Training Milestone Alert: 13 Miles!! I did it!

Well folks, I've done it. On a clear, sunny, but very cold Sunday morning, I did what felt for the longest time like only a distant possibility: I ran 13 miles.

So, I can do it after all!

I never thought I'd hit 13 miles this far ahead in my training. But I've really been in a groove with my half marathon training ever since I got back from El Salvador/being sick (one of the reasons I decided to skip out on a 15K race I had signed up for this weekend, a decision that clearly paid off!). For the past couple weeks I've been feeling great after my runs, and I rocked my 12-miler last weekend, so this weekend I just went for it. And now I know: I can do it. I can run 13 miles.

I can run a half-marathon!

So, what now? I have 5 weekends left before the big day, and this is what my long run schedule is looking like going forward:

March 29 or 30: 11 miles
April 5 or 6: 12 miles
April 12 or 13: 13.5 miles
April 19 or 20: 11 miles (whoo hoo taper time!)
April  26 or 27: 9 or maybe just 8 miles

So, now that I know I can run those 13 miles? Time to work on that pace! I haven't been thinking about time on my long runs, since the important thing is to take them easy and complete the miles. Even though most of my long runs will be shorter than 13 miles from now until May, I'm still not going to "race" through any of them, but I am going to keep working on my speedwork and tempo runs during the weeks. For the past couple months, I have typically done one speed intervals workout and one tempo run per week (I must confess, I use the word "tempo" lightly - whether I push the pace, and how much, usually just depends on how I'm feeling that day). I did my 6 mile run on Thursday at tempo pace and it went superbly well: 6.12 miles in 57:00, which is right on the heels of my 10K race times! I'm hoping that by really polishing up my speedwork and tempo runs for the next 5 weeks, I'll start getting myself ready to rock this half marathon!

Ideally, I would also like to start doing more strength training. I've been notoriously bad about this in my time as a runner. It's just hard to find the time to work it in when I'm already running 4 times a week. But I will try.

I must admit, folks, I'm REALLY getting excited! The weeks countdown is in single-digits, the weather is starting to get a little better, and I'm really starting to feel in the zone and see improvements in my training!

May 3rd, bring it on. I'm ready for you!

Long May You Run

One of the things running bloggers and runner friends seem to love to talk about is the dreaded long run.

I was beginning to think I've been doing something wrong, because long runs haven't been bad for me. Long runs are demanding, sure, but they've never been hellish for me like they seem to be for other runners. They never required me to summon Herculean amounts of strength and energy and they never completely wiped me out for the next 1-2 days. Granted, my long runs haven't been that long so far, relatively speaking, but whenever I hear runners griping about the long run I can't help but think: are long runs really THAT bad, folks? Or am I not doing them right? Do I just have a higher pain threshold? Are some people just natural complainers? What gives?

The other day, I was discussing long runs with a running friend of mine and she mentioned how a long run ruins not only that day, but sometimes the whole weekend if it's on a Saturday or the following Monday if it's on a Sunday, too. I didn't really know what to say because this has not been my experience, but I didn't want to be all, "well I always feel fine after MY long runs!" My long runs are always pretty exhausting, and make me kinda sore, and some of them don't go as well as others, but I usually am able to go on with the rest of my day and feel normal once they're over.

That is, until yesterday. Yesterday I did an 11-mile long run (it's amazing how close I'm getting to 13.1!). It wasn't a bad run and went swimmingly for the most part, but on my way back I hit a wall at about mile 8.5. Suddenly home seemed another 11 miles away. My legs ached and it felt like torture trying to pull myself through those last couple miles.

I got through it. I managed to make it the rest of the way, without stopping or walking. But when I got home I just crashed. I curled up in bed, not even bothering to change out of my cold sweaty running clothes, and slept for an hour. And, it felt great. Today my knees still ache a little bit.

So, you win, long run haters. You were right and I was woefully naive: they are hard and they do sometimes torpedo the rest of your day. I'm gonna be optimistic and chalk my extreme exhaustion up to the fact that I was coming out of a 2 week hiatus and trying to compensate by jamming 19 miles into a span of 4 days (that may not seem like a lot, but up until this point I've been doing that much and sometimes less in a whole week).

While I was running on that wall, it was impossible to believe that I could get through a half marathon in 8 weeks. 11 miles is SO close, but it sure didn't feel that way yesterday! I could not have handled another two. So, how much better can I really get in 8 weeks? Each week that goes by and the half marathon gets closer, I wonder more and more what it's going to look like. I toy with different time goals, but the truth is I really have no idea what I am or am not capable of. What does May 3rd have in store for me? What will 13.1 miles really feel like? So much wondering. I'm so anxious and excited and want race day to hurry up and get here, but at the same time, I'm constantly worried that I'm not prepared enough and that I'm going to let myself down. Will I regret all that hill training I didn't do? Should I have increased my weekly mileage sooner? Am I doing speedwork right?

Anyway, regardless of what it means, I'm choosing to let it motivate me instead of discouraging me. This week I am increasing my tempo and easy run mileage and I'm excited to kick a 12 miler's butt this weekend (12. Holy crap. That's 1.1 miles away from a half marathon)!

Here's to you, long runs: the (mostly) good, the bad, and the ugly.

A new chapter in training: the Mikaela Method

Buenos dias!

I'm back from a wonderful trip to El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity. It was a terrific experience and building a home definitely got me caught up on some strength training!

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to dive right back into running, I have had to delay running even further because I came back to the US with an ear infection and have not been feeling well enough to run. Needless to say, I am not happy. I have about two and a half weeks until a 9.3 mile race and less than two months until a half marathon and I am starting to get really stressed about whether I can be ready in time. Before I left for El Salvador, I was actually ahead in my training, with long runs up to 10 miles. I'm hoping that these miles will still be "in the bank" once I start running again this week, even if I am behind. Big races loom on the horizon, and I have no time or miles to waste!

Anyway, this break came at a perfect time, because I have been doing a lot of thinking about my training. I recently read an article about Mikaela Shiffrin, the 18-year-old skiing phenom who won gold at the Sochi Olympics. The article was about Mikeala's training and how her central strategy is to "compete less, train more". Her coaches actually have her opt out of most of the skiing competitions throughout the year so that they can spend that time working on the basics and getting her better at the sport. Apparently many athletes, including Tiger Woods, have similar training philosophies. Competition-focused athletes are doing what it takes to beat their competitors, while training-focused athletes are actually trying to get better at their sports.

I wonder how much better I could be at running if I applied this methodology to my training. Instead of putting so much effort into getting good times in all of my small races, what if I focused that energy on training and becoming better at running? Instead of simply getting the miles in so I can have a good showing at the next race, what if I decide to really get serious about speed work and strength training and long run technique? Do I really want to get through my first half or full marathon, only to wonder how much better I could have performed if only I had spent more time solidifying the basics and less time just trying to beat my race PRs?

Obviously, there has to be a balance. I don't regret any of the races I've done. Even in Mikaela's philosophy, some competition is necessary. All of my 5Ks and 10Ks are great practice for what the race day environment is like. The small successes I've had along the way have given me great boosts of motivation, and having races throughout the long winter months provides incentive to stick with my training. But I think of how much energy and effort I pour into each one, and I've wondered more than once whether it is only distracting me from my bigger, more important goals.

So, as I start this new chapter in my training, I'd like to try out Mikaela's method. I don't want to just log miles for the sake of it, I want to vary my training and do each exercise with purpose and take it seriously. I want any successes I have in competition to be because I made myself into a good runner, not because I mustered up enough energy to eke out a good performance on race day. My successes thus far show me that I do have some innate ability as a runner. Imagine how much better I could be if I harnessed that ability and fine-tuned it with some good old fashioned training!

I'm going to incorporate more speed work and tempo runs into my training. I'm also going to start strength training again. Not only that, but I'm going to be a LOT better about warming up before runs and doing deep stretches. Ideally, when the weather is nicer I'll be able to incorporate some hills into my training, too. I've never really done hill-focused running before, but I suppose I ought to give it a whirl!

Wish me luck as I dive back into things. It's not going to be easy with all the time I've had off and recovering from illness, but, here's hoping it's not as bad as I fear ;-)

Separation Anxiety

These past couple weeks have been very frustrating for me. Even though I ran two successful races this month, my training is really starting to suffer. I'm not injured, I'm not sick, I'm not tired - I'm just lazy.

Maybe it is something about this month, because it's not just running. I've been terribly unproductive at work. I skip meetings and procrastinate volunteer homework until the point of almost forgetting it entirely. I leave for El Salvador in less than three days, and there have been a bunch of errands that keep popping up. I've been eating crappy take out instead of grocery shopping and cooking meals. And I just can't find it in me to run. I can't get up early, and after work I'm just too drained to go. Usually it's not hard for me to make myself go for a run after work (even in the winter), in fact, I often look forward to it. But lately, for whatever reason, I just can't go. I've been useless and it's so frustrating.

It also worries me because I'm about to take 10 days off from running. When I get back, I'll only have 20 days to get fit for a 9 mile race, and two months to get in peak shape for my first half-marathon. Slacking off this week when I'm about to leave for 10 days isn't going to make THAT much of a difference, but it sure isn't helping, either. What to do?!

A bunch of worried questions keep pinging around in my mind: How far behind will I get? Will I come back and be almost able to pick up right where I left off, or will I struggle to get through a moderately-pace four miles? Will I have enough time to get in peak shape for my May 3rd half?

I've heard various things about how long you can go without running and still maintain your fitness level. Some say as long as two weeks, others say as short as 5 days. Obviously, it depends on the individual, and I can't really know how it will affect me until I get back. And how does the work I'll be doing in El Salvador factor in? I may not be running, but we are going to be doing physical labor all week.

I can't really do anything differently here. This trip is important, and running has to take a back seat for a while to make room for it. So, what matters is what I do once I get back.

Starting March 3rd, running needs to become one of my top priorities again. I really need to get it into my head that these big races are no longer really far off: they are coming up very soon. This is the time when my training needs to kick into high gear and I need to take it seriously. Skipping runs is going to become more and more dangerous from now on. I need to start carving out more time in my days for training. I also need to start challenging myself a little bit more so that I'm actually growing and getting faster.

I need to devise a training schedule for March-April, and stick to it. I haven't been using a schedule for most of my training - I just make sure to do at least two runs during the week, maybe some strength training, and one long run. It's worked okay so far, but I can't help but think that on weeks like this, a schedule might have helped keep me on track. I've found that making schedules and to-do lists really helps me focus and get things under control. I'm more likely to do something if I've simply written it down and planned it into my day.

That schedule needs to include long runs on the weekends, like usual, but I need to beef up my runs during the week. I need to do three runs instead of two, or two runs and strength training, or two runs and XT, or even three runs and strength training. Working out three times a week isn't acceptable for someone who is about to take on some serious distance races.

I'm hoping the slowly-improving weather will help. March isn't exactly known for its lovely weather, but things will start getting better. Yesterday, for example, it's 45 degrees and sunny outside! Gorgeous weather likes that makes me ache to go running!

So, starting in March you will see me enter a new phase of my running. Well, maybe not that new. I'll just be running a lot more :-)

Oh, why not? Another 10K!

Deja vu? Nope, I really am running another 10K on February 16th, only two weeks after my first!

And yet, my mindset going into this race is completely different.

Obviously, this is no longer my first 10K. I have that experience under my belt now and I don't need to worry about not knowing whether I can make it through or what it's going to be like.

I could worry about beating my new PR of 53:08 or placing in the top 10 for my age group again. But, I'm just not. Two weeks isn't really enough time to significantly improve a PR that is already pretty great to begin with, so putting pressure on myself to overcome it is futile. And, as long as I give the performance I'm capable of, my age group placement is really dependent on how many other people are competing in my age group and how good they are. Whether 53:08 is good enough for 6th place or 25th place is entirely dependent on my competition. And that is something I have no control over. Since the weather is going to be almost 20 degrees warmer for this race than it was for the last two, it's very possible there will be a lot more people racing this time. So, que sera.

I know it sounds cliche, but I really just want to go out there and have fun. That's why I like racing: it's fun. It's fun to put on my tunes and let the crowd and the camaraderie push me through the course, and it's fun to feel that blissful exhaustion at the finish line.

I think a big part of my new attitude this time around is that I have a lot more on my mind. I'm leaving for my trip to El Salvador in less than two weeks. I've been reading more, and doing more social things, and watching the Olympics. Not that running has taken a back seat! No sir-ee, I am not neglecting my training. But I've had other things to keep me occupied this month so I haven't been obsessing about this upcoming race.

And finally, I've started to feel like I'm just kinda over these small races. My first half-marathon is less than 3 months away. Actually, it's 11.5 weeks away. That's not a lot of weeks, considering I started training for it over 8 MONTHS out. In less than 3 months I'll know what it's like to finish a half-marathon. In less than 8 months, I'll know what it's like to finish a MARATHON. Now, don't get me wrong: I don't think small races are beneath me and I'm not scoffing at them (after all, I am still running them, right?) It's just that the achievement of my BIG goals looming on the horizon makes it kinda hard to muster the same level of excitement for 5 and 10Ks, you know? I just want that half to be here NOW. I'm sooo anxious for my big races and spring'summer running weather I could burst.

So, here we go. Another notch in my hydration belt! The good news? The high on Sunday is in the mid-20s! For the first time since October, I get to run a race in temperatures over 20 degrees! WHOO HOO!!!!

Running and Balance

As many of you know, in a couple weeks I am leaving on a 10-day trip to El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity, where myself and a team of other young professionals will be building homes for families in need.

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Natrually, I can't help but worry about how this will affect my training. It's doubtful that I'll be able to do any running in El Salvador, since we will be on a tight schedule during the day and we're really not supposed to go anywhere alone for safety reasons. I mean, it's not like I'll be sitting on the beach drinking margaritas for 10 days (wouldn't that be nice!), we'll be very active, but the thought of getting "behind" does make me nervous - when I get back I will have just over two months until my first half marathon.

I know, I know, I shouldn't worry - I'm at a good place in my training, my long run is up to 10 miles, I will be fine for a half marathon in May even with the break. But, that's me: worry worry worry.

Every once in a while, we all encounter something that jolts us into stepping outside of ourselves for a moment and getting some perspective. This trip is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I get to travel to another country. I get to go on an adventure. I get to bond with other young professionals. I get to escape to a warmer climate. And, most importantly, I get to help people in need.

So...what's the big deal that I'll miss a few runs?

A couple months ago, I read an article in Runner's World about the importance of tapering before big races, which emphasized that a big part of staying sane during the tapering process is keeping yourself busy with other hobbies, interests, friends, etc.

But what about when you're not tapering? As I'm learning now, balance is just as important during the times when you are training hard as it is when you are tapering.

When you love something, it's really hard not to get caught up in it. I did fall in love with running after I started it, and sometimes all I want to do is talk about running, and make running friends, and talk to them about running, and train, and train and train and train so I can get good. But love without balance turns into obsession. Running is a big part of me. It's one of the biggest, actually. But it's still not the only part of me, nor do I want it to be.

If all I cared about was running....what would happen to the friends in my life who aren't runners? I would alienate and then lose them. What about all those hours in the week when I'm not running? I would be bored and restless. Now, this is pretty extreme. I don't know any runners who are actually like this. But the problem is that my love of running and motivation to run present themselves more urgently and have a tendency to take over other things in my life.

Here are some of the other things that I love, that need room in my life:

• Reading. This is my oldest passion and, unfortunately, the one that gets thrown on the back burner often. I belong to a book club and enjoy the opportunity to discuss books, so it's important to me that I make time to read so I can continue to cultivate this part of me and develop better connections with other bibliophiles

• Spending quality time with loved ones.

• Sleep. This one seems obvious, but in addition to needing sleep, I happen to really enjoy it. I actually sacrifice quite a bit because I insist on going to bed early enough to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night - even if I'm not tired.

• Keeping a clean, tidy house. I suck at keeping up with housework. I value a clean, comfy living space very much, but for some reason, I can't seem to make this a priority.

• Making friends and networking. This is important to me, and as an introverted homebody, I have to work 3x as hard as others to be successful at this. I belong to a couple of volunteer organizations, so it's important to make time for the events and meetings these organizations have so I can get to know people better.

• Volunteering. I am on the marketing committee for a great local organization called Ex Fabula, and I also take advantage of several volunteer opportunities through another great organization I'm a member of called WGIRLS Milwaukee. These need time because I've committed to them, because it's crucial for me to serve my community, and because being involved further helps me with making friends and networking.

• Writing and other projects, e.g., this blog!

• Unstructured time to hang out, go somewhere, watch TV, whatever! It seems counter intuitive to schedule in unstructured time, but it is important. Some people try to squeeze productivity into every free minute of their day, but I don't believe in micromanaging my life that way. I need down time!

• Having a healthy diet. It's really difficult with a busy schedule, but I try as often as possible to do some home cooking during the week so I have something healthful to eat and don't have to waste money on eating out.  And, obviously, this is necessary for a runner!

And yet, I still have it easier than many runners, who are balancing their running with having children and working full-time! Not having children affords me the luxury of pursuing a lot more commitments in my life...but that doesn't make it easy! This is the point where I am building a foundation for the type of person I want to become and what my life is going to be all about. I need to choose wisely.

So, how do I go about balancing all of these things in perfect harmony? What's the magic formula? There isn't one. Most people go their entire adult lives trying to figure out balance, and who knows how many of them are successful.

Juggling activities, commitments, and interests is just something I have to work on. But what I can do is remember this: having a life outside of running enhances my running. Doing other things that give me energy makes me feel fresh and recharged going into training or a race. I contribute to the diversity of the running community by being a unique runner with my own mission and reasons for running.

And, hopefully learning all of this NOW will help when I have to endure my first dreaded taper! Eeek!

Meaning In Between

Lately, I can't help but wonder if I'm doing it all backwards.

Maybe it would have been better to do these smaller races (5Ks, 10Ks) after I had successfully completed my half-marathon. The half-marathon was my initial big goal, what pushed me headfirst into my journey to become a runner. Maybe if I had waited until I knew the thrill of successfully completing my half-marathon after all those months of hard work, it wouldn't matter so much where I place or how fast my time is in each of these 5Ks and 10Ks because I'd know what's really important. I needed these races for practice and I really enjoy racing them, but they mean different things to me than the bigger races and I think that training my attention on each of them is obfuscating my overall vision and inspiration for running in the first place.

It's a tough balance between wanting to do well and wanting to do well enough. Where is that fine line? They tell us it doesn't matter where you finish, as long as you went out there and ran. I want to believe that, but telling myself just isn't enough. If I don't perform as well as I know I'm capable of, how can I just not care? In my most recent 5Ks, I placed 17th and 13th in my age group, respectively. That's pretty darn good for a beginner. If, after even more training and growth, I went back and did another 5K and were to place 35th or 50th in my age group even though I tried my best, how could that not be disappointing? Once you see what you're capable of, how can you go back?

But doubt becomes exhausting, and as I chew on these questions and more in the days leading up to my first 10K, the questions in my mind have shifted in the other direction. What does it matter? What difference does it make? I mean, really. I'm just spinning my wheels when I obsess over times and placements and future races because, at the end of the day: I am where I am. That's it. I will train and I will try and whatever the result of that is, well: it is what it is.

Since I don't believe in vague platitudes as affirmation, let me try to explain better.  It's exhausting worrying about other people's times, or learning the times of people I know and thinking, "wow, that's really fast, I can never be that good," or, "I could do that, right? I really hope I can beat that." I am not those people, and I never will be. It would be great to be as fast as the faster runners I know...but if I'm not, I'm not. Some people have been running since they were in grade school. Some people just have more innate ability. I have what I have. It's natural to feel competitive with your contemporaries, and to feel a little jealous of people who are just better than you. But really, isn't it kind of stupid to measure and compare myself against a different person, with a different body, and a different life?

It would be great if I could be really fast, too. I would love it if one day I could run a marathon in under 4:00, or a half marathon in under 2:00, or get an age group medal in a 10K. What runner wouldn't? Maybe I will one day. Or maybe I won't. Maybe I will just never be fast enough. And my biggest struggle as a runner is to get myself to a point where that's okay. I'll be honest, I'm still not there. I wonder if it's not actually harder work to get to that point mentally than it is to get my body fast enough to meet those goals.

And what if those things did happen? Then what? Well, I'd have a pretty medal. And some hella bragging rights. And I'd feel really good about myself. But in the end....it's really just one good race on one good day. No matter how good or bad you race, it's all over once you cross that finish line. Then everyone celebrates their accomplishment for a while, takes a moment to bask in euphoria or wallow in disappointment, and by the next day everyone has moved on with their lives.

I guess that's the hard thing about being an athlete or a performer. You pour all of your time and effort an energy into these big events, and in an instant, they're over. It's bittersweet for both winners and losers: if you did well, you can't make it last, if you did poorly, you can't get it back.

The running I do in between races has to mean something. It has to be worth it. There has to be a reason, beyond simply shaving a few minutes off an old race time, to lace up and hit the road. My journey to become a runner is centered around figuring out what that something "more" is. I know it's there, otherwise I would have quit already. For some people, it's because running builds strength in mind and body. For others, it's the satisfaction of watching yourself get better at something, of setting goals and achieving them, of going out and doing the one thing you didn't think you could do (like run a half marathon!!). And for some, it's simply because they enjoy running: they run for the runner's high, and the exercise, and the feeling of being healthy, and that's enough for them.

I think for me, my "something more" is a combination of all of those. I need to hone in on what exactly it is, because I need it. I need it to keep me in check when I start obsessing over beating old times and comparing myself to other runners. I need it so I remember how it felt to be a new runner, how happy I was just to be out there and setting goals for myself.

A quote in my "Run Pretty Far" calendar that I like. Like life, running is a journey and I want to make sure I do it right!

6.2 or Bust: Getting Mentally Ready for my 1st 10K

On February 2nd, not only will I run my first race of 2014, but also my first ever 10K! As I prepare to run 6.2 miles in competition, I'm feeling both energized and a little nervous.

I always think it's better to end on a positive note, so I'll talk about the "nervous" part first :-)

My long runs are up to 8 miles now (by race day, they should be up to 10). So, I CAN run 6.2 miles...but can I race it? I'm trying to be confident that I can, even if it seems daunting right now. I only recently passed the point where I can run 6.2, let alone up my pace during a run that long! I still have over two weeks before the race, and I have been starting to do more speed and tempo work in my training, so I'm hoping that I will be able to reach a good pace during that 10K, even if I can't sustain it the entire race.

Also, the dynamics of a 10K race are different. 5Ks were a lot less pressure, because twice as many people run the 5Ks in the Winter Run Series. Many people run/walk or jog the 5Ks and they attract many first-timers, so as long as I'm in good shape I'm pretty much guaranteed to finish at a comfortable place in the standings. 10Ks, however, usually only attract other runners such as myself. In the Winter Run Series, there are usually about 25-40ish people in my age group for the 10K. From looking at results I can see that all of them got pretty decent times. So, even if I run a great 10K and finish with a good time, it's still very possible I could be in last place. I know that shouldn't matter, but let's be honest - no one likes being in last place!

Now, on to the energizing part!

Despite all that I am nervous about, I'm excited to start running 10Ks. I guess after racing a few 5Ks, I'm just ready to take on a new challenge. I remember my first 5K in October, how exciting it was to be doing this for the first time and how I couldn't wait to just get out there and see what I was capable of. And now I get to feel that again! I have this sense of a "clean slate" - it's nice to have something new to think about, to write about, and to train for.

I think, in the end, my excitement outweighs my fears. Because at the end of the day, I really just love races and I can't wait to get back out there and take on another one!

I don't want a repeat of my last race, where I became obsessed with doing really well and forgot what it was all about. I'm trying to remind myself that even if I come in last place, that's not what this is about. I'm a new runner running her first 10K - what's important is getting this experience, having fun, and being proud of myself for taking on a new running challenge.

The Difference a Run Can Make

Yesterday, I did my weekly long run....after not having run for 7 whole days. Because it was snowing all day yesterday, I was tempted to skip yet another day too! But I pulled myself together and did that run anyway.

For a little perspective on how transformative a good run can be for one's mood and energy levels, I thought I'd write this as a "before" and "after" post. I jotted down some thoughts right before I left for my run, and I jotted down some thoughts when I came back. The difference is remarkable, and I learned a very important lesson in the aftermath.

BEFORE
I'm writing this before I go out to run. I'm all done up in my gear and ready to go. I have not run in 7 days now. All week I have felt sluggish, under the weather, and stressed. When I got home I just couldn't find it in me to do even the simplest runs. I feel terrible and I feel like I failed myself. My laziness won all week long. And no matter how bad I felt about not running, it wasn't enough to overcome my laziness. Today when I woke up and saw it was snowing I thought, great, now I can't go at all cause there is no way I can run in this. This weekend I have slept a lot, sat around the house doing nothing. I felt like doing that today. My legs feel restless due to lack of activity. I don't want to run but I don't want to do anything else either. I feel like a slug. I know it will make me feel better to run and I just kind of said to myself, screw it, I feel like crap anyway so what difference does it make that I'm going to get snowy and messy out there? I hate these days/weeks when I have absolutely no motivation to do the smallest things - do some dishes, throw some laundry in, go for a run. I hate these days when I'm so sick of sitting around doing nothing yet, I can't make myself do anything.

AFTER

My legs are hurting and numb, I am covered in cold wet snow. But I feel like a whole other person. It feels like I just took a metaphorical shower, like the run washed all the dirt and grime of my laziness off me and now I'm all fresh and clean. I feel like I left the house for a run and came back a different person - the lazy, lethargic girl seems years behind me. Ahhh, the runner's high. I have a fresh burst of positive and productive energy. And, most importantly - I beat it. That dark cloud that had been hanging over me all week, rumbling louder each day I put off running- it's gone now. I looked my laziness in the eye and kicked its butt and it felt great.

I realized something in all of this. I think about all the time I've spent lately pumping up for races and wondering what age group place I'll get and whether I can beat so-and-so's time, etc. And I realized that there are more important things than that. A real athlete knows that it's not about beating other people, it's about beating yourself. Not just your time or your personal achievements, but all those parts of you that work against you every day in your pursuit of becoming a better stronger runner: laziness, inertia, excuses. I need to be competitive with myself, with those parts of me, before I can be competitive with others. It's like that saying, you have to love yourself before you can love someone else. Well, a runner needs to challenge herself before she can challenge others.

With that in mind, no more skipping runs for entire weeks for no good reason! I promise to make this week much better. I have to - my next 5K is exactly three weeks away. I have three weeks to get myself in tip top shape to beat my last time of 28:22!!

My New Year's Running Resolution

 Can you believe 2014 is only 28 days away?! Since we're talking about the new year, I thought I'd share this calendar I made for all of my big 2014 races. I can't wait to run through 2014!

But I want to talk about my running resolution for 2014. Ah, New Year's Resolutions. Isn't it strange how even though we all know how futile NYR's are and that we never follow through with them, we can't resist making them year after year anyway? I mean really, how many people do you know that are still actively following through on the resolutions they made on January 1st of this year? (I have actually followed through on a few of mine in the past few years, but that's because they were hyper specific and structured and not just "be nicer" or "work out more". But I digress.)


I think it's a good idea to make a New Year's Resolution for myself that relates specifically to running. I think it's great thing to make a resolution for, since I have so many concrete running goals and objectives this year.

For some, a running resolution might be achievement-based like "medal in a 10K race" or "run a marathon in under 4:30". I think these are good resolutions, but I'm not at the point in my running where I have enough experience to know what a reasonable achievement-based goal is for me. In other words, I'd like to actually run a half-marathon first before I decide what my goal race time is.

More importantly, at this point I think it will be more productive for me to adapt a resolution that helps me develop a pattern of behavior or habit, not just one specific race goal.

So, my New Year's Running Resolution for 2014 is to switch my running from the evening to the morning.

I developed this running resolution after a lot of thinking recently about the struggles I'm having with training and how I can solve them. In an earlier post, I talked about how social obligations in the evening are really hurting my ability to get runs in during the week. I did mention the possibility of switching runs to the morning, but dismissed it because it would make my days too long and it's too hard for me to get up early. I am now reconsidering that stance.

It will make my day longer when I have some event or meeting in the evening. But morning is my only undisturbed time of day. In the evening, even if I don't have something scheduled, things come up. This doesn't happen in the morning.

My half marathon is now 5 months away. That's only about 20 weeks to get from a longest run of 4.5 miles to 13.1, so I really need to make sure training becomes a top priority from here on out. 20 weeks is long enough that I don't need to freak out, but with other races coming up earlier in the year, it is now much more crucial to my success that I am able to train consistently. Since I gave myself so much time to train for the half when I decided I wanted to do it back in August, I've had the luxury of being able to skip some training days during the week and not have it be the end of the world (although I have been faithful to my long run every weekend!). But I'm not going to have that luxury anymore, so I need to make it a priority that I can get enough training in every week. Since I can't always control the evenings, the only way to do that is to move running to the mornings.

This will be very challenging for me. As I've said before, I have a very difficult time getting up in the morning before I absolutely need to. I've tried to get into this habit before and have been unsuccessful every time, so if I want to make this work I'm going to need a good accountability system.

But I am also trying to think of all the benefits I'll reap from this strategy (not just the challenges!). Here are the notable ones:

• I will never have an excuse to miss a day of training
• ...therefore, I will be able to stick to a more consistent schedule
• My body will adapt to running in the morning, which is good since most races are in the morning
• It will give me a boost going into my work day
• There is not as much traffic early in the morning
• The gym is not nearly as crowded in the morning (for when I do cross training)
• I can come home after a long day of work and not worry about getting my run in when all I want to do is relax, or missing it when an errand or something comes up

And that's just a few of the benefits!

Wish me luck, everyone!

Running and Winter = BFFs

Note: this is a dual post that also appears on my Winter Doesn't Have to Suck blog. I didn't start running until this summer, so this is my first winter as a runner. I was nervous about it but I have to say: winter running kinda rocks. Maybe I'm alone in this, but I don't care. Here's how running has made winter really not suck as badly:

1. Sweet Running Gear
Okay, so buying it hurt my wallet. A lot. But honestly, I like my gear - most of it from Under Armour and Target - and it gets me excited to go running. I love the colors and the fleeces and how warm they keep me. Yes, it's more of a hassle than in the summer when I can just fly out the door in shorts and a tank top. But my warm weather workout clothes aren't as fun and I'll actually be kind of sad when it's time to go back to them.

2. Cold Weather Running
Many people hate this. I thought I would. But I actually love it! I never dread going out into the cold if I'm going to be running, because I'm not gonna be cold. Not only do I not have to worry about overheating, but I can actually break a sweat being out in the cold! It's a great balance. And the reverse effect isn't possible during the summer: a run can't offset the hot weather by cooling me down as I run. So, I'm definitely going to enjoy this while it lasts.

3. Winter Races
My first big goal as a runner is the Wisconsin Half Marathon on May 3rd. Since I started running late this past summer, that means by training will really amp up in the dead of winter. Great, I thought, that's when all the 5Ks have stopped so how will I get some race practice in?

But the GLM Winter Race Series has my back. Six 5K & 10K races between October and March - it's perfect! I ran a 5K on November 24th and I'll run one on New Year's Eve (how cool is that?). Then I'll do 10Ks in February and March. I'm so grateful to have found out about this. Now I can get some races under my belt this winter! Not only is this critical to my training, but running races is one of the happiest things I do and these races give me something to look forward to this winter.

I am very thankful for the infusion of winter and running. Winter enhances my running and running makes it so winter doesn't have to suck!

Running and Time Management

It's been almost 2 months since I last posted here - yikes! I do feel really bad about that, but life has been a little crazy as I try to adjust to being busier with volunteer work and social stuff and taking on new projects.

You'll also note that I've rebranded and renamed the blog. Now that I like running and am setting all these goals for myself, I don't really identify with the "anti-runner" like I used to.

But the important thing is - I HAVE been running still! Don't worry everyone, I did not give up! Quite the opposite: I ran my first "real" 5K on Sunday, October 13th in my hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA. It was a beautiful, chilly day and I stunned myself by running it in 29:38!! I know that that doesn't sound like a competitive time to any other runner out there, but this is huge for me for my first ever timed 5K! I am lucky to get 2.5 miles in 25 minutes on my normal runs, so to finish a 5K in under 30 minutes was incredible!

I've been keeping up with my running since then, but today I want to talk about a big problem I'm having with training and time management. The problem? Well...it's hard. This fall, as I've joined new organizations and taken on more volunteer work, I've had weeks that are so busy I'm lucky if I can squeeze a run in during the work week (I run in the evenings). Last week I only ran ONCE in seven days (I was not pleased with myself!) because I had something going on every evening except Friday and by then I was too burned out.

This is starting to frustrate me. On the one hand, being busy and doing things in the community is important to me. It was a goal of mine to meet new people and become involved in the community instead of sitting at home and staying in my shell, and I've really worked hard and put myself out there to make that happen. But now that it is happening, I'm starting to see that it's no picnic. But the thing is, being this busy means sacrificing running time. And while my social life is important, running is ALSO important to me. And as I get closer to my half in May, it's going to be less acceptable to skip runs during the week. I want to be more focused on my training, but in order to do that I'd have to give up some of my activities, and that's hard for me. So, many weeks I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place.

So, I'm trying to kick into problem-solver mode to see how I can reconcile these two things that compete for my time and energy. I could cut back on some of my extra curriculars. But the thing is, I already don't do much more than the essentials: meetings, important events, book club every so often. It's just busy right now and hopefully it will die down a bit after the holidays and I can focus more on training in the early months of 2014.

Another option is for me to do my running at a different time, aka, in the morning. This is possible and I often consider it, but it's problematic for a number of reasons. One: I can't get up early. I just can't. I've tried to make myself get up earlier so many times and I can never stick with it. Two: I don't want to give up evening running, because I like it. After a long day of sitting at work, I look forward to that "release" I get from running. It's theraputic and refreshing. Three: The inverse to Reason 2 - I don't like exercising before work. I don't know why, I just don't. When I run or workout, I like to reward myself by knowing that once I get through it, I have free time. Working out before I have to go to work all day just makes the workout feel like a chore instead of something that adds to my day. I just don't like having a great workout only to have to follow it up by sitting at work for 9 hours. Yeah, maybe I haven't given it enough of a chance, but even if I did, that leads into reason Four: it would make my days (and thus, weeks), longer and more tiring. Some weeks I can barely get through as it is, but having a morning workout would mean a run and possibly an event/late meeting all in the same day and just thinking about that makes me exhausted.

So anyway, that's where I'm at. I'll continue to problem-solve about my time management and try, while I'm at it, to be better at updating my blog too. Happy Friday!

Good Run, Bad Run

I feel bad that I haven't written in this blog in a while. It's hard to make the case that "I AM SRS BLOGGR" when I rarely ever write. But, fear not - I have been running, and that's what's most important!

I want to talk about two runs I did this weekend. On Friday after work I did a 20-minute run. The weather was great and as I was into the home stretch, I found myself thinking: something is different this time. This run, it's....it's.....not as hard as usual. In fact, right now, it's not hard at all. Normally by this point in my runs, my legs are tired, I'm running slow, and I'm just trying to get to the end. But I realized that at that moment, I wasn't tired, and I was actually running a little bit faster than normal. Well, hot damn, I thought, I'm making progress! I'm getting better! I can actually feel my runs getting a little bit easier! I'm finally seeing results!

My next run was my "long run" on Sunday morning (okay, to be fair, since I'm so new to running and can't run very far or fast yet, at this point in my training the "long run" isn't really that much longer than my 20 minute runs). I was riding high from that great run on Friday evening. Invigorated by how much easier that run had been than normal, I burst out onto the road on Sunday morning, expecting this run to be just as successful as the Friday night run.

But it wasn't, and I knew it within minutes of starting. Before I even made it out of the neighborhood my legs were tired. The uptick in pace that I felt on Friday evening was not going to be happening today - I was back to running really slow, and even then, I spent most of the run waiting for it to be over. There were times, around that dreaded midway point, where I honestly wondered how I'd get through the last half without stopping. It wasn't a terrible run, and no, I never stopped to walk - but it felt like I'd gone back in time to when I just started training, and all the progress I felt like I'd made was just some sort of illusion. What??

I understand that training is not a perfectly linear progress and that every once in a while, I will have bad days and setbacks. But sometimes I can't help but wonder: is this just a routine setback that happens to all runners, or am I just not going to get better? Maybe I am just not good at this.

And I also wonder, what could I be doing wrong in my training? There's advice everywhere for the best ways to do things, but it's starting to make me feel like I'm on information overload. What to eat, what to wear, when to run, where to run, when to focus on speed and distance, etc etc. There's no possible way I can know what works best for me until I try it out, but I don't want to find a schedule or technique that works well for me only to learn it was actually working against me in my training. Sometimes I'm just like, "arrrggg, I thought running was supposed to be simpler than other forms of exercise??"

When I think about it, there are explanations for why Friday's run was an unexpected success and why Sunday morning's fell flat. When I ran on Friday, it was in the evening, so I had eaten two meals already that day. On Sunday I hadn't eaten anything yet. Also, on Friday, I had that boost of energy from knowing my week was over and I had the whole weekend ahead of me.

I don't know exactly why some runs go well and some don't. But, at the end of the day, I guess all I can do is continue to navigate my training: enjoy those unexpected good runs, and don't get beaten up by the bad ones.

From Point A to Point B

I know this will seem like a long time coming to all of my runner friends, but my run on Saturday was the first time I ever did a "destination run", aka, running from one place to another. Normally my runs are just for X minutes or Y miles, and I'm either running randomly around park trails, or in the future when it's too cold to run outside, running laps on a track, or (please! don't judge!) on the treadmill on the gym.

I never realized how much different the experience is when you're actually running to get to a specific place.

This weekend, the number of miles I wanted to run happened to coincide perfectly with the distance to our neighborhood Farmer's Market, which I wanted to peruse that morning. Great - I could run to the market and kill two birds with one stone!

And, I did it! I didn't run fast but I ran the entire way. I didn't stop to walk. And when I finally got to the park and was rewarded with a stunning view of the morning sun over the lake dotted with sailboats, I was shocked that it was over already. It had seemed like it would be sooo much farther and I was amazed how quickly I got there.

Even though this wasn't my fastest or most intense run, it was the most rewarding so far. It transformed running from something that felt like a chore, a task to be checked off a to-do list, into something empowering. Pretty much everywhere seems too far away to run the whole way there, like a big wall in between what's possible and what I can achieve. But I managed to knock one brick out of the wall and now, for the first time, it seems like I can eventually kick the whole thing down. I knew I could bike to the market, or drive there, or even walk there even though it would take forever. I never imagined I could run the whole way there but now, I know I can.

Running from Point A to Point B is a great way to run. It helps you get those miles in without constantly looking down at your watch/app/whatever, and it gives you a bonus feeling of accomplishment in addition to the one you already get from getting a good run in: I didn't just run, I got myself somewhere.

Just some Tuesday Night Tidbits!

Hi friends.

I know it's been a while since I've blogged. I have to admit that August has been pretty sluggish in terms of my running (and, to be fair, it's not just the running that's been sluggish).

Tonight I went for a short easy run even though it's like 90 degrees out. I was taking my cool shower, still feeling those workout endorphins, thinking - this is why people do it. That post-workout feeling of being so refreshed, recharged, alive. It makes me feel so far away from the same person who, on other nights, just comes home and does nothing. Who IS that girl, and why would she ever be lazy when she could go for a run and feel like this?

I know people say it's best to work out in the morning, and I'm sure I'll see why once I start making myself do just that. But, I have to say, I am on Team Evening Workout. I like it a lot. It is the perfect pick-me-up after a long day of sitting in front of a computer screen, which leaves me feeling so drained every day. I'm actually eager to work out a lot of days after leaving the office. A quick workout at the end of the day gives me a burst of energy to be productive for the rest of the evening, and helps me sleep better that night.

Also, I just purchased a little running inspiration! I found out about this Etsy shop called "Running on the Wall," and once I checked it out I fell in love with this:

....and now, a few bucks later, it's on it's way! It's a cute wall decoration AND a great way to save race bibs while keeping them organized. Plus, looking at that empty medal rack every day will just motivate me to go out there and FILL IT! Maybe money can't buy happiness, but it can buy inspiration!

You know how I found out about this shop? Kimmy Gibler from Full House is actually a big runner in real life these days. I was reading her Twitter and she had a pic of this that she has in her own room, brimming with medals and race bibs. Alright, Gibbler!

Well, that's all for now. Just wanted to shoot off an entry since I haven't posted in a while. I hope you all are doing well!

My Half Marathon Training Schedule!

With the help of several friends and templates I found on Pinterest, I have finally compiled a skeleton of a training schedule for myself!

The best schedules I found had a good balance of running and other exercise like cardio, strength training, and yoga. It's a lot to take on for someone who is not used to frequent, regimented exercise, but I definitely wanted to include all of these in my training to stay well rounded. But I still wanted to make sure that running was the dominant player in my training, of course.

Also, most of the training schedules I found include different types of running: long runs, slow and steady runs, "tempo" runs, etc. I tried to incorporate as many of these into the schedule as I could.

In the end, there just aren't enough days in the week to cram in everything I'd like to do. I decided that some things I would do every week, and some I would have to alternate between weeks. I also tried to keep the schedule the same for each week.

• Monday - Yoga OR easy run
• Tuesday - Easy run OR yoga
• Wednesday - Hills or tempo or sprint/walk running (alternate)
• Thursday - Cardio/strength train OR REST
• Friday - REST OR Cardio/strength train
• Saturday - Long Run
• Sunday - REST

So, a sample week might look like this:

• Monday: Easy run, 3 miles
• Tuesday: Yoga class
• Wednesday: Tempo run, 3 miles
• Thursday: Swimming
• Friday: REST
• Saturday: 6 miles
• Sunday: REST

I am still hashing out the week-by-week schedule; obviously, with my half marathon nine months away, I've got some time. This is actually the big challenge I'm having with compiling a training plan: it's so far away still. No training plan I've come across has catered to a half marathon that's so far in the future. That's why my friend Kelsey's training plan was such a huge help to me: it schedules about 6 months out, which is much closer to the time frame I'm looking at. Most schedules I come across are 12-week plans. So what I've had to do is find a way to "stretch" them out to accommodate my longer training time. My plan is to do this by 1) repeating some weeks verbatim in the beginning of my training - instead of going from 3 to 3.5 miles on my runs, for example, I just stay at 3; and 2) shortening some of my weeks in the beginning, for example, cutting out the yoga class and the easy run from the example above.

Another idea I have is for the earlier weeks to have a heavier focus on the variety exercise like cardio and strength training, and then have these things gradually taper off (but not disappear) so I can focus more on the running.

So, here is what I still need to do:

1. Come up with a final schedule
2. Figure out what to do for strength training

Thanks so much to everyone who has helped and offered to help so far. It means a lot to me that so many people are supportive of my journey and willing to run it with me, even if only figuratively :-)

If anyone has suggestions for what I should modify about or add to my training plan, PLEASE let me know. I could use all the help I can get!

My First 5K - The Color Run!!

You're lookin' at a gal who has officially completed her first 5K! Whoo hoo, I did it!



Thousands of people in white shirts packed into the START chute on that unseasonably cold, cloudy July morning. Some were in bouncy groups of friends, others in family groups with parents and children, still some in couples. Very few, I think were like me - runnin' solo. Because there were so many of us, they staggered the start time and had us start in chunks. The fact that we didn't all start together and all of us were here in different posses (or, ahem, lack thereof) symbolized the fact that this wasn't really a race but a collection of people for whom this race had different meanings: a fun family outing for some, an excuse to party and stay in shape for others. And then, packed somewhere inside the herd of eagerly-waiting Color Runners, was me: for me, this race was the first step into my new journey. I definitely wasn't the only one in the crowd attempting a 5K for the first time. But I wondered how many others were using this Color Run as the starting point of a journey to conquer their doubts about what they are capable of.

My first 5K was a lot of fun. At each color station, I made sure to get close to the sides of the lane so I could get as much powdered color on me as possible - and even that didn't seem like enough.
I was able to jog a good portion of the way without stopping at first, but after a while I had to settle for run-walking. I knew this would happen - after all, I only had like 3 weeks of training. That plus the fact that it's the Color Run made it hard to be disappointed in my performance. But at one point, as I was panting through a stretch of jogging on my way to the Yellow color station, I thought: how will I EVER be able to do 10 more miles of this?! If 3.1 were giving me trouble, I couldn't imagine a time when I could ever RUN non-stop for 13 miles! Will I really be able to do this one day?

The Color Run delivered on its promise and was a very happy 5K. I ran enough of it that I felt exhilarated when I was done, ready to take on the day (the best part: I'd done all of this and it wasn't even 10:30 AM yet!). This truly was a new experience for me, and I can't wait for more. I can see how people get addicted to the thrill of completing races.

My next 5K is the "Especially for You" 5K for breast cancer prevention in my hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA. It's not until mid-October, though, so I'm trying to find another one to do between now and then to keep myself motivated and get more practice. After all, I intend to go out with a bang in my hometown 5K!

Some pics from The Color Run, July 28, 2013, Milwaukee

The BEFORE pic....

...aaaand the AFTER pic!!