My long run yet... :o)

I don't think I've posted my actual training schedule on here yet, but the gist of it is:

Monday: Stretch/Strength
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: Strength Training (used to be 2-3 miles, but I recently changed from running 4x/week to 3x/week)
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Cross Training or Rest
Sunday: Long run

I obviously worked up to 5 miles on my Tuesday and Wednesday runs and my long runs started out at 1 mile and increased .5 at a time for a few weeks, then increased 1 mile at a time every other week.

This past week called for 8 miles, but unfortunately I hadn't run 7 miles yet. I had a 9.11K two weekends ago and last weekend we were camping and I was NOT running in the mountains.

So, I set out with the goal of running 7 miles (longest run yet, of course) but about 5 minutes into my run I realized I'd made a wrong turn right away. I quickly started making some mental calculations in my head and decided that my run could still be salvaged. If I had gone the way I was supposed to go it would have added about a mile on to my run so to compensate I figured I could run about a mile further than I was originally going to. Give or take a little.

Oh, and something different on this run... I used my camelback for the 1st time. I knew that as I got up there in miles that I would need to start using it, I always figured I'd start around the halfway mark (6-7 miles). It was a little awkward at first, and I felt like a complete and total DORK before I left the house but after I started running I noticed it less and less. And let me tell you... WOW! I think it make a huge difference in my energy level. I always try to drink about 32 ounces of water before I run but I have never drank anything during my runs even though it's usually pretty hot out. But taking a sip of water every so often definitely kept me hydrated and gave me amazing energy during my entire run.

I will definitely be using my camelback from now on though because this past weekend was the best run of my life! And I ran 7.5 miles! My knees started getting sore towards the end but nothing I couldn't push out of my mind. At one point I even forgot where I was, I was so caught up in my steady pace and my music that I literally started daydreaming for a bit.

My only goal in training and running has been to not walk. I run at a pace, slow enough for me to be able to run the entire thing. I am not overly concerned with time as long as I finish and don't walk at all. So far so good!

I am still on cloud 9 from my run. And the best part? I KNOW I can run 8 miles this upcoming Sunday, since I just ran 7.5 and felt great! And and even better part?? I only have a measly 5 more miles to go on top of that to reach 13 miles and I run 5 miles twice a week as it is!!

I am getting super excited for my half marathon in December!!!

Broken Record

I'm not sure where I last left it but I know I've said a few times that I'm done with meetings, but darnit, they really do help me when I let them.

Last week was my first week back in maybe 4 weeks? 6? Honestly, it'd been just as long since I'd tracked seriously. I'm pretty sure I took the summer off from losing weight, folks. And boy was it evident at my 1st weigh in.

+8 pounds

Wow. Yes, you read that right. I'd gone out and bought size 10s and size mediums and lets just say things were getting snug. I fully committed to get back on track for good and for. the. love. finally reach my goal. I was close to 20 pounds away but my gain put me closer to 30 pounds away. Ouch.

So, I commited to the program and am working on getting back into it physically and mentally.

2nd weigh in: -6.6 pounds

That's more like it! Granted, it came off so fast cause I put it on so fast. And I'm still not quite to my lowest yet, but reallyclose.

I really feel like I'm committed this time. I finally want to shed these last 20 pounds! I will have lost 126 pounds total at that point and it's such a real possibility, I just want to make it happen already.

5 miles: part duex

Today, for the 2nd week in a row, I ran 5 miles. The outcomes of both runs were very different and I really have no idea why?

Last week I ran the first 3/4 without too much of a problem but I started feeling very tired with a little over a mile left. I didn't even know if my legs would be able to move me one more step towards the end of my run.

This week I felt great for almost the entire run and think I even sped up towards the end. Nothing much changed in regards to what I ate and drank beforehand. I left at approximately the same time too.

I did notice my pace was a little bit slower this week so that may have preserved my energy? Or it could  be mostly mental? Let me explain...

I told myself during my run today that since I've already ran 5 miles before that I could definitely do it again today. Perhaps I am lacking confidence on the first day I attempt a longer run?

Either way, I did it and I felt great. Getting  up there in my training miles and I can't decide if I'm nervous or excited to run the full 13.1.

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

I decided to run in my first half marathon.

I commited by paying my entrance fee and starting my training schedule.

Up until today I did not know if I would succeed.

I will.

I jumped over some sort of mental hurdle today during my run. Again (much like last week) I was dreading my long Sunday run and doubting myself before I even laced up my shoes.

On the agenda: 3.5 miles

For the record, 3.5 miles is the furthest distance I've ever ran in my life. 30 and 1/2 years on the earth and I've never ran that far at one time. I played basketball, and softball, and tennis in HS. I've had a gym membership since I was 15. I've worked out off and on for over half of my life but my furthest run to date was 3.1 miles.

Any run from here on out will be "my furthest run yet". I promise, I'll try to not post a blog about it every week but it will be hard not to. :)

Succeed. I ran 3.5 miles today and I felt great. I felt like I could keep running. I all-out sprinted the last 1/4 mile. I realized today that I can and will run 13.1 miles at my half marathon in December. I'm pretty confident about it too, and dare I say... excited?

3 miles?

Check!

I have been nervous about my run today for a while now...

- I went out of town for a week and didn't run for almost 2 weeks
- I ran 1 mile, post vacation and it was hard
- The furthest I've run in training for my half so far was 2.5 miles
- I haven't run 3 miles since back in March when I was training for my 5K

All of those things add up to a lot of doubt and nervousness about my 3 mile run on my agenda today.

I decided to run at the gym because although I was up and ready to run at 8am, it was almost 90 degrees out. Our gym has an indoor track that is 5 1/2 laps per mile so running too far can get tiresome, but since I'm still low on my mileage requirements I didn't think it would be too bad to run 16 1/2 laps.

I walked 1 1/2 laps for my warm-up then I got to work. Overall, it was kind of relaxing. It's the furthest I've ever ran on the gym track and it wasn't as bad as I expected. I had to constantly focus on what lap I was on though, so that was interesting.

When I pass my mark I repeat in my head 1, 1, 1, 1.... if I'm on the 1st lap, or 7, 7, 7, 7.... etc. I did not keep time today so I'm not sure how fast slow I ran 3 miles but I ran the whole thing.

I got a side stitch at one point, but I ran through it with no problem. Overall I felt great! I have felt high on life ever since I left the gym!

The moral of the story: don't doubt yourself, surprise yourself!

Still training...

Although I took a week off of running during our latest vaca, I got back into it last night.

First run post-vacation? Ugh...

I only ran 1 mile folks, but it was tough. I got a side stitch in a place I've never got a side stitch in before. Ow. I was supposed to run 2.5 miles last night but I couldn't fathom running 2.5 miles when I hadn't run in over a week. So I ran 1 mile and and my run this upcoming Sunday calls for 3 miles. Figured it would be best to ease back into things.

I keep crossing days off my training calendar, so that's a good thing. I will upload a picture of it soon. Thanks to my awesome husband running coach for making it for me!

Untitled

As I creep closer to my original goal, which is less than 3 pounds away, it helps me to see exactly how far I've come. Someone asked me the other day how much weight I've lost and when I actually say it out-loud it blows my mind.

I did add though that "these last 20 pounds are the absolute hardest". :)

Weight lost to date from my heaviest: -103.4 (started February 2009)

Weight lost on Weight Watchers: -48 (started, September 2010)

So, now to keep on moving forward. My next goal which I hope to attain this upcoming week is to reach the -50 mark with Weight Watchers which would also put me under my original goal that I set for myself (before I added an additional -20).

A loss is a loss

I have mentioned a lot lately that I've been at a standstill for a few months. Now, I am officially losing weight again, and while the last few weeks have been very small numbers, I'll take it! because it's going in the right direction.

7/17 -3 pounds
7/27 -.4 pounds
7/01 - vacation (did not weigh in at WW)
7/08 -.6 pounds

I am very please with a .6 loss because I did not track at all while I was on vacation. Granted, we went camping for 5 days and I went on hikes, including the hike back and forth from the lake to the campground multiple times a day. I also didn't do as much resting and reading as I usually do while camping, but instead chased around a 13 month old.

I have plans to go out of town in a couple weeks again, but it will be filled with more walking and chasing around a 13 month old, and little time for snacking. There will also be planned somewhat healthy meals so I don't see it being a problem at all.

Hope your holiday was a blast and that you are all enjoying your summer!

Let yourself live a little, roast marshmallows one night, but go for a run the next. Everything in moderation, and we will all feel better about ourselves in the morning.

New Beginnings

Actual Twitter post from this morning: Weighing in this morning and I think I finally lost weight! Is it still a plateau if you know exactly what you were doing wrong?


No need to beat myself up over it all anymore because the good news is, I lost weight! Not the same 5 pounds that I've been losing over and over again, but 3 more pounds on top of that!


Yes, I lost 3 pounds this past week, which puts my total weight lost to date at -102.4, and my total weight lost with Weight Watchers at 47 pounds. I stayed for celebrations today and it felt good to get some good feedback. I also met a new mom and we chatted for a bit so that was nice.


Anyway, I feel good. I'm running 4 days a week, eating right, wearing shorts (in public!), I feel like a whole new person. I recently saw a photo of myself and asked the photographer if she edited my figure, it was a shock to my system to see a photo of myself that I really really liked.


3.6 pounds away from my original goal (revised as I get closer)
23.6 pounds away from my ultimate goal!!!!

5:30pm

I've paid my registration fee.
I've just finished my 3rd week of training.
I have my running shoes.
I'm running in the Las Vegas rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

And oh ya... it's at night.
Awesome!