run update

I logged 5 miles yesterday, and it felt great!  My knee felt good during and after the run!  YAY for new shoes!  Going to try for 5 tomorrow, but I'm not planning on killing myself to get there!

Tomorrow afternoon, me and my family are off for a week-long camping trip in Estes Park, Colorado.  I'll see y'all on the flip side!

the running adventure continues

So...yes, I'm still running.  I just haven't had time to write about it.  Kids, husband, church, birthdays, housework, travel, finals...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. :D  I am up to running 4-5 miles without stopping/walking.  There are times when I don't have time to run that far, but I have made it a point to never run less than 3.  I am at a stage where I am finally starting to see physical results from my hard work.  I have lost weight and my shape is definitely changing.  Both of these things are very exciting for me, as for the first few months, I saw absolutely no change at all!

Tomorrow begins another adventure for me...stop back by to find out what it is!

on the road again

After a week running hiatus due to a nasty stomach bug, I returned to the running trail today.  I must admit that I was dreading it.  When I have missed even one day in the past, it has been hard to get back out there and settle in.  I think it only took me the first 5 minutes to feel "good".  Almost right away, I started feeling a stitch in my side.  (I haven't had this pain since I started running a couple of months ago!)  Weird.  I was worried I'd have to bail on my sweet running buddy early, but I hung in there.  We parted ways at the two mile mark, but I hung in there another .60 miles before I decided I better not push it anymore.  After all, I was running on fumes.  Still haven't been able to eat much...hoping today is the day!  I miss food!

a warm beautiful morning

There is finally a little light on my early morning run, and I am loving it!  I know that very soon it is going to start getting hot, and I will struggle with motivation.  Ugh.  Still feeling the funk I have been in for the past week or so.  But I took it slow and steady, and didn't wear myself out.  Probably stretched more than I needed to, but it helped.  Hoping to get excited about Saturday's run.

typical tuesday run

I think I am still a little jaded by the race on Sunday, as I wasn't nearly as excited about this morning's run as I usually am.  It probably doesn't help that I am sore and tired from working in the yard for the past two evenings.  Feeling a little blue about the whole running gig.

redbud classic

Today, I finished my first 5k...my first running race...ever.  I was excited going into it, expecting to treat it as any other of my three weekly runs.  But it wasn't just one of my normal weekly runs.  It was 80 degrees and in the middle of the afternoon...hardly any wind and not a cloud in the sky.  At 2:00pm the start gun went off, and it took what seemed like an eternity to even cross the starting gate.  My place in the crowd left me feeling trapped, as the masses made their way along.  Halfway through the race, I tired of the weaving and bobbing that came with passing people and decided just to settle in and run instead.  I was ready to give up in all honesty.  I suddenly missed the cold mornings I had grown so accustomed to running in.  Though I finished the race in 35 minutes (slower than normal for me), it felt like an eternity before I crosssed the finsh line.  This is the first time in the two months since I started running that I have been discouraged.

reached a goal

Today, I reached my goal of running FOUR miles! It was tough, but I know now that I can do it. Naturally, I had to set a new goal, so I now have my sights on FIVE miles! I'm not concerned with how long it will take me to get there, but I am confident that I will indeed get there!

sunny saturday run

Ran 3.36 miles in 36 minutes today. I really can't believe that I am consistently running over 3 miles each time I run now. I also can not believe how well it is going, that I am still enjoying it. I almost feel guilty for enjoying it so much. Today was not as difficult as I had imagined it would be. I totally psyched myself out thinking it was going to be hard to run on different terrain, but I welcomed the change of scenery. It helped that it was a beautiful sunny morning. It was over 50 degrees and very windy, but the wind was at my back nearly the entire run! Two more weeks until race time!

rainy run

I just realized I didn't post about my Tuesday run, but it was pretty uneventful. It was a dark "warm" morning (43 degrees, as opposed to the around freezing temps I'm used to.) I struggled a little, but felt great once the run was over. Today, I was ready to go! It was hard for me to get out of bed because I went to bed too late and stuffed myself full of Ted's, but I wasn't about to miss. It was a windy rainy dark morning. The wind and rain stung my face when I had to run directly into it, but when it was at my back, I felt warm and toasty! I'm a little sore now, as I pushed myself to run longer than usual and ended up going a whopping 3.71 miles! That's my farthest distance to date! I would like to try 4 on Saturday...think I'll just see how I feel after 3. I'm so ready for this 5k thing! BRING IT ON!

the worst one yet

So, here we are at the first day of spring. Considering all the beautiful weather we have been having, one would think we would be starting off with one of those 65-70 degree days. But no...it rained all night and has snowed all day. I walked out into the snow at 9:30am to several inches of the white stuff. It would have been beautiful if the falling snow wasn't whipping right into my face, thanks to the 20mph winds. So, that's how I started off my 35 minute run this morning. I started out running, mostly because I wanted to warm my body quickly. And I just kept running...the whole 35 minutes. To say that it felt great would be a lie. It hurt. Raising my legs up out of the snow during my stride was more work than the sand/gravel I had to endure at my parent's house a few weeks back. I ended up running 3.28 miles in just under 33 minutes for a 9:55 minute mile average. I was shocked, but happy that my misery was rewarded with that. During the last 15 minutes of my run, I was in constant prayer. I prayed mostly that I would just make it through the rest of my workout...run OR walk. But I also prayed for the Lord to release me from my own pride, especially if that was what was driving me to be out on such a frigid morning. My time with God seemed to make the time go faster, and I ended my run exhausted but peaceful. I laugh now because I no longer have an excuse not to get out of bed to run in the morning. Perhaps I should have just skipped this one. ;)

run update

So, the Saturday workout wasn't as bad as I built it up in my mind to be. I wasn't terribly impressed with my final results, but I ran a continuous 20 minutes without stopping! With my walking, I went a total of 3.52 miles and had a time of 14'11" per mile. There were steeper uphill climbs than I am used to...I joined the Running Buddies group in town instead of making my usual trek through the neighborhood. It was nice to experience some new scenery.

It was hard to get out of bed for this morning's run. I had a sweet snuggly five month old baby laying next to me, and she totally wanted me to stay with her. I know...she told me. ;) But I obediently put her back in her bed, where she smiled big as day at me, and then went back to sleep. So, it's dark again for our early run. :( I was getting very used to being able to see everything around me. It's a good thing I have running partners...I'm totally afraid of the dark! Today, we warmed up for a brisk 5 minute walk, ran 5 minutes, walked 3 minutes, ran 8 minutes, walked 3 minutes, ran 5 minutes, and cooled down for 5 minutes. With all that walking, you'd think we would have had a slower mile time, but we were at 13'09". It was awesome! I was stiff in the beginning, but loosened up and felt great for the last half. I came home and forced myself to do some sit-ups. My ab muscles are so weak from the C-section still. :(

a new love affair

Okay, so I haven't gotten much better at blogging. It's been nearly two months. The time really does fly! Perhaps now that I have a new computer it will get easier?? Who knows...with 6 kids, spare time is sparse. ;)

So I'm here today to tell you about my new love affair. Yes, that's right. A love affair. I might be addicted to running, and it's only been two weeks! I haven't confessed this to too many people, but I hated running. No big deal, many great and advanced runners hate running. No shocker. But I really, really, truly LOATHED it. I avoided it at all costs. I tried only to do it in emergency situations. You know the ones where your kid is running away from you in a packed parking lot and you catch her just before she crosses paths with an oncoming car? I have truly viewed running as some sort of punishment and that anyone who chose to do it for "fun" must really didn't like themselves that much. I tried in college to make myself love it, but I injured my knee...yes, running...and I never did it again. At least not until one of those aforementioned emergency situations. So a couple of months ago, I started walking with some neighborhood girlfriends. Mostly, I just loved the company and the time away, even if it was at ungodly hours of the morning and in the freezing cold of winter. We would chat about how we could never run like the other group that was out at the same time as us, and how we had no real desire to do so. But then it came up...what if? Surprisingly, it was me who brought it up. What if we started running? That was it...that week, we started running. Since we seemed to be in the same place fitness wise, we started the couch to 5k. We are finishing up week 5 on Saturday. Here's the real issue though...I LOVE IT! I look forward to it. I am no longer trying to make up excuses as to why I can't get up and go. I can't say I don't dread a new workout, like the 20 minute constant run we are doing on Saturday...but I am enjoying pushing myself...and relishing in my success once I have achieved my goal. I never knew before why it was I hated running so much. I do now...it has been my asthma. I have never been able to get my breathing under control enough to push myself through the pain. That just makes the pain worse. It is only by the Lord's hand that I now have a handle on my breathing. Running feels good...even when I am not doing it. I can feel the effects all day long! I have never felt so healthy even though I am far from my time, distance, or weight loss goals! God is so good!