleader and I know I for one love the encouragement he provides us with and how he cheers us on during some of the tougher moments of training.
Yes, it wasn't the best of weeks training wise but tomorrow starts a new day and a new chance to get back on track and keep working towards my goal. I CAN and WILL finish this half in May!
I had a breakdown before church this morning to Denise who quickly assured me that I was fine and that maybe we just needed to reassess my training plan. She reminded me that my running is something I'm doing for me and that it should be fun and not stressful. If I stress over it, I'm just going to end up mentally setting back my own training so I need to figure out what is going to work best for me and then go from there.
After much discussion this morning, I am contemplating changing my next race from a 15k down to a 10k. I'm just at a point right now where I don't know for sure that I can pull out 9.3 miles in a few weeks. I know I can handle 6.2 (a 10k) and that running a 10k instead of a 15k is NOT a setback in my training. There is NO reason that I can't still finish the half in May if I choose to run a 10k instead of a 15k. It's just being realistic about my abilities at the moment instead of trying to put my body through something it's just simply not ready for.
I knew coming into this that training for the half wasn't going to be easy but I never expected there to be so many barriers that popped up. However, I am still certain I want to do this and plan to keep pushing through until I cross that finish line in May. I still want this...badly...and I'm willing to work through those barriers that pop up from time to time.
I know I say it in every entry I write, but I truly, honestly COULD NOT do this without Denise. She is my rock and my encouragement and without her I would fall apart. Oh and we can't forget her amazing husband Jon too who is pushing both of us and cheering both of us on as we both work towards our goal of the Pig in May! He is our biggest cheerleader and I know I for one love the encouragement he provides us with and how he cheers us on during some of the tougher moments of training.
Yes, it wasn't the best of weeks training wise but tomorrow starts a new day and a new chance to get back on track and keep working towards my goal. I CAN and WILL finish this half in May!
And now, just for an additional bit of encouragement, a reminder of the day I decided to run the half and the excitement of watching Denise finish her first full marathon! This is my inspiration to keep going!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Half-marathon training week 3
I can sum up my training this week in two words: epic fail. I only ran once this week. Once. That's it. Looking back on my week and then having a talk with my mom I now realize several reasons for why this happened and several places I need to make some changes.
Monday 1/31/11:
I didn't run this night because I had waited until the night before to write a six page paper I had due on Tuesday. My plan was to get the paper done by a certain time and do some cardio on the Wii but that definitely did not happen. I finished my paper at 11 and crashed hard.
Wednesday 2/2/11:
I had an INCREDIBLE run this night. I did four miles in 1:05, my best time yet! I think I've discovered the secret to getting a pre-run energy boost: smoothies! I had stopped for a smoothie on the way home because I needed a pick me up and didn't want caffeine so I opted for a healthier choice and had a smoothie instead. That gave me energy like no other and not only did I have my best time yet, but I pushed myself a bit harder which was so fun. I think people thought Denise and I were crazy because as soon as I hit that four mile mark and realized I had cut my time down I hit the stop button and started cheering. I needed a good run to make up for some tough runs I've had lately.
Sunday: 2/6/11:
I had eight miles scheduled for yesterday or today and didn't do them. I spent all day yesterday studying before hosting an Arbonne party and then today I went to my cousin's dance recital and spent the day with my family before chaperoning our youth Super Bowl party. The party also meant I ate like crap because I caught myself snacking on all the junk the kids and youth leader had brought and I hadn't had any water today, which also didn't help. I feel so bloated because I didn't eat anything good today and I'm just now drinking water.
The nightmares I've been having lately aren't helping my mental stability either. I'm at a point where tonight, the idea of turning out the lights terrifies me. I had a talk with my mom about them, especially my concerns over the fact that last night's nightmare was about having seizures and she said she thinks a lot of my problem right now is that I'm being way too hard on my body. The running she agrees is good for me but she told me that I need to continue watching what I eat and start getting rest. I've been staying up til all hours studying and then still getting up at 6:30 every morning for work. It's why I crash so hard and so long on the weekends. My body is trying to compensate for the damage I'm doing to it during the week. She told me that when I do finally fall asleep, I crash hard and my body is having trouble distiniguishing whether I'm having a nightmare or whether I'm awake. It's why I can't make myself wake up-I'm just so exhausted that my body simply can't make itself wake up and shake off the nightmares I've been having.
Starting Tuesday night (not tomorrow because I have a midterm Tuesday I plan to study for until at least 11), I'm going to start setting a cut off time for being on the phone, online, and even studying. I need to start getting some rest or I'm going to do some serious damage to my body with all the stress I already put it through when I run long distances. I'm not in college anymore and even though I'm only 26, my body just simply can't handle the late nights anymore. I need to start listening to it and taking care of myself.
I was also going to skip my run tomorrow night since Denise and I run at 9 but I think what I'm going to do is since I typically get off early on Mondays since my class is so low, I'm just going to use that extra little bit of time right after work and head to the gym. I only have to do three miles tomorrow so I can easily get to the gym by 5:30, do my three mile run, and still be home by 7 at the latest after I stretch. That gives me until at least midnight to study and if I don't know the material by then, then I don't know it.
So what have I learned this week even though I only ran one day?? I need to start listening to my body and sleeping when I'm tired at night and keeping myself on a schedule so I don't throw everything off wack. I've also learned that smoothies give me an energy boost before a run so who needs caffeine right?? I think the best thing I came to realize this week is that I'm getting faster and stronger and I will finish this half in May!!
Monday 1/31/11:
I didn't run this night because I had waited until the night before to write a six page paper I had due on Tuesday. My plan was to get the paper done by a certain time and do some cardio on the Wii but that definitely did not happen. I finished my paper at 11 and crashed hard.
Wednesday 2/2/11:
I had an INCREDIBLE run this night. I did four miles in 1:05, my best time yet! I think I've discovered the secret to getting a pre-run energy boost: smoothies! I had stopped for a smoothie on the way home because I needed a pick me up and didn't want caffeine so I opted for a healthier choice and had a smoothie instead. That gave me energy like no other and not only did I have my best time yet, but I pushed myself a bit harder which was so fun. I think people thought Denise and I were crazy because as soon as I hit that four mile mark and realized I had cut my time down I hit the stop button and started cheering. I needed a good run to make up for some tough runs I've had lately.
Sunday: 2/6/11:
I had eight miles scheduled for yesterday or today and didn't do them. I spent all day yesterday studying before hosting an Arbonne party and then today I went to my cousin's dance recital and spent the day with my family before chaperoning our youth Super Bowl party. The party also meant I ate like crap because I caught myself snacking on all the junk the kids and youth leader had brought and I hadn't had any water today, which also didn't help. I feel so bloated because I didn't eat anything good today and I'm just now drinking water.
The nightmares I've been having lately aren't helping my mental stability either. I'm at a point where tonight, the idea of turning out the lights terrifies me. I had a talk with my mom about them, especially my concerns over the fact that last night's nightmare was about having seizures and she said she thinks a lot of my problem right now is that I'm being way too hard on my body. The running she agrees is good for me but she told me that I need to continue watching what I eat and start getting rest. I've been staying up til all hours studying and then still getting up at 6:30 every morning for work. It's why I crash so hard and so long on the weekends. My body is trying to compensate for the damage I'm doing to it during the week. She told me that when I do finally fall asleep, I crash hard and my body is having trouble distiniguishing whether I'm having a nightmare or whether I'm awake. It's why I can't make myself wake up-I'm just so exhausted that my body simply can't make itself wake up and shake off the nightmares I've been having.
Starting Tuesday night (not tomorrow because I have a midterm Tuesday I plan to study for until at least 11), I'm going to start setting a cut off time for being on the phone, online, and even studying. I need to start getting some rest or I'm going to do some serious damage to my body with all the stress I already put it through when I run long distances. I'm not in college anymore and even though I'm only 26, my body just simply can't handle the late nights anymore. I need to start listening to it and taking care of myself.
I was also going to skip my run tomorrow night since Denise and I run at 9 but I think what I'm going to do is since I typically get off early on Mondays since my class is so low, I'm just going to use that extra little bit of time right after work and head to the gym. I only have to do three miles tomorrow so I can easily get to the gym by 5:30, do my three mile run, and still be home by 7 at the latest after I stretch. That gives me until at least midnight to study and if I don't know the material by then, then I don't know it.
So what have I learned this week even though I only ran one day?? I need to start listening to my body and sleeping when I'm tired at night and keeping myself on a schedule so I don't throw everything off wack. I've also learned that smoothies give me an energy boost before a run so who needs caffeine right?? I think the best thing I came to realize this week is that I'm getting faster and stronger and I will finish this half in May!!
Nightmares
Lately I've been finding myself having nightmares ALL the time. I don't know what's gotten into my head lately but I don't like it. A lot of times I can't remember what the nightmare was and just wake up feeling as if something isn't right and feeling off all day long. Today is different because I actually remember the nightmare and it was like living part of my past all over again.
The summer before 4th grade, I had grand mal seizures. Three of them to be exact. The night they happened, my sister and I were camping out on my parent's bedroom floor because their's was the only room with an air conditioner that ran at night. In the middle of the night, I woke up and thought I was shivering. When I tried to move to pull the blankets up on me, I couldn't move. It was like I was frozen other than the shaking. I called out for my mom and couldn't even get the words out because of the seizure. Luckily my mom knew exactly what was happening because she had gone through this with her dad. She screamed for my dad to call 911 and held my arms down at my side so I couldn't hurt myself as I was having the seizure.
I was taken to the hospital and had all kinds of tests run but the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. They sent me for MRI's later that week which came back inconclusive and still had no idea what had happened. In the midst of all this testing, I had several more small seizures before the doctors decided that they should put me on medication. From 4th grade until 7th grade, I was on anti-seizure meds and terrified to go anywhere without my mom because I was afraid it would happen again. We had to tell all of my teachers about it, who then at first tried to treat me differently but since my mom was PTA president, that ended quickly because my teachers knew they'd face her wrath if they kept singling me out. :-P I never spent the night with friends, not even my best friend who lived right behind us because I was terrified it would happen in the middle of the night again and no one would know what to do for me.
In 7th grade, my pediatrician decided that he was going to start weaning me off of the medication to see how my body would react. Since they never found a medical reason for the seizures, he thought maybe my body had outgrown them, since that's what happens in certain cases with kids, especially as they hit puberty. Sure enough, he weaned me off the meds and I've never had another seizure since.
That's what makes last night so terrifying. I honestly felt like I was having a seizure. I kept crying out for my mom but no one was responding. At some point I realized I was dreaming and kept trying to force my eyes open and my body awake but my body wasn't listening. I thought for sure I was truly screaming out loud but since I was at my aunt's and my little cousins were sleeping on the couch and the recliner next to me, I know that I must not have been because they didn't once wake up. It was the most terrifying feeling trying to tell my body to do something and it not responding the way I wanted it to. That's exactly what happened when I had the seizures in elementary school.
Eventually I was able to force my eyes open and my body awake and I just laid on the couch with my heart pounding, terrified to go back to sleep because I was afraid it would happen again. Eventually sleep won out and I did fall back asleep and slept until the kids woke me up about 8ish but it wasn't a restful sleep since I feel completely groggy and out of it right now.
A big part of me knows last night was just a nightmare but a very, very tiny part of me is doubting it and wondering if I did have a small seizure last night. I know that's crazy to say but it's how I feel. This is the second or third time in a couple of weeks ths has happened and I think it's just got me all worked up and unsure of what to think about it. It's just such a terrifying feeling to feel as if you have no control over your body as you try to force yourself awake and feel like you can't move. It was like living that night years ago all over again and that is one night I really don't wish to relive.
Maybe I'll talk to my mom when I get home this afternoon. She's a nurse and should be able to tell me if I was just dreaming or if I should be concerned. I'm just completely freaked out right now. :-/
The summer before 4th grade, I had grand mal seizures. Three of them to be exact. The night they happened, my sister and I were camping out on my parent's bedroom floor because their's was the only room with an air conditioner that ran at night. In the middle of the night, I woke up and thought I was shivering. When I tried to move to pull the blankets up on me, I couldn't move. It was like I was frozen other than the shaking. I called out for my mom and couldn't even get the words out because of the seizure. Luckily my mom knew exactly what was happening because she had gone through this with her dad. She screamed for my dad to call 911 and held my arms down at my side so I couldn't hurt myself as I was having the seizure.
I was taken to the hospital and had all kinds of tests run but the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. They sent me for MRI's later that week which came back inconclusive and still had no idea what had happened. In the midst of all this testing, I had several more small seizures before the doctors decided that they should put me on medication. From 4th grade until 7th grade, I was on anti-seizure meds and terrified to go anywhere without my mom because I was afraid it would happen again. We had to tell all of my teachers about it, who then at first tried to treat me differently but since my mom was PTA president, that ended quickly because my teachers knew they'd face her wrath if they kept singling me out. :-P I never spent the night with friends, not even my best friend who lived right behind us because I was terrified it would happen in the middle of the night again and no one would know what to do for me.
In 7th grade, my pediatrician decided that he was going to start weaning me off of the medication to see how my body would react. Since they never found a medical reason for the seizures, he thought maybe my body had outgrown them, since that's what happens in certain cases with kids, especially as they hit puberty. Sure enough, he weaned me off the meds and I've never had another seizure since.
That's what makes last night so terrifying. I honestly felt like I was having a seizure. I kept crying out for my mom but no one was responding. At some point I realized I was dreaming and kept trying to force my eyes open and my body awake but my body wasn't listening. I thought for sure I was truly screaming out loud but since I was at my aunt's and my little cousins were sleeping on the couch and the recliner next to me, I know that I must not have been because they didn't once wake up. It was the most terrifying feeling trying to tell my body to do something and it not responding the way I wanted it to. That's exactly what happened when I had the seizures in elementary school.
Eventually I was able to force my eyes open and my body awake and I just laid on the couch with my heart pounding, terrified to go back to sleep because I was afraid it would happen again. Eventually sleep won out and I did fall back asleep and slept until the kids woke me up about 8ish but it wasn't a restful sleep since I feel completely groggy and out of it right now.
A big part of me knows last night was just a nightmare but a very, very tiny part of me is doubting it and wondering if I did have a small seizure last night. I know that's crazy to say but it's how I feel. This is the second or third time in a couple of weeks ths has happened and I think it's just got me all worked up and unsure of what to think about it. It's just such a terrifying feeling to feel as if you have no control over your body as you try to force yourself awake and feel like you can't move. It was like living that night years ago all over again and that is one night I really don't wish to relive.
Maybe I'll talk to my mom when I get home this afternoon. She's a nurse and should be able to tell me if I was just dreaming or if I should be concerned. I'm just completely freaked out right now. :-/
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Half marathon training week 2
This past week's training actually went really well. I ended the week with my long run and feeling confident about my ability to finish the 15k I'm training for at the end of March. I love when I have training runs that leave me with confidence and what makes it even better is that my best friend complimented me tonight and told me how skinny I looked. I sometimes struggle to see progress when I look in the mirror so to hear those words tonight meant a lot to me, even if she didn't know it.
Monday 1/24/11:
Monday night was a three mile short run, which was good because I was recovering from my long run the day before. The three miles flew by because Denise and I were chatting and I once again enjoyed sprinting at the end of the run. That's become my favorite part of running because I know I've reached my goal and have crossed that "finish" line.
Wednesday 1/26/11:
Wednesday should have been another three mile run but I had completely screwed up my school schedule for spring quarter, along with thinking I had ruined my plan of graduating next spring (2012) by messing up next quarter so I spent the evening in front of my computer crying and cursing myself for making such a stupid mistake. Luckily hours later I corrected it, but at the expense of missing my run.
Sunday 1/30/11:
Today was my long run day and I had seven miles scheduled for today. Since the temperature outside actually reached 40 today, Denise and I decided to get in a couple of miles outside. She's training for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in a couple of weeks and had ten miles to do and I had my seven and we just couldn't bare the thought of being stuck inside on a treadmill for two and a half hours when it was so beautiful outside. We started out with a one mile warm up on the treadmill and then headed outside for one of our favorite three mile loops which goes 1.5 miles each way.
The first couple of miles in any run is tough for me and about two miles in I was asking myself why I had signed myself up for this torture but by the end of those first 2.5 miles when we reached the farm that's our turn around and my legs had officially gone numb, I remembered how great it makes me feel. The last time Denise and I did this three mile loop it was 90 degrees outside and the first time I had ever run three miles. Today it was nothing to run those three miles!
By the time we got back indoors, I had no feeling left, both from the fact that I had gotten chilly outside and because I was four miles into a seven mile run and everything had gone numb. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish out the seven miles I had to do today but I pushed myself, even though it meant walking the last three miles. I had about a tenth of a mile left to go in the final part of my run so I decided I was going to sprint it out, since that's how I love to end a run. Well, that lasted for all of a second because I got a HUGE cramp in my leg that spread all the way down to my toes and I had to literally stop and work it out so I could finish the last little bit of my run. Let me tell you, stretching after my run had never felt so good as it did today!
Things I've learned this week in my training:
--Sleep is so important! I actually got a good night's sleep last night because I overslept my alarm and missed church today so I had the energy needed to complete my run. Had I not slept well, I don't think I could have made it through seven miles.
--Hydration is also important. I drank the equivalent of nine glasses of water while at the gym today and that helped lessen the cramps I've been dealing with. I carried my water bottle with me during our three mile outdoor run which helped. I need to start making sure I drink more water throughout the week as well because I think it will be beneficial in the long run.
--I need to start trying some of the different chewy things Denise bought me when I run longer than an hour. My energy level dropped after the first four miles and I had to force myself to finish those last three. I know my body needs to replenish nutrients and what not from running so I'm going to need to figure out what I like and take them with me during training runs so I can get an energy boost during my longer runs.
--Having an awesome training partner is so important because you know you have a built in support system, someone who is going to be beside you during your more difficult runs, someone who will push you when you don't think you can go any further. It helps me to have the accountability, someone who is going to see me through my training and ask me how I'm doing. It also helps knowing I have someone waiting for me at the gym, because I don't think I could ever make myself go without her there. I don't know what I'm going to do when she's in Florida during my 9.3 mile run in a few weeks, my last long run before the 15k. Guess I'll have to fire up the ipod, do some time outside if possible, and just push through. It'll probably be the worst mental battle to make it, but knowing Denise will be asking me how it went, I know I have to do it! I could never, ever make it through this training without her by my side.
All in all, I consider this a great training week. I feel confident about where I am and it encourages me to get through another week of training. I know I can do this and I'm going to be able to look back on this week and remind myself that while there will be bad runs, there will be so many more good runs that outweigh them.
Monday 1/24/11:
Monday night was a three mile short run, which was good because I was recovering from my long run the day before. The three miles flew by because Denise and I were chatting and I once again enjoyed sprinting at the end of the run. That's become my favorite part of running because I know I've reached my goal and have crossed that "finish" line.
Wednesday 1/26/11:
Wednesday should have been another three mile run but I had completely screwed up my school schedule for spring quarter, along with thinking I had ruined my plan of graduating next spring (2012) by messing up next quarter so I spent the evening in front of my computer crying and cursing myself for making such a stupid mistake. Luckily hours later I corrected it, but at the expense of missing my run.
Sunday 1/30/11:
Today was my long run day and I had seven miles scheduled for today. Since the temperature outside actually reached 40 today, Denise and I decided to get in a couple of miles outside. She's training for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in a couple of weeks and had ten miles to do and I had my seven and we just couldn't bare the thought of being stuck inside on a treadmill for two and a half hours when it was so beautiful outside. We started out with a one mile warm up on the treadmill and then headed outside for one of our favorite three mile loops which goes 1.5 miles each way.
The first couple of miles in any run is tough for me and about two miles in I was asking myself why I had signed myself up for this torture but by the end of those first 2.5 miles when we reached the farm that's our turn around and my legs had officially gone numb, I remembered how great it makes me feel. The last time Denise and I did this three mile loop it was 90 degrees outside and the first time I had ever run three miles. Today it was nothing to run those three miles!
By the time we got back indoors, I had no feeling left, both from the fact that I had gotten chilly outside and because I was four miles into a seven mile run and everything had gone numb. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish out the seven miles I had to do today but I pushed myself, even though it meant walking the last three miles. I had about a tenth of a mile left to go in the final part of my run so I decided I was going to sprint it out, since that's how I love to end a run. Well, that lasted for all of a second because I got a HUGE cramp in my leg that spread all the way down to my toes and I had to literally stop and work it out so I could finish the last little bit of my run. Let me tell you, stretching after my run had never felt so good as it did today!
Things I've learned this week in my training:
--Sleep is so important! I actually got a good night's sleep last night because I overslept my alarm and missed church today so I had the energy needed to complete my run. Had I not slept well, I don't think I could have made it through seven miles.
--Hydration is also important. I drank the equivalent of nine glasses of water while at the gym today and that helped lessen the cramps I've been dealing with. I carried my water bottle with me during our three mile outdoor run which helped. I need to start making sure I drink more water throughout the week as well because I think it will be beneficial in the long run.
--I need to start trying some of the different chewy things Denise bought me when I run longer than an hour. My energy level dropped after the first four miles and I had to force myself to finish those last three. I know my body needs to replenish nutrients and what not from running so I'm going to need to figure out what I like and take them with me during training runs so I can get an energy boost during my longer runs.
--Having an awesome training partner is so important because you know you have a built in support system, someone who is going to be beside you during your more difficult runs, someone who will push you when you don't think you can go any further. It helps me to have the accountability, someone who is going to see me through my training and ask me how I'm doing. It also helps knowing I have someone waiting for me at the gym, because I don't think I could ever make myself go without her there. I don't know what I'm going to do when she's in Florida during my 9.3 mile run in a few weeks, my last long run before the 15k. Guess I'll have to fire up the ipod, do some time outside if possible, and just push through. It'll probably be the worst mental battle to make it, but knowing Denise will be asking me how it went, I know I have to do it! I could never, ever make it through this training without her by my side.
All in all, I consider this a great training week. I feel confident about where I am and it encourages me to get through another week of training. I know I can do this and I'm going to be able to look back on this week and remind myself that while there will be bad runs, there will be so many more good runs that outweigh them.
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