the hills

I have had a couple of the longesssst days ever over the past few days and motivation/time to run has been hard to come by.  Finally, at 10:00 pm last night I found some time, and I did a two mile hill run/sprint on the treadmill and a bunch of ab work after that. 
I think I am starting to believe that running this is possible... I can't believe how comfortable it has become to run three miles.  We still have a looooong way to go, but I [think] we can do it!

Guess I'll try again today...

sad face

only ran 3 miles today - not 3 1/2.  [when did that become a bad thing?! that used to rock!]

i just couldn't do it.  i had a million things going on tonight.  i was cold.  tired.  not feeling it.  so i just ran straight home instead of adding that extra distance.  oh well.

try again...

best i ever had

sunday's run = the single best run of my life

the weather was perfeect 52 degrees - no wind. i had slept in super late so i was energized and pumped to actually accomplish something.  i had A LOT on my mind, so the run became my sanctuary.  planned on doing 5 miles....ended up doing 6.5.

crazy! but awesome...

today, another 3.5.  hopefully it will stop rain/snowing so i can do outside.  these days, treadmill = no soap.

1/2 marathon only two months away! can't believe it, but i'm pumped...

Dance forever...

Alright.  I took a couple of days off last week (I still worked out at the rec, just avoided running) to allow my knee to get better, which (along with ibuprofen...) has helped tremendously.  I'm back up to following the schedule: today was a quick two mile run (17 minutes) and then I did a weights circuit.

I completely agree with Ang on the power of new music.  I refilled my iPod with Chris Brown, Jay-Z, and Kid Cudi the other day and my past two workouts have been fantastic as a result. 

So far, training for this half-marathon has seriously improved how I feel day-to-day.  While I expected a general moral improvement due to the endorphin-overload I've been giving myself everyday, I have been one of the happiest people this semester, and I believe running has a lot to do with that.

Yaaayyy.

and go

According to my training schedule [which I've been keeping to, might I add!!] - Mondays = stretch & strengthen.  For me, stretching is easy and enjoyable, but strengthen?  What does that even mean?  WELL - I just found out that Netflix streams exercise videos RIGHT to your COMPUTER!  [Technology - it still gets me sometimes....] so I did a full-body strengthening video via my MacBook and it was hard.  And I'm going to be sore tomorrow.  But it was fun!

And I realized- a refreshened iPod with new music is a true incentive to keep working out.  So - if over the next few weeks, I feel defeated or unmotivated or unable to do this whole 13.1 miles, my first solution will be to download new music and hopefully, it'll pump me up.

3.5 mile run tomorrow.  I hope the 7+ inches of snow that is covering Bloomington doesn't slow me down...

snow

I had a great run today.  Planning to run four miles, I was feeling the pace, the mix on my iPod, and my overall state-of-mind and I went for 4 1/2.  I think I could've gone five today!

It was hovering around 32 degrees - it lightly semi-snowed/rained the whole time - but my awesome running gear kept me warm, and so did my sustained, elevated heart beat [kind of the definition of exerciese....]  I'm so pumped up - this is one of the first times I've truly believed I can do this.  If I just keep up with my training schedule, those 13.1 miles will be conquerable!

It's kind of cool, though.  A year ago, if I was driving around on a cold, semi-snowy Sunday afternoon and I saw someone running, and would've thought, "That person is crazy.  They should be inside drinking hot chocolate."  But today, I was one of those crazy people!  People can change for the better, I believe.  This will make me better.

hey-o

running update for the week:

-sunday night - i had pretty much given up on running for the day because I was too tired and REALLY didn't want to get off the couch/be non-lazy.  Then my roommate came home at 11:30 p.m. and said "don't you have a 1/2 marathon to train for? - shouldn't you run in preparation for said 1/2 marathon?"  the kid had a point.  fast forward ten minutes, the two of us were running in 19 degree weather, trying not to slip on al ofl the ice, at a very late hour.  it was fun though - he was probably slowing down for me, but i was proud of keeping up with (ah!!) a boy!  it was a good run.

-monday night - 3 miles on the treadmill.  same old same old.

-thursday afternoon - 3 1/2 miles of my usual route, and then some.  good run.  even though it was 29 degrees.  I keep going because I know it will only get warmer.... I hope...

Up Up & Away

This week's runs (2-4 miles, 4x) provided some new challenges.  Like Angela, I'm starting to wonder if we have enough time before the race to get up to the mileage we need to run the whole thing... this should be interesting.  I'm also getting nervous that my left knee, which I injured in softball moons ago is starting to get junked up again.  I don't know what a stress fracture feels like, but I think it might be close to what's going on here.  I'm spending a lot of time core/balance training/strengthening with the ball, and doing low-impact things like the elliptical or bike on my cross training days.  Don't worry nurses, I'm taking a calcium supplement, getting plenty of sleep, and eating oodles of really healthy things... only time will tell what's going on with the knee.

Regardless (segway: my studio professor was having a conversation with my team the other day and he started a sentence with "irregardless,"... I looked at him quizzically and said "regardless?"... he said "payback's a bitch."... it was funny... I don't usually correct my professors, but studio is different), running makes me feel superfly.  I've had no trouble making time in my daily schedule to run (even though I'm taking 18 hours and volunteering at the hospital 4-8 hours a week...), if anything, knowing that I have to spend thirty minutes to an hour working out makes the rest of my day organized and more productive.

I love how easy running a mile is today compared to what's in my memory cave from running it every year in grades 5-8.

Other thoughts:  when I used to look at Anthropologie or J.Crew during my internet free time,  I've found myself recently looking at work out clothes and training tips... hmm... what am I turning into? 

Today's song o' the run: Up Up & Away, Kid Cudi

punch

I cross-trained today in the form of cardio kickboxing.  The class was fun, but it actually wasn't that hard.  If anything, it really warmed me up becuase I think I could've run a mile or two afterward!  I went with my friend who is also training for a half-marathon, although she's a bit smarter - hers isn't until September.  April will be here before I know it and I keep asking myself, "Am I going to be ready?"  Well- that question will only go so far.  I have to just go out there and run.  You can't cram for a long distance race.  [This kind of goes against everything I believe in because I LOVE to procrastinate.]  I have my workout schedule nicely written into my day planner, and if I take the whole 13.1 miles week by week, it doesn't seem as bad.  However - it's all relative.  And I've only just begun...

-a

2/2

I started running on a regular/semi-regular basis a year and a half ago.  Before that, I would elliptical it at the gym and before that, I never really exercised.  I was a dancer growing up, but beyond the requisite running the track in middle school PE, I have never been an athlete.  A summer of swim team is the most sport and athletic competition I have ever put myself through and while I semi-regret this (I'm tallish and could've been a rocking volleyball player/basketball superstar....ish) - it is what it is.  I took piano lessons and ballet/tap/jazz.  Cultured? Perhaps.  Athletic? No soap.

Therefore - a race is not something I have ever committed myself to, and I'm excited I put myself up for the out-of-my-comfort-zone challenge.

Today's run - 3 miles.  It was above freezing, so I ran outside and it was a good time.  I even decided I would sprint anytime I went uphill - I figured I should challenge myself because I ran my "usual" route around campus.

Tomorrow night - cross training in the form of cardio kickboxing.  Wish me luck- it'll kick my butt.

SUPER excited for Corey/birthday/friendship weekend.  We will run together.  It'll be fab.

-a