halfway there and never looking back

registration: $65
box of running gu gel packs : $30
full tank of gas to make it home: $34
twisting your ankle on mile 4: PRICELESS

the greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall...literally

ok so I'm thinking my life story could be the next mastercard advertisement, but thats besides the point. First thing's first. I FINISHED my first half marathon! And under 2 hours (1:54:03). Aside from the mishap of twisting my ankle on mile 4 and knowing I wasn't going to give up and stop there, I just kept going and ended up running faster than I have up to this point. It must have been all the adrenaline (even though I felt like I had none) because there wasn't an ounce of pain until the very end when I was trying to get through the hoards of people to find my family.

All in all today was a great day. So what I have a black and blue ankle the size of a tennis ball and won't be able to walk around for a few days. The only thing that matters to me is I actually made it through one of these races. Of course there were points where I would ask myself how in the world I could push my body to run these distances, but then snapped back to reality of remembering what it felt like watching not only thousands of people cross a finish line but also thousands of people cheering you on along the way. It was such a new experience, and something I want to keep up with for a while. To be honest, I can't even really remember alot of what I was thinking during the race except "JUST KEEP GOING." There was such a huge support system I don't think it ever crossed my mind with how ridiculous I probably looked hahaha. Just after today, I have so much respect for all you runners who have been doing this your whole lives.

I'm on the road to tackling one of my biggest challenges yet. Lets just hope my body can keep up!

the person determined to achieve maximum success learns the principle that progress is made one step at a time.
Every big accomplishment is a series of little ones

time is going by much faster than expected

It pleases me to announce that my body actually held up during my 14 mile run last saturday. Not to mention that is the farthest I've ever gone in one shot, and surprisingly it really wasn't that difficult (thank you big hearty bowl of pasta the night before). I think it might have been one of my easiest long runs. I mean there were some tough times along the way aka the last 20 minutes where my knees and ankles began to feel the effects of a 14 mile trek through Bloomington, but the good thing is I ended with hardly any blisters (at least not any big ones on the bottom of my feet). It took me about 2 hours and 14 minutes, and I even ran all the way up by work and back, but I did it...and all without stopping. 

I don't think I'd say I'm getting discouraged for this marathon coming up in January, but time is flying by and the longer my runs get the more I start to see why all those people look at me and say, "a marathon? why would you ever want to run 26 miles? are you nuts?" And yes. Everyone, I am nuts for putting my body through hell and back, but I absolutely love it! I love it because its a challenge. And I love it even more because of the mental aspect. I think I have learned more about myself and what I want out of life during those long runs then I have ever known/realized while growing up. It amazes me what you start to think about when you have nothing to do but run for hours on end.

Aside from all that, my half marathon is this Sunday. It's back home so I'm really happy about that. I don't know what to expect really (in terms of running with such a big crowd), but I'm excited to be a part of it. Just hopefully my knees can hold me up. I've been doing more cross training (and not wearing heals to work) this week to take the extra stress off my joints, but I think I'll get my 7 miler done today around campus. Hopefully it doesn't storm/rain. Although, I wouldn't mind running in the rain.

did i really just do that?

I never thought my body could run continuously (without stopping) for 2 hours, but I did it and got my first 12 mile run in. The last 15 minutes had to have been the hardest part, but when I finished I felt great. But oh boy am I feeling the effects of that run today. It's not so much in my quads as it is in my calves but I will need to do some serious stretching these next couple days so I don't get another horrible case of shin splints. However, I'm not quite sure what I'd take if I had to choose blisters or shin splints. I didn't think it was possible to get blisters on the bottoms of your feet but thanks to those 12 miles I have a nasty quarter sized bubble to prove it. (Note to self...put vaseline on the bottoms of your feet and not just on your toes). I started to feel it about an hour in and by the time I was done it felt as though the only thing my feet were hitting were needles. Plenty of neosporin should do the trick. Hopefully I don't encounter this problem again cause it huts. There go my beautiful feet hahaha

Other than that, the weather has been absolutely perfect for running! Not too hot and not too cold. I can't even imagine what its going to be like once I have to pull out the full leg spandex, ear warmers and sweat shirts. I should be tapering by that point so I won't have to be running for very long in the frigid cold....97 days until Disney!! Wow. Where has the time gone?

just do it

I have another confession to make. That day when I said I was going to get back into running...I lied. I didn't stop training completely, but I haven't been consistent. For almost 4 weeks I broke up with running and it hasn't been that hard getting back into it, its just that my motivation to run has dwindled (ha i like that word). I was in Chicago this past weekend and only ran for an hour and fifteen minutes when really I was supposed to run 12 miles...oops. I skipped out on yesterday but made up for it today with a 6 miler (i felt pretty good). I have a 4 miler tomorrow then Saturday I WILL run 12 miles. I mean, I do have a race (1/2 marathon) coming up in about 3 weeks back home in Columbus...gotta be ready for it. I WILL be ready for it.

The good news about that long break is that my body doesn't hurt anymore :)

slap me back to reality PLEASE!

ok, so things haven't been going well, but that doesn't mean I need to slowly forget running. If anything running will clear my mind and get me to figure out the more important things, right? I tried running saturday morning after my almost 2 week break and I had to stop after an hour and ten minutes. I just had no energy and no motivation to keep going. I'm not going to sit here and say I failed, because to be honest, I had no intention of even running that day, so i'm glad I at least got out there for a little bit, but going at it half-ass stops TODAY! It's a new day....and a new week... and a new point where I need to concentrate on ME. I WILL get back into running and start back where I left off. Week 7, day 1, 4 miles to go. I can do this

uh oh

so lets just say that when it rains it pours. This last week just hasn't been a good one. Too many stresses and struggles to get the motivation to get out there and run...plus to top it off, my car got broken into when I was up in south bend for the Michigan game, leaving me to drive home in the pouring rain with a trash bag taped to my window, which by the way was insanely loud. I think it rained more in my car with the trash bang on there than if I would have just left it be. I know I missed this past weekend's long 12 miler, but other than that I can't even remember the last time I ran (I'm wanting to say it was almost a week ago). However...i WILL get back out there once I can pick myself back up and just in time for my 13 mile run on Saturday. I just need a little more time....

11 miles oh so good!

I DID IT! my first 11 miles...AND without stopping to rest at all. My body actually kept going for an hour and forty-five minutes. The only downside to the run was the plethora of hills I had to go up but what goes up must come down, so it was a huge relief once I reached the bottom. I have to say though that Saturday morning when I woke up and thought a little more about the long run I had ahead of me, I couldn't help but wonder how in the heck I could have made it through that run alone. Thank goodness I have someone to run with...someone that when we run we feed off each other and constantly push each other to keep going. You may start to feel like hell, but knowing how you'll feel once you finished keeps you going strong.

Surprisingly I'm not as sore as I thought I'd be, except for the little bit of tightness in the back of my calves. Oh, and the 5 blisters on my feet as a result of the long treck. My feet are so loaded with band-aids you can't even see my toes. Any suggestions on how to prevent these? I'm guessing new socks? Vaseline? Anyways, I took my first ice bath after that run and holy cow it was freezing! I'm not so sure how the runners back at school could do that everyday after each practice. My whole body had goose bumps on it. I could hardly breath. But if its going to fix my sore muscles, I'm gonna keep doing it.

Cross training for Day 1 of week 7 starts today (4 miles on the elliptical), followed by a hefty workout of lifting. Should be excited and I'm looking forward to it...but not as much as my 12 miles coming up this weekend