30 Aug 09

Well I got back to the running this week after no doing the long run on Sunday. The blister is gone and I got back on the marathon training schedule on Tuesday. I logged 29 miles this week and did my 9 mile long run this morning. It was raining, not to hard just a steady rain. I love running when it’s like that I guess it carries me back to when I was a kid, playing in the rain you know. I’m excited about the Marathon now. I know there will be some hard work ahead in the next several weeks, but the goal is there I can see it….doing this today not tomorrow.

A Blister

Well I’m sitting here at the computer at 6 AM on Sunday morning the 23rd of August. I should be taking the first steps of a 7 mile run right now. I got up at 5:30 this morning got everything ready to leave by 5:45 and when I put my shoes on I had a blister on my right heal and it was extremely uncomfortable. I would love to say it just came out of now where and I would like to blame it on someone else, but I know where it came from and its nobodies fault but mine. I got it yesterday when I was weed eating the yard. I put on my shoes without any socks and it did run through my mind that hey you might get a blister; I brushed it off and went ahead anyway. It did start to rub, so I came back in the house and put on some socks and even changed shoes. It was too late I already had the blister. Since I didn’t wear any shoes after that I had forgotten about till I put my shoes on this morning. I don’t want to admit it, but I will, I was mad when I realized what had happen and I wasn’t going to be able to run this morning. At first I wanted to blame some one else I was getting mad at my son he’s 22 and still lives at home so he should have been weed eating for me right? The anger quickly passed and I started to look at myself, nobody to blame but me. I guess this is the wake up call I needed to remind me that being able to do this marathon will be an accumulation of many things and not just going out there and running. I’ve got to get enough sleep, I got to eat the right things (and not to much of them, I haven’t been eating the best lately, I’ve stopped logging my meals and let some ole stuff creep in), I’ve got to take my vitamins, I’ve got mentally prepare myself for this. I wanted those 7 miles this morning, but maybe this is what I needed instead a reality check, a reminder just what it is that I’m trying to do. This isn’t something everyone does its takes discipline in many areas to accomplish it; it’s not something you just say hey I want to do this and then do it. I guess the good Lord was looking out for me, I should be able to recover from this blister pretty quick and get back on track and this little burp has help me mentally so maybe it has gotten me back on track there.
The rest of the week has been good my other runs were 4 miles on Friday and yesterday, both were easy runs. I did them in just under a 10 mile pace so I was happy with that. I had a little surprise on yesterdays run. I’ve seen many animals since I started this journey while I’ve been out there walking and running. I’ve seen deer, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, coyotes, all kinds of birds, armadillos, ducks these are a few that come to my mind now I probably have seen others. I hadn’t seen any snakes till yesterday. I was funny because one day last week I thought about that, that I hadn’t seen any snakes. I did my run in Hamilton yesterday and a turn around point is in a church parking lot, when I went in the parking lot I almost stepped on a snake, not a big one but it still scared me for a minute. I jumper straight up! After the run I went back and it was still there in the same place. It was cool yesterday morning and I guess the asphalt was warm so he was just hanging out. I saw a beautiful sunrise Friday morning, I love watching the sun rise. We’ll I’m going to go now, may catch me a nap before church. Sitting down and talking about this has helped me feel better; maybe I’ll be able to run tonight! Doing this today not tomorrow,

Day 3

6 miles of hills it was a tough run. I ran at Hamilton and I did it on a hilly part that is ½ mile long so I did an out and back 6 times. I was dragging at the end, but great workout. My time was 1:10:23 so off my 10 min a mile pace, but hey it was hills and it was a tough workout. My legs were tight at first and my right knee was stiff it loosened up around mile three. Tomorrow is a rest day so that will help me recover. It was kind of weird I got that runner’s high at around mile 3, just a huge adrenaline rush….it felt good. Doing this today not tomorrow.

Day 2 Marathon Training

Well today was day two of the training, it was a easy 4 mile run. I got up this morning at 6 and ran. We were still in Gulf Shores so that was neat running at the beach. I didn’t run on the beach, but on the road next to it. My time was 39:41 for a pace of 9:56. My legs felt real heavy, it may have been from walking on the beach the last couple of days. It was a good run doing this today not tomorrow.

Day of the Marathon Training

Day 1 of my marathon training. Today is a rest day, can’t beat that can you a day off on your first day! I have been resting to Jenny, Summer and I came to the beach (Gulf Shores) yesterday. It was a last minute trip and just a lazy one we’ve just been laying on the beach and napping in the room, slept last night with the deck doors open. Tropical storm Claudette was not too far to the east so there was a good breeze blowing and it sure was nice hearing the ocean and having a nice breeze coming in the room. I took a good nap today to, so I have done well on the resting part today. I’m going to get up in the morning and run 4 miles for day two of the program. I guess this is a nice way to kick off the training at the beach, a good twist I guess, a memorable one at least. I can’t help but try to digest why I’m doing this. Why do I want to run 26.2 miles, why? I remember back in San Antonio when “Red” the girl down stairs was training to run one and we would talk about it, I could just sense her passion for it as she talked about it. Then I volunteered to park cars at it and I still remember now, seeing all those folks there that morning getting ready to run. I was drawn to it, why I don’t know I just was. I’ve always been around sports and love to compete. With the running you more or less compete against yourself. You can’t blame it on the ref, your team mates, the crowd etc. It you and what you have inside of you. I guess that is why I’m drawn to running, It shows me what I have inside of me and shows me if I have the discipline and dedication I can accomplish anything. I’ll not lie it is addictive for so many reasons, the sense of accomplish, just the plan feeling you get after a good hard run (I guess that is what they call the runner’s high), the stress relief from it, the health benefits from it. There are so many reasons, but why a marathon, I guess it is all the pieces of the puzzle you have to have to be able to do it. The training, the eating right, the short runs, the long runs, the discipline in all of it like being able to get up at 5 AM and go run. I know it’s going to be hard, unlike my rest day today, but I want it and I’m going to do it and I’m doing it today not tomorrow.

5th 5K

I ran my 5th 5K on Saturday since I stared this journey. It was a good race it was in Russellville, Al they were having a watermelon festival so their high school band put it on to raise money. I finished second in my age group, my time was 26:00 even not a PR but it was a good race and just 35 seconds away from a PR. I finished good and ran a pretty good consistent pace. One thing happened that is funny now was at about the mile and a half point they had a water station I grabbed a cup and pinched the top like you are suppose to and turned it up to get a drink, but it was only about half full so I didn’t get any I turned it up again and must have breathed in when I did cause I swallowed it wrong and got choked and thought I was going to drown. That slowed me down while I was coughing and thinking I was going to puke. That would have been a story for the family to tell my dad/husband drown Lesson learned I guess, trying to save a couple of seconds and cost you several. Note to self I will stop and walk during the marathon while drinking. I started to not do this race, but I’m glad now I did. After the race I ran into my old high school baseball coach there, it was nice to see him again and catch up a little. Well I’m doing this today not tomorrow.

Spirit of a Marathon

Last night I watched the movie spirit of a marathon. First if you’re a runner or thinking about being a runner you have got to watch this it is great.
It really got me to thinking about doing a marathon the challenges and so forth. I can’t help it but ever since my knee has started getting stiff I can’t help but worry what if I get injured and can’t do this. There is a guy in the movie that it happened to and it literally scared me. That got me to thinking about the challenges that go along with preparing to run this. Of course there are the physical ones logging the miles when training. There is so much mental though, just getting up some mornings and going out to run. It is so easy to say I’ll just skip today I’m tired or I don’t feel good, but you know if you do it one day it is so easy to do it the next. Knowing your body, knowing the difference between discomfort and real pain, and being able to push through the discomfort that feels like real pain. I want this marathon most because I think it brings out what is inside me, the desire to do it, the reward of doing it because it is not easily obtained. I looked on line and the percent of the US population that ran a marathon in 2007 was around 1/10 of a percent. True not everyone has a desire to run one, but there are a lot that may think about, but never take the steps to do it. I have all ready taken a huge step by losing a 109 pounds and just getting able to even be able to run. That is why I want it, I want because it is in me to do it I just have to reach down deep enough and pull it out and do it……today not tomorrow.

5 Aug 09 Cramps

Today Goals:

1 - Drink a gallon of water √ Done

2 - Take my vitamins (a multivitamin, fish oil and an msm with glucosamine) √ Done

3 - Do some core/ab exercises √ 3 sets 10 flutter kicks

4 - Do some push ups √ 10

5 - Do my marathon training √ 4 Mile Run

6 - Update the blog daily! √ Done

7 - Track what I eat at livestrong.com and shoot for 2,000 calories a day √ Done

Very interesting day today. I woke up this morning at 3 AM with a cramp in my right calf, man it hurt. Then when the alarm clock went off at 5 I must have stretched because I caught another one in my left calf, that one hurt pretty good too. I told myself well I’m not going to run because I’ll probably cramp up anyway. I laid there and thought about it and I said you know I have got to go and try this if I want this marathon, nobody said it would be easy and I know there will be some pain and discomfort, but hey it will be worth it. So I got up and ran, there was only 4 miles on the schedule, no cramps my calves were tight for the first mile and a half and my knee was stiff for the first couple, but I finished feeling good. After the run I felt so good even though it was just a short run I had that runner’s high I was so pumped. I’m doing this today not tomorrow. The picture is of my calves about 30 minutes after my run, just hours before they both were cramped up.

4 Aug 09

Today Goals:

1 - Drink a gallon of water √ Done
2 - Take my vitamins (a multivitamin, fish oil and an msm with glucosamine) √ Done
3 - Do some core/ab exercises √ 3 sets 10 flutter kicks
4 - Do some push ups √ 10
5 - Do my marathon training √ 6 Mile run hills
6 - Update the blog daily! √ Done
7 - Track what I eat at livestrong.com and shoot for 2,000 calories a day √ Done

Had a good run this morning ran hills. My right knee was stiff at first and tightened up off and on during the run, still a little stiff tonight. Eating was good had a few temptations, but staying focused and going to bed know so I should make it. Doing this today not tomorrow!

3 Aug 09

Today Goals:

1 - Drink a gallon of water √ Done
2 - Take my vitamins (a multivitamin, fish oil and an msm with glucosamine) √ Done
3 - Do some core/ab exercises √ Done
4 - Do some push ups √ Done
5 - Do my marathon training (more about this later) √ Done
6 - Update the blog daily! √ Done
7 - Track what I eat at livestrong.com and shoot for 2,000 calories a day √ Done

Today was a good day, busy at work but that is good it makes the day go fast. Doing the training was easy today, it was a rest dayJ. I did 3 sets of 10 flutter kicks and 10 pushups. Hey I know it’s not much, but I haven’t done anything like that it over two years it’ll come just like the weight loss did. Looking forward to tomorrow’s run…..today not tomorrow.

Catch Up

Sitting here today trying to think things through, and look at where I am at and where I’m going. I don’t know the last couple of weeks I’ve just been kind of blah, I’ve eaten a lot more, not a lot of bad stuff just a lot of the goof stuff I’ve been eating along this journey. I have had some good runs and some “I don’t feel like doing this runs”. I really don’t know where to start, I guess here; I’m putting down me some daily goals and want to be able to check them off each day. A lady that I follow her blog does this and it gave me the idea so here are mine:

1 - Drink a gallon of water
2 - Take my vitamins (a multivitamin, fish oil and an msm with glucosamine)
3 - Do some core/ab exercises
4 - Do some push ups
5 - Do my marathon training (more about this later)
6 - Update the blog daily!
7 - Track what I eat at livestrong.com and shoot for 2,000 calories a day.

Now about the marathon I have decided to do the St Jude Marathon in Memphis, TN on the 5 of Dec 09 here’s my training schedule I got it out of the Aug issue of Runner’s World on page 57. This one will be 1 year and 4 days after I started this journey so that will put me close to the one year point like I wanted just a few days over, it’s only about 2 hours from here and hey it is for a real good cause. So now we have the daily goals that are a part of the big goal.

Now reflecting back on what has went on since my last post back on 19 Jul. Like I said I have had some good runs not so good runs, a short run where I just stopped running (more on that later). One of the good runs that stand out was back on 22nd of Jul it was raining; I just love to run in the rain that was such a fun run. Then on the 23rd it was foggy, that was a sluggish run just wasn’t into it not sure why guess there will be those kind of days.

Now for the run that stopped it was on 21 Jul 09. The day before someone has sent me a video and I watched and it really got me to thinking. That morning on the 21st I was running and pondering over the movie. I’m a Christian and the movie was about putting yourself second and God first. As I was running and looking at my life God started to show me how I had put running and this weight loss journey first in mine and he started to show me areas in my life and ways I was not putting him first. I just had to stop running. I walked over to a bench in the park on the trail in Hamilton and just sat there, for awhile not thinking about anything then had a talk with God and got things back in order. If you like to see what the videos are about check this out. I am Second.

Ok so here we on this second leg of this journey, time to get focused again and go after this marathon! Doing it today not tomorrow!