Ready to Run

I'm ready to run!

This year is going to be huge! There are a couple of different groups I have entered and luckily they overlap each other. The first is the #13in2013 a variety of distances for me. I still only have eleven of them planned or entered already. I also entered a group to run 500/1000 miles, when I did this I had no misconception that 500 would be difficult. However, last night I was planning out my mileage for training and there are over 850 miles already with nothing planned for June or July other than 2 little 5k's!! I think I'm shooting for 1000 now! WOW that's a lot of mileage for a couple of ladies who didn't run prior to January 2012.

This week we, my sister and I, signed up for our first Full Marathon, I had a tiny freak out just after we pressed enter. Now as a couple of days have passed I'm starting to get more and more excited to do this, even though the Main Event isn't until November. Don't worry lots of training and races will occur prior to then. We're doing a handful of half marathons starting in April and several 10-5k's throughout to keep us conditioned and ready. As far as training goes we have no clue, I think we've decided on Hal Higdons training plan and may even download the app. Although if anyone has suggestions we are open to them!

I'm really just writing today to confirm to myself that I'm ready to run!! Also to make sure there may be one or two people to help hold me accountable:).

2012 Running Recap

When I started my journey into running I was misguided at best. My sister, in Maine, called and asked my parents, my other sister and me to join her in doing #12in2012. I hadn't heard if this, I wasn't a runner, I WAS lazy & out of shape. She explained that we were to run 12, 5k's throughout the year. The only running I've ever done, really, is one 5k during the local fair in our hometown because it supports the Lions Club and my dad belongs, but I did it almost every year. I decided to join and figured what the hell I've ran before I can run again. I HAD NO IDEA...

In January I ran my first mile it took over 18 minutes. However, I didn't stop. It was personal now, I had no idea I had let myself go so much. I used to be a co-manager at a gym, I taught aerobics, step, water, an abs class. By the end of January I finished my first 5k and was kinda hooked, a friend of mine posted on twitter she couldn't make it to the Indianapolis Mini Marathon(1/2) and she was selling both of her entry's. I kind of figured if I could run 3 miles I could run 13.1 miles, so my sister here (Stephanie) and I bought the entry's and started to RUN. Somehow, someway we had gone from not running to being half marathoners in a matter of 30 days. It was a hard, long and exhausting day. We didn't make our goal, but we finished!!

I have no idea how it happened but by April we were running (gulp) long runs on the weekends, 8-9-10 milers wow if someone had told me 3 months before I would've laughed. I kind of laughed when asked to do 12 5k's... By the end of August I had volunteered at a triathlon and thought that that could be fun, it's on my list:). You could not have convinced me that I would feel the NEED to run, but I did and do. I started to get grumpy if I hadn't ran in a couple of days, just a mile or two would suffice. Now this year coming up, 2013, it's my year. I'm going to run it into the ground! I'm doing #13in2013 variety races and half of them are 10k or more, including One full Marathon. My previous post deals more in that area:).

I'm ready to tackle this year, head on, I have my schedule out until May and the excitement is like that of a child on Christmas morning. Lets do this thing:)

#runon #runhappy

Running 13 in 2013

As I have blogged before, I am on a goal/mission to complete a Full Marathon in 2013. While on twitter one day I stumbled upon this fabulous "challenge" to run 13 races in 2013! At first I wasn't sure that I could/would join, there were several options but each one was the same race distances, like 13 5k's or 13 half marathons, and I knew I would be running several different distances. I checked back the next day, because I'm slightly obsessed with challenging myself, there was now a Variety option!!!!

Of course I signed up, I was pretty certain I already had about 6 races on my schedule. I put my name on the list and felt almost giddy with joy knowing that I was committed to fulfilling more of my goals next year:). I started going through my race calendar and I was already planning on 11 runs, not 6!!!! My first thought was, "WOW I really am a runner, I don't even realize how much I'm running anymore!" My second thought was, can I really do this? I only ran in about 6 races in 2012, 7 after Christmas Eve:), the training was less than easy but not quite hard. However, in 2012 I only ran 1 half marathon, 1! In 2013 I'm planning on at least 3 half marathons and my first full marathon!!! It's all about mind over matter for me so if I stay focused I know I can do this:).
Here's a list of what races I have planned or have already signed up for:

January 1 - virtual run 5k
January 31 - virtual 5k to honor Sandy Hook
February - valentines 5k
March 16 - Shamrock run 10k
April 6- Henry County Half Marathon
May 4- Indianapolis Mini Marathon
May 18- Dirty Girl 5k
June -
July 20- Color Run 5k
August - Gaston Lions Club 5k
September - Indianapolis Womens Half
October -
November - Indianapolis Monumental Full Marathon
December -

There are a couple of other virtual runs that I completed this year that I will likely do again, like @runwithjess #cupcakerun.

I'm really looking forward to rocking this year!!

#runon #runhappy #13in2013

My December Challenge

On Facebook and Twitter I'm sure you've seen them, the "join us for a mile a day, 20 Burpees a day, etc". I've seen them, I've joined a few. I tried the Runners World Run Streak: run at least a mile a day from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I failed, already. I'm okay with failing, it makes us stronger people when we learn to fail, and GET BACK UP. From the day after thanksgiving until the first of December I only ran once. During that time I thought a lot about what I wanted out of running, where I wanted to be and how I'm in control of my health and running destiny.

My personal challenge is to run at least a mile a day from December 1 through Christmas Eve, 24 days of running whether I'm alone or with a friend. If I can do this then I know that I can complete my 2013 goals that I have set out for myself. It feels like I needed to change up the requirement for me, I wasn't ready to start when everyone else was. I'm ready now and I know that I can succeed:).

I set a goal for myself on Friday and beat it on Saturday, I just need to know that I have what it takes to be the queen of my fitness world. As a measuring "stick" I run 2 miles every now and again (more often than not lately, I'm stuck in a distance rut). I ran my first 2 mile run back in February of this year, I completed that in 30 minutes and 24 seconds. I'm still slow, but that's all relative, right? Yesterday I completed a 2 mile run in 21 min and 09 seconds!! You see it's all relative because I think taking over 9 minutes off of your time in a little less than a year is pretty darn good, and what really matters is what I think and feel. If I feel like I'm tearin' it up at a 10.5 minute mile then so be it!! Sure eventually I would love to be faster, for now though, I'm happy breaking my own PR's and feeling pretty good about it all.

So if I "fail" again, guess what. I'm going to start over and I will keep starting over until I'm satisfied. :)

#runon
#runhappy

My 1st Turkey Trot Recap:)

So much for attempting a 10k on Thanksgiving morning, it just seemed a little daunting. My sister, Stephanie and I are very used to running with absolutely NO elevation. We're in Muncie Indiana where it's almost more than flat. This particular run took place in Henry County, New Castle Indiana where the ground is a bit more rolling.

We didn't get in as many longer than 2-3 mile runs as we had planned and the hills made me nervous. So the 5k it was, and I have to say that on this course (which would've been a loop for the 10k) I am glad that for now that was what we chose. This was a fun run so there were kids and dogs EVERYWHERE!! The first mile was a pretty good pace for us, and that one was up hill! The second mile really got to me, the first half remained uphill and the cold weather was messing with my breathing. I had to walk a couple of times the second mile and that slowed us down a little bit from our first mile time. (If Jeff Galloway can walk so can I!! :)) The last mile was mostly downhill so we picked up a little time but didn't want to pull anything so we didn't overuse the downhill portion. I ended up with a PR for my 5k and Stephanie was right at her best but she's sweet and waited on me when I walked (thanks sister). All in all I was really happy with the outcome especially when I compared the elevation of the trail we usually run to the path we ran today!

I'm excited to try and really break that PR next weekend when we run the Red Nose Run along the White River.

Along with these back to back 5k's we are going to be running a Christmas Eve 5k in Shelbyville while our sister Leah is visiting over Christmas, she's quite a bit faster than both of us so we will be starting together but likely finishing separately:) I have also decided that this Runners World Streak thing sounds like a fabulous plan and will be completing at least one mile a day until Christmas, hopefully this will help keep me on track for the winter and the holidays. The first of the year I will start training for the Indianapolis 500 Mini Marathon for the second time and will hopefully be MUCH more prepared for that than I was last year!! 😀

Here's to the holidays!! #runon #runhappy

Gobble Gobble Run:)

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted anything. My lack of motivation has seeped into my writing as well. It's strange really, I feel motivated I'm just not doing anything to act on it. I was sick with respiratory issues this week and that cut drastically into any running I had planned, considering I couldn't breathe standing still. I'm supposed to run a 10k Turkey Trot this Thursday, and 6 miles is sounding very daunting as the day draws near. This morning was chilly but beautiful and Stephanie and I were able to get almost 3.5 miles in, it felt long and our pace was slow.

The plan is to try for 5 tomorrow and see how our pace is feeling, see if a 10k seems feasible or if the shorter but just as rewarding 5k is up our alley for later this week.

Just reminding myself, I guess, that I'm in this for the long haul. I'm running to/for my health and I just have to remember that I'm still lapping the couch potatoes.
#runon #runhappy #turkeytrot

Winter Slump, in the Fall...

Two weeks ago I PR'd my 5k! And then I stopped, well I guess I didn't stop but I certainly didn't continue... I ran 1 lousy mile between October 21 and today. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew this but it didn't really register until I logged my miles today and saw the evidence (or lack thereof).

So today I'm promising myself that the weather, darkness & freezing temps here in Indiana won't stop me from running!! I have a dreadmill (treadmill) as much as I hate it I think it is going to have to become my best friend through this winter. This is a new venture for me, as I haven't run through the holidays but am looking forward to keeping myself disciplined enough to do so.

It seems like this time of year, (whether you are truly busy or not) you are busy!! The days are so very short, of course by that I mean daylight hours...it's cold and often times dreary, shopping and family dinners galore!! It's a hard time to stay focused and on task. But....
I'm worth it so I will do it.

So I'm making out my schedule tonight, the dreadmill will become my friend and I will reserve Saturday mornings for my long runs!!! #runon #runhappy