My 5th Half Marathon

I did it!!!

It's been a year since my last half marathon!! 

Only 2 weeks in to my training schedule... My first time taking over 2 hours to run a half but I finished it.

Not too much damage to my body... Lol

I'm walking today! 😉 and going for a run tonight!!! Feels great!!

Time: 2:02:57

03.08.14

Longest Run in 2014

My longest run yet in 2014!!!! It felt great to get out and run this long run yesterday!! Now I just need to work on my speed! This is the slowest I have ever been!

2014!!

Yes, its been a while!

I haven't been running due to some pain in my left foot. Very worried that it is a stress fracture but haven't been to the doctor yet. I know that 6 weeks of no running will follow if so. In the mean time I have been doing some strength training and traded out the treadmill for the elliptical!! :/
Not my favorite contraption by no means but at least I am able to do something! Nothing compares to my running!

Pushing through the Pain!

Running is PAINFUL right now!!

This right here is why I hate taking breaks from running. The starting back. Its so hard! I don't know how I ever started the first time because now I use the reason that I have done it before so I know I can do it again to get me through! Must have been my determination to do well in a race. I signed up and I was told that I wasn't going to do that well so I was determined to do so... and I did. Winning 2nd place in my first 5K. I really need to get that motivation back!!

I ran 4 miles this morning. I wanted to try to go further than yesterday (3.1) and I pushed through to 4. lol 4 miles seemed like so much this morning and normally this is nothing.

I need my running partner and she is up running 17 miles this week... way more advanced than me at this point. I have a lot of work to do if I am going to run with her again. :) - and I will.

Never Give Up!!

You can't!!!

I am slowly working my way back into it. I got in 7 miles two weeks ago. Last week 8 miles. This week I am at 3 and its only Tuesday!

I made it to the gym around 5:30 this morning!! Yay!!! :) Haven't done that in a while. Maybe I can get back into doing that at least until this football season is over.

I really hate falling behind all my running friends. It can be very depressing watching them move forward and me falling behind due to injury so now I just have to block all that out and work my way back up. I know that I can do it. I have been there before. Your mind is your worst enemy when it comes to running. You can't let the negative outweigh the positive. Its mind over matter!! I keep telling myself that!

Hopefully I will be back up in the double-digits before I know it. Just going to do it the right way... Hopefully :) and be injury free!!!!!

My morning run!! 3.1 with no stops!!! :) 

Long Run in the Heat!

I really wanted to run 10 miles this weekend but my running partner needed to cut it short and after she left I just couldn't force myself to go back out in that heat. I must say that it is definitely hard to get motivated when you know that sun is going to be baring down on you. The hills through the park are nothing compared to that hot sun melting your skin every step of the way... but in the end its all worth the extra push and sweat to get you to that finish line even if that's your drive way. ;)

Extra thanks to my super awesome running partner for showing up at my house and getting me out that door!! I was only scheduled to run 5 miles this week so 9 was over doing it but when you are that close to 10 miles its so much of a disappointment to not go the extra distance. I am sure my body is thanking me. I was drained.

Hebrews 12:1

...and let us run with patience the race that is set before us – Hebrews 12:1

Date with my Long Lost Love!! ;P

Yes... I had a date with the T-Mill last night. My long time love affair!

4 MILES @ 7:54 pace! :)))))))

I started probably faster than I should have but once I set a pace on the treadmill there is no going back!! :) Its mind over matter!

Motivation :)

One of my favorites :)

Don't let anyone hold you back... ever!

And this isn't just in regards to fitness goals..

Set life goals!

Night Running...

Night runs are very interesting... Especially when you run without a headlight and street lights are slim in some areas. I see a lot of things.. Like snakes that probably aren't really snakes yet I jump 5 feet and my heart races out of my chest and I don't wait around to see what it really is but I am definitely not going back that way either so then alternate routes come in to play.

Then I start hearing things.. Creepy moving things! So then I repeat my actions from earlier... 

And so on...

Night running really isn't worth it... I guess I better get to bed so I don't miss out on that morning run!! 

Good Night!!

3.1 tonight :/ 1 mile with my favorite little boy!! 

Week of Easy 5's...

Easier said than done...

My schedule this week should consist of running all easy 5's but running more days out of the week than normal. I don't have a long run scheduled but I plan on running more than 5 on my long run day so I doubt my schedule this week will be followed. I really am not fond of having a schedule but it keeps me on track for those slacking days when I don't feel like running but know that I will be unhappy with myself if I don't run.

With that said I ran yesterday:
5.57 miles 9:22 pace :)

Double Digits!!!

Finally got in some Double Digit Miles!!!

Perfect weather on Saturday for this Long Run!!

This got me 26 miles this week!! I am one proud runner!!

My Happy Place! :)

Weight is just a number!

At least I hope so...

I found out today that I weigh 22 lbs more than my best friend. That is a lot. Almost 3 - 8 lb babies. So I think to myself... This girl could hold 3 babies and still not weigh as much as me. I am shorter than her...

I have an athletic build which does not bother me at all. She is a stick... I wish sometimes that my legs were smaller like hers but I have heard her say that she would like implants in her legs. lol - So we are definitely built differently.

I work out at the gym. She tans at the gym. lol ... and if you see this yes its true. No use in denying the facts! ;)

So hopefully some of my weight is muscle weight... I would like to think so anyway...

Running on E!

Yesterday I waited a little too long before taking off on my 5 mile run... There is nothing that I dislike more than running while I am hungry. At first I thought its only a 5 mile run but then I went from just the feeling of hunger to the feeling of weakness. You have to be really careful! I didn't push to hard to run a certain pace after I realized that I wasn't just having a bad run day and my body wasn't feeling bad on the outside I was just weak and should have fueled myself properly. Hopefully today I can get in a couple of miles a little stronger. :)

Changes!!

Changes need to be made!!

I ran 3.1 this morning. 24:39 - Not too bad for not running since Saturday! BTW Saturday was 5 miles and it was my worst run ever!! I am not going to comment why besides it was just pure irresponsibility!! I deserved to feel that way in the hot summer day! Just glad I didn't die of heat stroke or dehydration. Not very smart at all.

We all fall off the wagon we just can't give up! We have to get back on and go again! There is one thing that I know. I may have my bad days but I have never quit running! I can take a 6 week break for a stress fracture but the day I am released I am back out there pushing to get back where I could be today!

Running is just part of who I am. It isn't just my hobby! :)

Lunch Date with the Treadmill ;)

Yes I took a 4 day break!! Sometimes we just do what we have to do...

Today:
Lunch date with the Treadmill :)
3.14 in 25 min

I didn't allow for any slacking due to my extended vacation from running! I did pretty good for my 1st day of August!

Here are some more pictures from Friday. Enjoy!!

Family Time! :)

This weekend was perfect other than I didn't get a lot of running in but I got to spend 4 days with my little guy! We had a great time and he ran his first 5K!! It was a Glow Run. A perfect 1st race for him. Maybe next time I will get him in the competitive environment. I think he is going to love running as much as me. At least I hope so! ;)

Blah!!

Ever have a day where you know you should be out running but your body isn't feeling it. I mean I have been running long enough to know that most times you feel better after you run but there are those days when your body is telling you NO... I used to do it anyway but after my two stress fractures and having to be out of running for weeks both times I have learned to listen to my body and when I am really drained or hurting I take my break even if it isn't on my schedule. There is always tomorrow! Better to be able to run tomorrow than to run today just to hurt myself or run myself down where I get sick and can't run for awhile! And let me tell you I have ran sick and it isn't pretty! Get your rest and be strong! We have tomorrow! Just don't use that excuse everyday and say oh... well we have next week!! lol

I took my day yesterday so today its time to get back to it!!

Not to mention my body is still aching from my weight training!! Probably not best at all to not do that for weeks or you will hurt for days like I am right now!! OUCH!!

Ready, Set, Go!!

Started this week off with a 6 mile run!! It was great!! Great weather and just felt great!!

But then... I followed up by eating myself a whole pizza! Granted it was a mini pizza but I ate the whole pizza!! Must get a handle on this MAJOR issue!! Lol

And finally followed up by a warm bath with some Epsom Salt!!

I did leave out my lunch workout today! I did 200 squats!! Kudos!! ;) Yea lets hope I don't wait another decade to do those again! My legs felt like pure jello!! Then I decided to do 3 sets of lunges. (Set of 15 on each side) I also did some abs and arms but didn't focus on those too much today! Going to try to get more of that in possibly tomorrow if my body will actually move! We shall see!! 

So maybe my legs didn't feel all that great this evening being that they are already sore from lunch but I pushed through and got it done!!!

Good night!!

Did my squats using this contraption! 10 lb weight on each end.