I've had this blog for a few years but sort of lost track of it since 2009. My aunt told me that it might be a good idea to let people know how hard I'm working and that running 13.1 miles is nothing to sniff at.
Back in January, I made the decision to finally start training for a half marathon. I've been talking, talking, talking about it for the last few years...and in January, even I finally got sick of hearing myself just talkabout it. (Okay, I also started realizing that the extra cupcake wasn't so easy to work off.) Anyways, when I began talking about it, my goal was to do it before I turned 30. Well...June 7, 2014 is my 30th birthday. Now or never right?
First and foremost, one of the craziest decisions I've made in a while was to start training for a half marathon...in January....in Wisconsin. Brilliant. I gave myself a start date and said "no matter what." This resulted in my first run was a quick 2 miler in 19 degree weather while snow was falling...and it was dark. I got home and I was freezing, in pain, hacking like I had emphysema, and...feeling better about myself than I had for a long time. That day was the day I realized that anyone can run a couple miles but did I really have what it takes to run 13.1 miles?
I started looking into running blogs and asking my "runner friends" for their advice on everything from shoes to cold weather running gear to where the heck I could run in Wisconsin in winter without a) falling on the ice or b) freezing to death while also avoiding treadmills. I DESPISE treadmills. Enter one of my brilliant co-workers advising me that I could run at the Pettit Center for just a dollar a day in the winter. Between January and February, I ran at the Pettit Center at least ten times. I would end those runs feeling frustrated and annoyed with myself for giving up the other times I tried to train for a half/full marathon. I also learned that while I love running, I do not love indoor running. My mile splits were slower, I felt more dehydrated, sore, and just generally unhappy with my overall effort.
Over the last couple months, I have run in the snow and the mud, I have run in the rain and the spitting sleet, and I have run on those rare days where the sun is out and I cannot wait to get done with work and pound the pavement.
My priorities over the last couple months have also changed. I gave up sweets for lent to cut out some off my guilty pleasures which also improved my running. I have also made sure that I drink at least 64 ounces of water a day...small feat for some, but for someone who previously existed only on k-cups and diet cokes, this is something. I have also noticed that while I still let myself indulge in some of my favorite things, I also set them as rewards, i.e., if I run my 3 miles in 25 minutes or less tonight, I can have a glass of wine with dinner.
If you read my blog, enjoy it, if you delete them and never read em', that's your choice too. I'm doing this blog mostly for me, so that when I finally finish my first half marathon in Madison in May, I can remember what it took to get me there.
Back in January, I made the decision to finally start training for a half marathon. I've been talking, talking, talking about it for the last few years...and in January, even I finally got sick of hearing myself just talkabout it. (Okay, I also started realizing that the extra cupcake wasn't so easy to work off.) Anyways, when I began talking about it, my goal was to do it before I turned 30. Well...June 7, 2014 is my 30th birthday. Now or never right?
First and foremost, one of the craziest decisions I've made in a while was to start training for a half marathon...in January....in Wisconsin. Brilliant. I gave myself a start date and said "no matter what." This resulted in my first run was a quick 2 miler in 19 degree weather while snow was falling...and it was dark. I got home and I was freezing, in pain, hacking like I had emphysema, and...feeling better about myself than I had for a long time. That day was the day I realized that anyone can run a couple miles but did I really have what it takes to run 13.1 miles?
I started looking into running blogs and asking my "runner friends" for their advice on everything from shoes to cold weather running gear to where the heck I could run in Wisconsin in winter without a) falling on the ice or b) freezing to death while also avoiding treadmills. I DESPISE treadmills. Enter one of my brilliant co-workers advising me that I could run at the Pettit Center for just a dollar a day in the winter. Between January and February, I ran at the Pettit Center at least ten times. I would end those runs feeling frustrated and annoyed with myself for giving up the other times I tried to train for a half/full marathon. I also learned that while I love running, I do not love indoor running. My mile splits were slower, I felt more dehydrated, sore, and just generally unhappy with my overall effort.
Over the last couple months, I have run in the snow and the mud, I have run in the rain and the spitting sleet, and I have run on those rare days where the sun is out and I cannot wait to get done with work and pound the pavement.
My priorities over the last couple months have also changed. I gave up sweets for lent to cut out some off my guilty pleasures which also improved my running. I have also made sure that I drink at least 64 ounces of water a day...small feat for some, but for someone who previously existed only on k-cups and diet cokes, this is something. I have also noticed that while I still let myself indulge in some of my favorite things, I also set them as rewards, i.e., if I run my 3 miles in 25 minutes or less tonight, I can have a glass of wine with dinner.
If you read my blog, enjoy it, if you delete them and never read em', that's your choice too. I'm doing this blog mostly for me, so that when I finally finish my first half marathon in Madison in May, I can remember what it took to get me there.
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