Running Nicki

Getting Out the Door Can be the Hardest Part

2012-01-29T18:55:00.000-05:00

I read something somewhere that talked about getting out the door often being the hardest part to running. Can I get an amen to that?! Saturday has become the ultimate rest day at Casa Kennington, and so I didn't get my long run in until today. I finally got my lazy butt out the door around 4:30pm and went for a "hill run" through the neighborhood. It had been awhile since I ran around the house, and I really need to incorporate some more hills into my running.

For some reason I always feel proud running in my Disney gear :)

My training plan had me doing speed work today, but I swapped it out for the hills. My legs were sore at the end, but it felt pretty good. I am definitely happy to be running more consistently again. And sometimes I just have to remind myself it's worth it to step foot outside the door.

Fast Four

2012-01-25T19:49:00.000-05:00

Tonight I met up with Kim and Meagan for a run after work. We were able to get out there early enough to run on the trail before the sun went down. We kept a 10 minute pace flat and ran 4 miles in 40 minutes. We talked along the way, and it felt good to run four fast miles. Tomorrow and Friday are rest days, and I'm grateful for it! :)

New Kicks

2012-01-24T17:52:00.000-05:00

Today I got to run in my new shoes!!!

I've been excited about these shoes for awhile, and today I finally got to give them a spin. I really liked them -- I always LOVE a run in new shoes. I definitely felt like I had a spring in my step! The weather was gorgeous today too which didn't hurt either. :) I ran three miles with Mathis on the Huckleberry, and we kept a speedy pace. It felt good to be outside and run -- I get off work early on Tuesdays, and I was so grateful to run outside this afternoon.

I'm definitely curious to see how I like the New Balance shoes. I've always run in Asics, but the New Balance felt great today. I'm hoping that they'll work well with my feet. So far, so good!

Feeling More Like a Runner Again

2012-01-22T16:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning I had plans to meet up with Kim for a long run. Unfortunately it was raining, and we weren't able to meet up. So Mathis and I decided to run this afternoon instead. It was pretty tough to get going... it's was very cold (34 degrees) and gloomy today. I almost chickened out, before we bundled up and headed out there. As always, I am so glad to have done it!!!

We ran 7 miles, and I kept an 11 minute pace. I walked a few times, but overall I felt pretty good. My legs were definitely sore by the end, but I'm just happy I was able to do it. I definitely feel like more of a runner when I get my long runs done. I'm really excited about the Spring races we have coming up -- only three weeks until the Blacksburg Classic, and I definitely want to be in good shape by then.

4 x 800

2012-01-16T18:34:00.000-05:00

I did my weekend run yesterday, and it felt great. It was cold outside, but I bundled up and ran around the neighborhood. I'm following a plan by Jeff Galloway right now, and he has me doing speed work every other weekend. Yesterday I needed to warm-up, run 4 x 800 (half a mile) and then cool down. I ran the 800's all around 4 minutes, 35 seconds which I'm really pleased with! It was a fun change of pace (no pun intended!) and I think I'll enjoy doing this throughout my training.

Finally Friday

2012-01-13T16:28:00.000-05:00

I am so happy that Friday is finally here. What a long week! Definitely not easy getting back into the rhythm of things, but I'm so excited about the weekend. Bad weather + bad headaches led to zero miles early on in the week. But last night I met up with my running buddies for a 5k, and I felt great for doing it. Long run tomorrow, but first a night of relaxing! TGIF!

One Year Later

2012-01-08T19:08:00.000-05:00

One year ago today I ran my first marathon.

It was such an amazing day, and I know I'll always remember it.

And one year later I'm still running. I did my long run this afternoon after pushing it off from yesterday. I am definitely getting back into my groove, and it feels good. I ran five miles, and I felt really good throughout the whole run -- no stopping! I feel very organized and together right now, and I'm hoping to make running a big priority in 2012. Happy Marathon Anniversary Day! :)

First Run of 2012

2012-01-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

Tonight I logged my first run of 2012, and it felt gooooood. Well, it felt really hard, but doing it felt good. I met up with Kim and Meagan to run around the mall, and it was a great run. I had on too many layers, but it was able to take off my jacket so that helped. We ran a little over 3 miles, and kept close to a 10:00 minute pace. It was tough for me, but I'm just happy I was able to do it. Those ladies keep me going, and I'm really grateful to run with them. I need to make sure I keep stretching well right now, because my legs are still out of shape. I'm hoping to run again tomorrow and then do a longer run on Saturday. Here we go 2012... :)

New Year, New Look, New Goals

2012-01-03T22:14:00.000-05:00

I love fresh starts, and the start of a new year couldn't be a better new beginning. I decided to spruce up the blog tonight, and I'm ready to start blogging more regularly this year. I bought a calendar to track my miles, and I'm going to start a new Jeff Galloway plan this week to train for the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon in April. I'm excited about this plan because it has me running 3 times a week, and I feel like that's totally doable for my schedule right now.

We went shopping on New Year's Day and I scored a couple of Nike tops for under $10.00. Unfortunately they're both sleeveless, and I won't be wearing them for quite awhile thanks to our winter weather here in Virginia. :) In 2012 I want to be much more consistent with my running. I would like to run 2 half-marathons and maybe end the year by training for another 26.2?? Either way I'm excited to see what this year holds in terms of running.

Happy New Year!!

Running Sucks

2011-12-22T11:34:00.000-05:00

I feel like I need this shirt from Nike right now. I'm going to be completely honest here. Running sucks right now. It sucks because I'm out of shape. My running has been so sporadic lately, and whenever I do manage to run, it pretty much sucks. Which is probably why I haven't been running as much. What a stupid cycle!! I finally realized this while actually running today. Today's run felt like some of my very first runs. I know I need to push through this -- that if I continue to run eventually it won't suck as much.

And that's what I'm hoping to do over the Christmas break. I'm thrilled that a new year is beginning, and I really want to get back in shape for the Spring races we have coming up.

Thankful

2011-12-14T20:22:00.000-05:00

I am so thankful to have running buddies. Tonight I met up with Meagan, and it was a great run. I would have had a hard time getting out there if I hadn't been meeting her. And I know that I ran faster because I had her company.

The miles went quick, and it felt great to run with her. I'm so happy to be getting back into my groove! Mathis is starting to run at 5:30am each day, and I'm very proud of him. Here's to healthy holidays!! :)

Streaking, Jingle Bells, and the Lottery

2011-12-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

I just CANNOT seem to stay updated over here! I don't know what it is, but it's so hard for me to post on this blog. :( Here's a quick update before I go to bed.

1. The streak died at 10 days. I am not upset by it. It was great while it lasted, and it got me running again which was the whole purpose! :)

2. I ran the Jingle Bell 5K on Saturday for the third year in a row -- definitely a fun holiday tradition. I got to run with my running friends Kim and Meagan. I am so grateful for them. They stuck by me the whole time, and I had a strong finish right under 30 minutes.

3. Mathis and I won the lottery!!! Okay, not the real lottery, but the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler lottery! :) We will be running in DC on April 1st, and I'm SO EXCITED!!! I know this Spring race will motivate me, and I'm so excited that we were accepted. Best news of the whole day. Now we just have to get a hotel for the weekend.

Thanks to those of you who still check in over here. Hopefully I'll blog more in the New Year. Happy Running!!!

Day 6 of the Holiday Streak

2011-11-29T21:05:00.000-05:00

I'm on day 6 of the Runner's World Holiday Streak, and I am really enjoying it. I'm still logging very few miles (1-3 a day) but I am RUNNING and that's all that matters! :) The past two nights I've wound up at the rec center, and while I'm grateful to run there, I'm also itching for a run outdoors.

I think I'm going to learn a lot while running this streak, and it's definitely reminding me of my love for running. I am so grateful that I can run, and I'm glad that I'm gaining my momentum back. Mark Remy wrote a really nice piece on what the streak has taught him so far, and I've also enjoyed reading the experiences of other runners via twitter.

Here's to holidays and streaking!!! :)

Updates!!!

2011-11-27T19:24:00.000-05:00

1. My parents came and visited us for Thanksgiving, and we had such a great time. I even got to take my parents on the Huckleberry Trail. We had such beautiful weather the last few days they were in town.

2. A few weeks ago I signed up to be a social runner for the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run in DC. The race is held every Spring, and Mathis and I have wanted to run it for awhile. Being a social runner meant guaranteed race entry, hotel stay, etc. and you got to help publicize your training and experiences with the race. There were over 500 applicants in just 24 hours for 2 social runner spots. Before Thanksgiving I was contacted by the race, and unfortunately I didn't receive the position. BUT they said I was a top consideration, and I got a free pair of New Balance shoes in return!!!! I got to pick out my shoes, and I'm anticipating their arrival any day! I usually run in Asics, but I'm excited to give NB a try. :) Mathis and I will enter the race lottery this week, and I'm hoping that we get in.

3. I have not been keeping up with the race plan I made for the Jingle Bell 5K. Are we even surprised at this point? :( My running has been so very minimal since August. BUT when I saw Runner's World blogging about their Inaugural Runner's World Holiday Running Streak I knew that I was up for the challenge. I love a good challenge, and this one is perfect for me right now. It's not about distance or pace, but just consistency. And one thing I certainly need in my running life is consistency. I'm on Day 4 of the challenge, and I'm really, really hoping I can continue to run everyday until New Year's. So far I have really been enjoying my running.

I'm logging my miles on a separate document right now, but so far I've run 7 miles since Thursday. I will definitely try to keep up with blogging about the streak. A lot of runners are tweeting their progress with the hashtag #RWRunStreak and it's fun to read about everyone's experiences there.

It's a Start

2011-11-17T18:21:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday I went to the rec center and ran two miles on the treadmill. I also did some crunches, and my abs are still sore! :) I'm hoping to run again tomorrow and again Saturday morning.

Miles: 2
Time: 24 minutes

Miles this Week: 2
Miles this Month: 2

Here We Go

2011-11-13T19:34:00.003-05:00

Alright, it's time. I'm finally over a never-ending cold that I got while we were in Houston at the end of October. I've finished studying for my Praxis exam which I took over the weekend. Time to get my butt running!! I'm four weeks away from the Jingle Bell 5K in Roanoke, and I think it's the perfect race to start training for. I'm hoping if I work hard enough over the next month that I can PR! :)

I came up with this training plan tonight using an intermediate plan from Hal Higdon. I think it will work well as I long as I stick with it. It's not going to be easy with work and Thanksgiving, but I feel that I can do it. I've ran this race the past two years, and I'm a sucker for traditions.

So here we go... look for me to be logging more running and help encourage me to stay consistent in my training. What races do y'all have coming up?

Greenway Memory 10 Miler

2011-10-23T21:41:00.000-04:00

On Saturday Mathis and I drove into Roanoke for the Greenway Memory Miler. It was a ten mile race, and neither one of us was feeling that great about it. My running has been so sporadic since starting my internship in the schools, and I haven't been running as much as I'd like. Here I am smiling at Mathis, yet giving a thumbs down for my lack of training.

I was so tempted to pick up the race shirt and head out to IHOP for pancakes instead of running for the next two hours. I was tired, cold and not very motivated to run. But thankfully Mathis encouraged me to get my butt out there -- it was a cold start (in the 30s) but it warmed up as we started running. The first few miles are ALWAYS the toughest for me -- after mile 3 I had to stop and walk. My legs were already hurting some, and I couldn't find my groove. I was battling the mental part of knowing I still had 7 miles to go. But again, Mathis stuck by my side. We walked some and then kept running.

By the half-way point I knew that I could finish. I was starting to find my running groove, and the miles went by much faster. We still walked from time to time, but overall I was making it. Mathis' legs hurt pretty bad from the lack of training, but we pushed through. It totally amazes me how your body can adapt when you run -- of course when you don't run, your body looses some of that adaptation. But I feel that overall I have a much stronger base for running then when I began. I started running exactly three years ago, and I've run 5 half-marathons and one full marathon in that time. This year alone I've gotten to run through the Magic Kingdom, alongside the Golden Gate Bridge, and next to the Atlantic Ocean. I wish I was running more often right now, but I'm still proud to call myself a runner. I want to commit to running throughout my entire life, and I just know there are more 26.2 races in my future! :)

We finished the race in 1 hour and 50 minutes, which is an 11 minute pace. Not my fastest, but not my slowest either. I'm really just proud to have finished. After the race we headed over to Starbucks where I treated myself to my second PSL of the season. I definitely kept thinking about coffee during the race, and it was a great reward.

We didn't stick around after the race, but apparently Mathis won an award -- we had no clue since we were some of the last to finish. I guess it was a small race, and he must have placed in his age division. Too funny! ;)

Miles: 10
Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Miles this Month: 31

Last Mile Before the Aisle

2011-10-13T18:32:00.001-04:00

Last night I got to run 5 miles with Kim, and it was great! She gets married on Saturday, and I'm so excited for her!!

Miles: 5
Time: 51 Minutes

Miles this Month: 21

October So Far

2011-10-09T20:46:00.002-04:00

Still bad about the blogging, but I wanted to get these miles "logged". I ran three times this past week: 3, 5, and 8. Hopefully I'll keep this up! :)

Miles this Month: 16

September Total

2011-10-09T20:45:00.002-04:00

Miles this Month: 40

Monday Four

2011-09-26T19:43:00.002-04:00

Did a nice interval walk/run tonight in the hilly neighborhood. A little humid, but nice otherwise. Fall is in the air!! :)

Miles: 4
Time: 47 minutes

Miles this Week: 4
Miles this Month: 35

Not Keeping Up With the Blog

2011-09-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

For whatever reason I just haven't been keeping up with the blog. I have been running, but it's just been tough to keep up with the blog... sorry for the boring season over here y'all... Hope your running is going well!

Tonight I ran a fast 5 miles with Kim, and it kicked my butt, but I feel good for doing it. I'm off to relax with the hubby... have a great week!

Miles: 12 Total to log
Miles this Month: 31

Starting the Week Off Right

2011-09-12T20:05:00.000-04:00

Tonight Mathis and I ran together on the Huckleberry. I'm pretty sure he's going to run this 10 mile race too. The timing is good to get us both back in shape before we travel to Texas for a wedding in late October. Tonight's run was kinda tough, but I did it!

Miles: 3.5
Time: 37 minutes

Miles this Week: 3.5
Miles this Month: 18.5

I Promise I Ran This Week Plus a Race On the Horizon!!

2011-09-11T21:52:00.000-04:00

Ok, I did run this week even though it didn't make the blog. I ran 5 miles with Kim on Wednesday and felt great. Yesterday I only did 3 miles -- a little pathetic, but I'm not beating myself up over it. Part of my lack of motivation has been the lack of races ahead in my future. I had previously hoped to run the Star City Half again this year, but it's on the same day my parents arrive from Texas. Not only that, but the registration has increased this yea.r $49 is still a decent price for a half, but I'm just not feeling that kind of money for a race right now.

Tonight I found the perfect Fall race to get my butt back into gear. On October 22nd there is a 10 Miler in Roanoke. The race benefits Alzheimer's which is a cause near and dear to my heart. I am REALLY excited to know that I have a good race on my calendar again. I'm off to go make a training plan. :) Have a great week!!

Miles this Week: 8
Miles this Month: 15

Rain, Rain Go Away

2011-09-05T15:24:00.000-04:00

I had hoped to run today since it was my day off, but the weather had other plans. It has been raining ALL day. I'm grateful for the rain, but a little disappointed that it's kept me inside. I would normally go to the rec center, but they're closed for Labor Day. Tomorrow I'll run for sure -- whether it's outside or at the rec center.

Saturday Seven

2011-09-03T08:47:00.000-04:00

This morning I met up with Kim bright and early for our long run. I planned on 7, and she planned on 10. It was pretty humid/foggy, but at least there was no hot sun! I am feeling better and better with each run that I do. Today we kept the pace slow and steady, but it felt really good.

I'm excited to be getting back into my running groove, and to have already done my long run for the day. Now I'm off to go cheer on my Hokies! How 'bout them Baylor Bears last night?!?!!!!!!!

Miles: 7
Time: 1 hour, 16 minutes

Miles this Week: 15
Miles this Month: 7

Mid Week Run

2011-08-31T20:35:00.000-04:00

I am so glad to have the motivation of running with someone else again! This afternoon I was soooo sleepy, and I would have had such a difficult time running alone. But thankfully I had plans to meet up with Kim tonight on the trail. We ran 5 miles together, and although it was tough it wasn't nearly as tough as Saturday's run. Still working on my endurance, but I'll get back there! I'm just grateful to be running again. September is a new month, and I'm ready to log some good miles!! :)

Miles: 5
Time: 55 minutes

Miles this Week: 8
Miles this Month: 40

My Feet Hurt

2011-08-29T19:59:00.000-04:00

And I think I know why:

Today when I started running my feet began to hurt. They tingled and felt really sore. This is exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago. I really think it's from wearing high heels all day. My high heels are good shoes, but they're still putting a strain on my feet and my legs. I've known that it's not great for runners to wear these shoes with a heel, but my choices are limited right now. I'm thinking if I alternate flats some throughout the week that maybe it will be okay.

Has anyone else dealt with this??

For now I'm just glad I was able to get out there and do the miles. They were slow, but I know it's going to take me awhile to build up my endurance again. Gotta start from somewhere! :)

Miles: 3
Time: 35 minutes

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 35

8K Race for Hope

2011-08-27T15:48:00.001-04:00

My running has been so sporadic lately that I had no expectations for this race. I knew that I wanted to run it, but I also knew that I was going into this race a little out of shape. Mathis signed up as well, and my new running friend, Kim, was there too!

The start time was pretty late, and I was worried it was going to be hot. Fortunately it was still pretty cloudy at 10:00 when we started, but it was also somewhat humid. I started running with Kim, and we did well the first few miles.

Mile 1 -- 9:37
Mile 2 -- 9:28

By mile 3 I was NOT feeling it. I'm not sure if I was dehydrated, out of shape, or some combination of the two. I started feeling chilled (even though I was really hot), and I just didn't feel good. Running always takes a certain amount from me, but this was more than my usual fatigue. I told Kim to keep going, but she was so great to stay by my side. We walked a few times, and she shared her water with me since there were only two stops along the route.

Mile 3 -- 10:12
Mile 4 -- 11:07

We ran along some streets in Blacksburg and also along the Huckleberry Trail. It wasn't quite as hilly as I had feared, but there were still a few good inclines along the way. By the end of the race I was really huffing and puffing. I am so glad I had someone to run with -- I know I would have done a lot more walking without the motivation of running alongside Kim.

Last .87 -- 9:38

My Garmin came up a little short of the 8K mark, but I'm not too concerned about it. I was definitely glad to cross that finish line. We came in right on 50:00, and this is actually two minutes faster than my previous 8K time. For the way that I felt during the race I'm actually very pleased with my time. In fact, I'm just happy to have crossed the finish line. :) I know that I need to get back into shape, and I'm ready to do it. I love running, and I especially love the feeling of running races.

After the race we grabbed some water, a little food and waited around to watch the other runners finish. They held a raffle, and I won!!! I won one night's stay plus breakfast for two at the Blacksburg Hilton Garden Inn. Mathis and I were so excited to have won this prize!!! We're thinking of using it sometime around the holidays... maybe New Year's or something. Winning a door prize was definitely a fun perk of running the race! I also really like the shirts...

Mathis and I grabbed brunch with Kim and Hannah at Gillie's after the race, and it was sooooo good! I definitely love this part of running -- getting to splurge on food afterwards. :) It was also a fun way to continue hanging out together.

Running this race was definitely good for me -- I haven't run a race since May, and it was great to get back out there! I'm excited to get back into the swing of things and sign up for some other fun Fall races.

Miles: 8K (5ish)
Time: 50 minutes

Miles this Week: 10
Miles this Month: 32

Tuesday Night Walk/Run

2011-08-27T15:11:00.002-04:00

Forgot to log a walk/run that I did Tuesday night with Mathis. We walked around the neighborhood for a mile, then I ran another mile in 9:30.

Miles: 2

Miles this Week: 5
Miles this Month: 27

Weekend Running Recap

2011-08-21T15:34:00.000-04:00

This weekend I finally made the time to run, and it felt great. I am definitely a little bit out of shape, but I don't think it will take me long to get back into it.

Yesterday I met up with a new friend to run on the Huckleberry Trail at 6:30am. We ran 6 miles together, and it went by so quickly. It was wonderful to get to run with a friend again -- I have really missed this! The weather was slightly humid, but it was cooler and that felt great.

This morning my legs were slightly sore, but I really wanted to get another run in. Mathis and I headed out together before church for a "recovery run" of 3 miles. Saw my second snake ever on the trail, and that really got me running. ;)

Miles this Weekend: 9

Miles this Month: 25

Underestimated

2011-08-18T22:23:00.000-04:00

I really underestimated how much working full-time in the schools would turn my life upside down. It's going very well, but I cannot seem to fit in running very well with my new schedule. Tonight I got to walk with Hannah, and it was wonderful. The weather was cooler, and we enjoyed catching up.

I have plans to do a long run on Saturday with a new running partner -- here's hoping that I can actually keep up!

Miles: 2.5
Time: ??

Miles this Week: 5
Miles this Month: 15.5

Well, It's a Start

2011-08-15T19:40:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to stay positive about my re-entry into the world of running, but unfortunately all I can say about tonight's run is that it's a start. Not the best start, but still a beginning nonetheless.

I know the mistake I made tonight. I started off way too fast, and a mile in my foot was really hurting. In fact it still hurts now a few hours later. I'm not worried that I have a serious injury, I just know that I pushed it too much in the beginning. Other culprits I'm considering: wearing heels daily at work and having my running shoe tied too tight this evening.

I had to walk most of the run tonight, but that's okay. I'll get out there again tomorrow and remember that slow and steady wins the race!

Miles: 2.5
Time: 33 minutes, 15 seconds

Miles this Week: 2.5
Miles this Month: 13

No Blogging = No Running

2011-08-14T19:13:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that my lack of blogging reflects my lack of running. My hubby was out of town all last week, and that made it really difficult to run in the evenings. On top of that I started a new job, and was T-I-R-E-D when I got home each night.

But here we are... Mathis is home again, the house is clean, and I'm ready to turn over a new leaf. I've got a few weeks of work under my belt, and the weather is starting to cool off ever so slightly. I'm thinking that all these things combined will help me get my butt into gear and find a good schedule. I feel like a broken record... it's been hard to find my running mojo over the past month, but I'm not feeling that guilty over it. I'm in this for the long haul, and I know some months will be less miles than others. I definitely have the itch to be running, and I'm hoping to pick up a new schedule this week.

Hope everyone else is running well -- you are all my inspiration!!!

Combo

2011-08-08T16:51:00.000-04:00

This morning I went out for a 5 mile run, and 2 miles in I was DONE. I just cannot handle the heat. So I headed to the rec center jumped on a treadmill and ran an 8:30 mile. Then I did the eliptical for 15 minutes and followed up with some crunches. All in all, not too bad. I just can't seem to get a long run in, but I'm not stressing over it. The heat plus hills are really tough for me right now. As long as I can keep plugging away I'll be happy!

Miles: 3.5

Miles this Week: 3.5
Miles this Month: 10.5

Walking on Sunshine

2011-08-06T20:58:00.000-04:00

We had a thunderstorm come through this afternoon, but the sun was back out in time for my evening walk. Tonight I just felt like a good walk. So that's what I did. I plugged into my audiobook and walked for an hour. It felt good, and I really enjoyed being outside in my neighborhood as the sun was setting. I love running, but walking is good too! Tomorrow I'm planning to hit up the rec center for some treadmill speed and ab work. Monday I'm planning on a longer-ish run.

Miles: 4
Time: 1 hour

Miles this Week: 10
Miles this Month: 7

Changing Seasons

2011-08-04T20:34:00.000-04:00

Although I've only run twice this week, each run has felt sooooooooo good. I have felt really strong. Despite the heat and hills I've kept a great pace while feeling good. I'm so glad that despite a few weeks off of running I haven't lost my base. I'm excited to keep running and to know that Fall is just around the corner. In fact as I started my run tonight I could hear our high school football team practicing outside. LOVE this sweet reminder of the changing seasons.

Miles: 3
Time: 32 minutes, 35 seconds

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 3

Regaining My Strength

2011-07-31T20:53:00.000-04:00

So, picking up the pieces now where to begin?

The hardest part of ending is starting again

Miles: 3
Time: 32 minutes, 36 seconds

Miles this Month: 47

Helping or Hurting?

2011-07-25T16:15:00.000-04:00

This is my last week of "summer vacation" since I'll be starting my internship next week. I'm actually getting excited about having a normal routine back! I think my lack of structured plans has been hurting me more than helping me at this point when it comes to running. I did get a short run in this afternoon, and I'm hoping to slowly build back up this week. Now if we could just get rid of this heat...

Miles: 1.5
Time: no clue, dead Garmin

Miles this Week: 1.5
Miles this Month: 42.5

Flexible

2011-07-19T21:23:00.000-04:00

As a runner I've found that it's very important to be flexible. Flexible with training, flexible with goals, flexible with your expectations and flexible with your time.

I feel as if I constantly set up training plans that later on get tweaked or completely dropped. This doesn't discourage me very much, because I still manage to run. And that's really all that matters. Over the past few weeks I had been quietly training for a marathon. But tonight I realized that it was time to let that dream go.

I will run another marathon, but it's not going to be this Fall. As much as I wanted to run one, I have such a peace about letting it go. A lot of the reasoning is financial, but another part of it is the time commitment. I know I could run 26.2 miles this October, but it would take a lot from me.

So here's where I excel at being flexible! These next few months are going to be spent working on speed and running for fun. I'm going to run an 8K, a 5K, and then try and PR at the Star City Half-Marathon in November. This feels like the right decision for me, and I'm very excited about it. :)

Here's some mileage I ran in Texas, and tonight's run as well...

Miles: 8
Miles this Month: 41

Texas is Hot - Even Indoors on a Treadmill :)

2011-07-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

Miles: 3
Time: 35 minutes

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 33

Don't Mess With...

2011-07-11T12:25:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Texas this evening!

So get ready for some fun posts about the heat. :) This morning Mathis and I took the dogs on a short walk (mile and a half) -- guess that counts as my cross training? My legs are still a little sore from Saturday, but feeling good overall. Really hope I can keep up my training this week in Texas -- stay tuned!

Twelve

2011-07-09T10:25:00.002-04:00

This weekend was technically a "taper" weekend for me, but I decided to taper next week while in ~~the hottest place on earth~~ Texas. It will fit my schedule better to do some shorter runs next week, so today I took on 12 miles for my long run today. Mathis and I woke up at 6:00am, and we met up with Evan and Chris by 6:30am at the Huckleberry Trail. The sun was already up, but it was a GLORIOUS 65 degrees outside. High humidity, but SIXTY-FIVE degrees, y'all.

We started off, and the first few miles I was NOT feeling it. This is typical for me, but it was still somewhat disheartening. Right after mile 2 I had another woman start run up behind me and ask how far I was going. We chatted and ran together for the next two and a half miles. I was worried that I was holding her back some, but we seemed to find a good, mutual pace. It was so nice running with another woman again! Mathis is a great buddy, but he doesn't talk much. I chatted with this new girl for quite awhile before she decided to turn back. I'm hoping to start running some with her, since most of my GYRO buddies are pregnant. :)

Another few miles and I had run the entire trail. You can get about 6 miles from running the entire length, so it was the perfect place to turn around. I took a GU, drank some water and Mathis and I headed back for the long haul. I walked a couple of times, but overall I'm really pleased with my pace. It was so much better to run earlier in the morning. Today we finished at the time we had started running on Monday.

I feel so great for having done the distance. I'm going to admit that I have my eye on another marathon, but I'm hesitant to fully commit just yet. I'm still not sure if I'll be able to keep up the mileage, but I'm going to go ahead and give it my best shot. I would really love to be able to run another marathon this year, but we'll see how it goes. I had such a great run today, and I'm so grateful to have possibly met a new running partner. Have a great weekend!!

Miles: 12
Time: 2 hours, 12 minutes

Miles this Week: 30
Miles this Month: 30

Running is Like a Box of Chocolates... You Never Know What You're Going to Get

2011-07-07T11:44:00.000-04:00

We went to Bubba Gump's in Maui, and I watched Forrest Gump over the weekend so it's been on my mind. :) But I really do feel like running is sometimes a mystery -- that you never know what you're going to get. Some days feel great, some days your legs feel like lead, and even within a single run the miles can vary significantly.

Today's run was so many things for me: It was hot. My shins were sore. The hills were hard. But at times I really found my groove and felt like I could keep going for hours. My goal was to finish under an hour today, and I just made it! I wish my times were faster lately, but with the hills and heat I just can't seem to push the speed very much. I alternate a lot between running and walking. My pace when I'm running is consistently around 10:00 min/mile, and I'm happy with that. I'm mostly happy to just RUN regardless of pace, but I can't help but think about it at times.

Right now I'm sitting in the A/C icing my shins, and it feels goood. :) Happy Thursday!

Miles: 5
Time: 59 minutes, 5 seconds

Miles this Week: 18
Miles this Month: 18

Recovery Walk/Run

2011-07-05T20:45:00.000-04:00

My legs weren't sore at all from yesterday's run -- guess it was pretty slow -- but I still decided to take it a little easy tonight. It felt great to run in the evening. I love this time in the summer as the sun is setting. The air is slightly cooler, but the glow of the day is still there.

Miles: 3
Time: 40 minutes, 30 seconds

Miles this Week: 13
Miles this Month: 13

It Was Hot

2011-07-04T11:52:00.000-04:00

It was hot. There's not much else to say about my long run this morning. I got a late start to the run (9:15am) and it was HOT! Mathis and I pushed on, but have I mentioned that it was really hot? Because it was hot. And now I'm sitting in the cool air conditioning drinking chocolate milk. :)

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Miles: 10
Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes

Miles this Week: 10
Miles this Month: 10

Friday's Hike

2011-07-03T11:21:00.000-04:00

On Friday Mathis and I did an 8 mile hike together on the Appalachian Trail. We had a great time, and we even saw a couple of black bears on our way down!

My legs are still pretty sore so I pushed my long run off until tomorrow. I may go for a shorter run or walk later on today, but I can't decide if it'd be better off for me to just rest. Guess we'll see!

I Like How You Carry Your Waterbottle

2011-06-30T17:14:00.000-04:00

Today I ran in the heat of the day. Before you feel too bad for me it was only 82 degrees outside, so I'm pretty sure I have nothing to complain about. :) But it was still warm, and the SUN is what really made it hot. The miles still felt pretty good. It was SO nice to be outside and off the dreadmill. I definitely did a lot of walking, especially on the hills.

The best part of the run was when I ran by a group of kids, and one of the girls yelled out, "I like how you carry your waterbottle!" She was referring to my Nathan water belt, and it made my day! I love kids and their sweet honesty.

I thought I'd snap a picture of myself post-run with my water bottle belt for good measure. :) Even though I planned on running 5 miles and only ran a slow 4 I feel like I'm starting to get my running groove back, and it feels good!

Miles: 4
Time: 47 minutes, 40 seconds

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 56

Quick Tuesday Treadmill Run

2011-06-30T17:06:00.000-04:00

Didn't have time to record this run on the blog earlier, but I ran a quick two miles on the treadmill Tuesday afternoon. I took a much needed rest day yesterday because my legs were feeling pretty sore!

Miles: 2
Time: 22 minutes

Miles this Week: 2
Miles this Month: 50

XTraining

2011-06-27T17:05:00.000-04:00

I've never been good about cross-training. I like running, and that's about all I do. But I'm going to start cross-training once a week, and this morning I worked on my Pilates at home. :)

Gracie even got in on the action...

Some of the moves were really hard, but I think it'll be really good for my core to start doing some of these exercises. I also plan on doing the elliptical and bike for other cross-training days. And afterwards I rewarded myself with a green monster. :)

What do you do to cross-train?

The Same Reason

2011-06-25T15:59:00.000-04:00

These past two weeks of running have been tough. This week was really my first week back into the world of training, and I logged 24.5 miles. Most of the miles didn't feel very good. In fact, they felt really hard. And that's when I realized something very important... I don't love to run because it's easy.

I love running for the same reason I used to hate it: It's hard.

But by doing something hard I feel strong. I know that I can overcome the difficulties and push myself through the pain. Push myself to keep going when I want to stop. Push myself to find a mental and a physical strength within myself. I strive to be better each and every run. I have watched myself accomplish the goal of running a 5K, an 8K, a half-marathon, and even a marathon. It wasn't easy, but I never did it because it was easy. I love it because it's hard. It makes me a better person in so many ways. Through the hard runs I learn that I am capable of more than I ever thought.

And so this morning when I didn't really want to get out and do my long run, I did it anyway. I put on the clothes I had set out last night, grabbed my Garmin off the charger, and filled my Nathan belt with water. Afterwards I didn't have a single regret. Yes, it was hard. BUT I DID IT. And after doing it I felt stronger.

Miles: 9
Time: 1 hour, 39 minutes

Miles this Week: 24.5
Miles this Month: 48.5

Ugh

2011-06-23T17:50:00.000-04:00

Today's run was mentally tough. I was fighting myself the whole time -- I'm hot, I'm tired, I'm thirsty -- all kinds of negative thinking. But I pushed on and did it. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it.

Miles: 3.5
Time: 39 minutes, 35 seconds

Miles this Week: 15.5
Miles this Month: 39.5

A Little Boring, but Still Better Than Nothing

2011-06-22T17:30:00.000-04:00

My post title pretty much sums up my treadmill run today. Tomorrow I'll switch to the mornings so I can get back outside to the great outdoors! :)

Miles: 3
Time: 31 minutes

Miles this Week: 12
Miles this Month: 36

Terrific Treadmill Tuesday

2011-06-21T17:45:00.001-04:00

This afternoon I was itching for a run, but the high temps made me weary of running outside. So off to the rec center I went! I was happy to see that all the treadmills were open!! I took this as a great sign. Usually I loathe running on the treadmill, but I keep hoping we'll one we'll put the past behind us and become friends.

I walked and talked to my mom on the phone for the first mile (16:00 minutes), and then I set myself at a 10:00 pace for the next two miles. It felt sooooooooooo good to be running. I had my iPod shuffle with me, and I was even dancing a bit on the treadmill while I ran. The last quarter of a mile I bumped my speed to an 8:30 pace, and again it felt sooooooo good. Not sure why this run felt so great, but it just did. I would have kept going, but it's the last night our family is in town so I kept the run short. Just hoping this is the first of many happy treadmill runs to come this summer!

Miles: 3
Time: 36 minutes

Miles this Week: 9
Miles this Month: 33

Sunday Six

2011-06-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

I was not feeling my long run yesterday. So this morning I set my alarm and woke up at 6:45am to run before church. Mathis went with me, and we headed off to the Huckleberry Trail. We got 6 miles in, and I felt great about it. A little humid, but still a great run. Some of the blackberries are ripe, and we picked a few of them! :)

Miles: 6
Time: 1 hour, 2 minutes

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 30

Thursday Three

2011-06-16T10:05:00.000-04:00

This morning Mathis and I got up sorta early to get our run in before the day. We have 6 of our family staying with us this week, but I still wanted to be able to run. I am so glad we did it!

It was pretty nice outside -- a little humid, but really great for weather considering it's June. I love summers in Blacksburg!!! Alright, we're off to breakfast at Gillie's. :)

Miles: 3
Time: 34 minutes

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 24

Here We Go

2011-06-14T18:21:00.001-04:00

Okay, no more running interruptions!! This is it... I am starting a new training plan that I absolutely PLAN on keeping! Even when family comes tomorrow for a week. Even when I go to Dallas for a week -- heads up if you're reading this Laura -- I need you to find me a COOL place to run in Texas in July. ;) Should be a piece of cake!

I am fine with the breaks I took over the last month, but I am really excited to get back into shape. I definitely want to take my training to the next level. Running makes me feel soooooo good, and I think this is something I slightly forgot over my break. I love love love the feeling I get after a run. I love when my legs are sore from a really long run. I am entering the BEST time to run in Virginia, and I'm definitely going to take advantage of the Summer/Fall season this year for running. No more training for marathons in the Winter. :)

Today's run was a little tough... I definitely did some walking, but when I ran I was running a 9:30 -- 10:30 pace. I could have picked a cooler time to run, but I love that I can still get away with running at 5:30pm during the summer in Virginia. Overall, I was very happy to have gotten out there and JUST DO IT. Alright, I gotta go hop in the shower... date night with the hubby at Red Lobster!

Miles: 3
Time: 33 minutes, 15 seconds

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 21

Back from Paradise

2011-06-12T19:57:00.000-04:00

Earlier this afternoon Mathis and I got home from spending a week on Maui with my family. It was such a wonderful week, but it went by way too quick! I'll be recapping the week over here if you're interested about our trip. I did run once with my Dad and walked another morning with my Mom. I'm definitely excited to get running again this week here at home, but first I've got to get back on East Coast time. :)

Miles: 7
Miles this Month: 18

Fueling Issues?

2011-06-04T13:06:00.000-04:00

I headed out around 7:20 for my morning run today. I was hoping to get about 6 miles in, but my stomach started hurting around mile 3, and at mile 5 I called it a day. I really think it might have been the fact that I ate a Kashi granola bar before heading out. Nothing's wrong with Kashi, but it's not something I've ever had before a run before. I typically ALWAYS eat an english muffin with peanut butter, but we were out of my go-to pre-run snack. Not a big deal... I was just glad to log some miles! I walked another 1/2 mile after running 5, and I feel like it was a good overall workout.

I really enjoyed running earlier in the morning. It was still cool outside, the birds were chirping, and I must have run by half a dozen garage sales. I ran up many of the hills too, which was great! Tomorrow we leave for Hawaii for a week. I'm going to try to do some running, but I won't be blogging while we're gone.

Have a great week!!!

Miles: 5
Time: 57 minutes, 13 seconds

Miles this Week: 11
Miles this Month: 11

Feelin' HOT HOT HOT

2011-06-02T17:24:00.000-04:00

So today I decided to go for a run during the hottest time of the day. I didn't wake up thinking, "Hmm... I think I'll wait until 4:30pm to go for a run" but that's exactly what ending up happening. I did well for the first mile, but after that I was done. I walked the next mile, then ran/walked the third mile. I still really enjoyed the walk/run and the warm weather, but I was grateful to get inside by the end! Once we're back from vacation (going to Maui next week) I really want to get in the habit of running early in the morning.

Not too worried about the walking part today since I'm not training for anything. Just glad to have gotten outside and moved by legs!

Miles: 3'
Time: 38 minutes

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 6

Like Riding a Bicycle

2011-06-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

First of all, HAPPY NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!!! I have had fun seeing all the tweets and status updates about this running holiday. I love seeing so many people talking about being active and staying healthy... definitely something this nation needs!

I celebrated NRD 2011 by ending my running hiatus. I was happy to find out that running is a lot like riding a bike -- you don't forget! :) I ran an easy three miles with Hannah and Jess, and it felt sooooo good. When I got home I seriously wanted to get out of my car and keep going. This is why I like taking short breaks every now and then. It really clears my mind, gives my body time to rest, and re-instills the JOY of running for me. I love so much about running, and I certainly don't want to ever treat it like another chore. I want to savor every mile (although they're not always easy!). Running makes me stronger -- physically and mentally, and that's why I run.

Miles: 3
Time: 38 minutes

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 3

Long Time, No Run

2011-05-31T18:39:00.000-04:00

I haven't been running in FOREVER... well, 10 days to be exact. But it certainly feels like forever. I'm not stressing over the fact that I haven't been running hardly at all this month. Once we got back from Texas I got a nasty stomach bug, and only in the last few days have I felt 100% again. I think this break has been really good for me, but I definitely miss running! I'm glad that I miss it, and I'm certainly ready to get running again. Tomorrow is National Running Day, and I have a GYRO meet-up planned with a few girls! :) I also ordered this book to read on my vacation next week to get my motivation going again.

Oprah

2011-05-25T15:10:00.000-04:00

I feel much better today, but still not well enough to get out and run. But one thing I am planning to do today is to watch Oprah's last episode. How about a little flashback to Runner's World circa 1994...

You can click here to read the complete article from Runner's World. :) I'm hoping tomorrow I'll feel well enough to start running again!

Texas Two-Run

2011-05-24T09:03:00.000-04:00

I ran twice while we were in Texas, and I was pleased with this! The weather was HUMID, but I managed to survive. My sister-in-law, Hope, ran with me for a 1/2 mile on Saturday, and I was so proud of her. She's 14, and she's starting to run some in her neighborhood.

Unfortunately I caught some type of stomach bug in Texas, and I'm still feeling pretty sick. No running for me these last few days... :(

Miles ran in Texas: 8.5
Miles this Month: 39.5

Tempo Typical Run

2011-05-17T15:37:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I headed out for a tempo run, and about 5 minutes into warming up, I knew my legs didn't have any speed in them. They're sore from my run yesterday (guess this is what happens when you take a week off?!) and I just didn't want to push it. I'm still really glad I got out there and did something. We are packing and cleaning like crazy today since we leave for Texas in the morning. Let's see how I'll do running in that heat! :)

Miles: 3
Time: 29 minutes, 35 seconds

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 31

Half Fanatic #1052

2011-05-16T19:56:00.000-04:00

A week ago I received an email welcoming me into the Half Fanatics. Here's what they had to say:

Nicki, at last you have found refuge, a place you can call home, where the Fanatical can feel Normal, and once again be treated like a regular human being. Welcome To The Half Fanatics AsyLum!!!!!

I loved it!! :) I was able to set up my profile on the web page, and on Wednesday I received my Half Fanatic technical shirt. I wore this shirt for the first time tonight on my run, and I love it. I cannot wait to run another half so that I can sport it in pride!

I took the last week off to rest both physically and mentally. I love running, but it was good to take a week off. I had a tough time motivating myself to start up again today... not sure why, but this quote finally got my lazy butt out the door...

I fully believe this quote. We are all busy. We all work or go to school or have kids and we are all tired. But running is important to me. Being active and healthy is important! It's so easy to come up with a million excuses NOT to run. Today I did not want to give into all those excuses so I made myself get back in the game. Getting out the door is often the toughest part! I'm still glad a took a week off from running, but I did not want my week to turn into anything longer.

I had a really good run. Ran the hills, but still kept a good pace... legs felt a little off, but I pushed through the weird pains, and everything feels normal again. Onward and upward! :)

***For those of you that asked about the corn salsa, here's a recipe that's close to what Mathis does. He doesn't have a set recipe that he uses, but these are a lot of the ingredients he puts in it. It's really easy and a great snack! :)

Miles: 3
Time: 30 minutes, 48 seconds

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 28

Running Errands

2011-05-11T18:26:00.000-04:00

Last night Mathis wanted to make a corn salsa, but we needed a couple of cans of corn. At the same time I was itching to go for a run. So we decided to run to the store. We live 1/2 mile from Food Lion, and we ran to the store, shopped, and ran home. We dropped the cans off on the porch and kept running. A big storm was moving in, and I didn't want to risk getting rained on (especially while wearing my new Garmin!). So we cut the run short, but it was still a fun way to do our errands. I would love to live somewhere where I could run to more places!

I'm taking a break tonight, and probably again tomorrow. I want to give myself some time to relax from all the racing. I'm pretty tired physically and even more so mentally. I'll get back in the game sometime over the weekend, but for now I'm going to enjoy a few days "out of the running office". :)

Miles: 2
Time: 20 minutes, 43 seconds

Miles this Week: 2
Miles this Month: 25

Capital City Half-Marathon Race Report

2011-05-10T17:52:00.002-04:00

My friend Sarah really helped me start running. The first time I ran with her I could only run a couple miles. She encouraged and motivated me to run and was such a great running partner to me. Sarah moved to Ohio last fall, and although it's been a great move for her and her husband -- I miss her very much!

In looking for a weekend to go visit Sarah, I started looking up races in her area. I can't seem to help it -- I absolutely love running races. When we planned to visit her on the weekend of May 6th, and I found out the Capital City Half-Marathon was on May 7th I immediately knew that I wanted to run it! My friends Stacie, Wendy, and Hannah decided to run the Quarter-Marathon. Keep in mind that Wendy and Hannah are both pregnant -- total rockstars!

We didn't leave Virginia until late Friday afternoon and so Sarah picked up our race packets for us. We managed to find some Italian food in West Virginia for dinner, and I had my signature fettucini alfredo with bread to carbo-load. It was perfect! We got to Sarah's pretty late that night and made it to bed around 11:00ish. I set my alarm for 6:00am which wasn't too bad considering I had to wake up at 3:00am for the Disney Marathon. Here we all are ready to hit the road!

I ate my english muffin w/ peanut butter and honey, drank a glass of water, and we were off! Hannah shared one of her Gatorade Prime drinks with me in the car on the way. We left the house at 7:00am and hit traffic pretty quick. I started getting pretty nervous, but Jessica and Sarah dropped us off right near the start. I was in the race corral by 7:50am -- no time to make a last minute port-a-potty stop, but enough time to find the 2:05 pacer. It was really crowded in the corrals, but I didn't have to wait long at all. One of the band members from OAR played the national anthem, and I shed a few tears. Running is so emotional for me. It's something I never thought I'd be able to do, and now it's a huge part of my life. It has taught me so much about myself, and I'll always be grateful for the ability to run every single race. It took about five minutes for my corral (C) to take off. I started right behind the 2:05 pacers, and set my sights on a PR!

Mile 1: 9:08
Mile 2: 9:15
Mile 3: 9:23

The first few miles are always the toughest on me in any run. I feel tired, lazy and I worry I won't be able to make it until the end. The weather was pretty nice -- mid 50s, low 60s. I got a little hot, but it was mostly cloudy and there was a nice breeze at times. I tried really hard to keep up with the pacers, but around miles 3 and 4 I got behind them. I began to tell myself that even a 2:06 or 2:07 finish would be amazing. I started without listening to any music, but I soon plugged into my iPod shuffle. I really love running without music, but I knew that if I pumped up the jams they'd help me push the speed. This was the first race that I've ever started and finished on my own. Music really helped me zone everything else out and keep up the pace. I still enjoyed the course, and I often paused my music when going through water stops.

Mile 4: 9:26
Mile 5: 9:08
Mile 6: 9:38

The course was a lot of fun, and the best part about it was that it was F-L-A-T. We started downtown in the city, and I ran through a lot of Ohio State University's campus. I really wanted to run with a camera, but I knew I needed to focus on my running this race. I didn't want to have to worry about snapping pictures along the way. At one point I saw a boxer that looked just like Carter, and I got so excited! It's funny what will help motivate you along the way! :) I started feeling really great at the half-way mark. I took several Cliff Blocks along the way, and I could feel a surge of energy. I felt so great that I eventually passed up the 2:05 pacers. My legs felt good, and I was ready to roll.

Mile 7: 9:17
Mile 8: 9:02
Mile 9: 9:18

I saw my friends Sarah and Jessica somewhere around this point, and I got so excited to hear them cheering for me. I didn't expect to be so happy to see them, but it was such a great moment. I didn't realize Jess had snapped any pictures, but take a look below -- just how crazy do I look here?!? My excitement levels are clearly off the chart at this point...

At this point I knew that I was on target for a good finish, and I kept thinking about how excited I would be to tell Mathis, and my Mom and Dad. I knew my friends would be excited for me too, and I even thought about blogging this recap! :) I started doing the math, and I knew that finishing under 2 hours would be a little too ambitious for me, but I definitely began aiming for a finish under 2:05 -- I did not want to see those 2:05 pacers pass me up!

Mile 10: 9:19
Mile 11: 9:21

The Quarter Marathon and Half Marathon runners all started together, and the half split off twice from the quarter. I started getting really nervous that I wouldn't split off at the right place, but I eventually saw the big signs directing me towards the left. It got pretty tough during this part. I remember hitting mile 10 and hearing someone ask, "Who's ready to run a 5K?!?!" We runners can be such nerds sometimes! :) I kept telling myself that I'd be done in X minutes, and to just keep it going. I had already put so much work into the race, that I didn't want to give up now. My legs were sore from the speed/distance, and I still had to go to the bathroom from before the race began. I kept telling myself to not make up any excuses!

Mile 12: 9:19
Mile 13: 8:55
.24: 1:43 (7:07 pace!)

It wasn't long before I could see the finish line... it seemed like there was a slight uphill climb during the last leg, but I really pushed through it. I know that I looked like a crazy person -- I was breathing so hard, and sprinting with everything I had. I remember looking down at my watch and seeing a 6:30 pace -- obviously I only kept this up for a few minutes, but I was still proud!

I was immediately handed a medal, and I'm in LOVE with it. I also got a bottle of water and a Panera bagel. My friend Sarah started calling me right away, and I just happened to run into Wendy and Hannah in the finisher's end. We eventually met up with everyone else, and stocked up on some of the goodies -- including a Victoria's Secret Water Bottle and headbands. They were handing out glasses of champagne, and I loved celebrating with a glass! It was fun to catch up on how everyone had done, and hear everybody's stories. Notice our matching headbands... :)

From the race we decided to walk to a cupcake shop... perfect way to stretch the legs and recover with some food. This was such a great race, and a day that I won't ever forget!

Miles: 13.24 (according to my Garmin)
Time: 2 hours, 2 minutes

A NEW PR!!!

2011-05-09T09:08:00.000-04:00

I had such a great race on Saturday. I'm going to wait to do a full recap until I can get my hands on a few more pictures, but I did want to let you know that I broke all my goals and set a new PR!! My official chip time was 2:02:18!!!!!! I broke my old PR by 11 minutes! I was so happy and so surprised that I ran such a fast race -- it felt so wonderful!

The rest of the weekend was just as much fun. Three of my good friends ran the Quarter-Marathon and rocked it! Two of my other friends spectated the race, and it was great to have them cheer us on! :) Full report coming up in the next few days!

Miles: 13.1
Time: 2 hours, 2 minutes, 18 seconds

Miles this Week: 22
Miles this Month: 22

Capital City Half-Marathon

2011-05-06T07:00:00.002-04:00

I am so nervously excited about this race. More nervous than I've been about any half-marathon. I am really hoping to RACE this half-marathon. The other four half-marathons I've done have been mostly centered on FINISHING.

I'm excited to be racing in a new city -- a new state for that matter! We aren't going to arrive until very late tonight, and I'm not sure how much sleep I'll get -- but hopefully I'll be running on enough adrenaline to get me through. ;)

Here are my goals...

Goal A: Finish the race in 2:09 or less! I would love to break that 2:10 barrier!! I really think this is doable. I'm a little bummed that there's not a 2:10 pacer for the race. There's a 2:05 and 2:15 pacer -- I'm thinking of trying to hang with the 2:05 pacer and falling back if I need to.

Goal B: Finish under 2:13:17 to get a new PR!!

Goal C: Finish with a smile, because I've now finished my challenge to become a Half-Fanatic!!! :)

Wish me luck!

Maintenance

2011-05-05T17:00:00.001-04:00

So a few weeks ago I mentioned that I had come to a point where I realized that I'm happy with my weight. Even though I'm not really participating in the challenge I still want to blog about weight maintenance rather than loss. Last week I got so busy I didn't have time to post, but this week I'm back on board. Maintaining a certain weight can be just as much of a challenge as weight loss.

Today I weight 134.something -- can't remember! I'm right where I was when this challenge first started, and I'm okay with that! I'm eating well, running well, and I feel good. It's still a struggle for me to eat healthy foods -- I have good days, and I have bad days. Running is going great, and I'm hoping to mix it up a bit in the next few weeks. Here's a quote I came across (from my friend Jenni's blog!) that I think is perfect for talking about maintaining a healthy lifestyle...

Aim for 85%- You don’t have to make 100% healthy choices all the time. It’s what you do most of the time — day in, day out — that counts. The healthier you get, the easier and more automatic healthy choices will become.

Isn't that awesome? I think it's the only way to do this -- don't get down on yourself if you don't always reach 100% -- aim for it, but if you reach 85% then you're doing great! Don't let yourself have one bad week, one bad day and throw the rest all away. Good luck to the rest of you still participating in the challenge!

Nerd

2011-05-04T18:46:00.000-04:00

Today I had planned to run with GYRO girls, but things came up and I found myself running solo in the neighborhood instead. I took the opportunity to work on my speed a bit! I ran a fast two miles, and then did a slower cool-down mile for a total of 3 miles. I was really proud of how I did -- I tried to run on the flattest part of my neighborhood, but even this part still has a slight incline. I ran two miles at an 8:35 pace!! Woo-hoo!! It felt soooooooooo good. I came home and poured myself some chocolate milk in my Disney Marathon mug.

Yes, I am such a nerd. But I had to take proof that I'm a 'fast' nerd!! :) I can't wait to start working more on my speed and train for a fast 5K time in the next month.

Miles: 3
Time: 27 minutes, 15 seconds

Miles this Week: 9
Miles this Month: 9

Relax, Recharge, Race

2011-05-03T15:16:00.000-04:00

These three words were the subject line of an email I received from Runner's World. And that's exactly what I decided to do today. While I originally planned to run, I quickly realized I needed to relax and recharge a bit for Saturday's race. Once you've hit race week, there's nothing better to do than rest and stay healthy. I'll do one final run tomorrow with my GYRO ladies, and relax the rest of the week.

I wanted to let you know about a deal today for the 2012 Blue Ridge Marathon & Half-Marathon. Starting today through May 10th you can register for a 50% discount!! Just use the code "I love rain". I'm planning to sign up again for the half this week! Don't miss out on this great deal. :)

A Great Run

2011-05-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

Tonight I had a great time at GYRO. We had six (seven including me!) girls running together. Wendy and Jess (plus Daisy!) broke off on their own, and I ran with my friends from Radford. Jamie and Marcia are training for a 10k, and doing awesome! They ran 5 miles (6 with walking) tonight despite the heat!! And Beth just seriously rocked her first marathon -- I always ask her a lot of questions when we run together, because I admire her so much! :)

I am getting so pumped about the Capital City Half-Marathon this weekend. I'll do a goals post later on in the week. I'm planning to run again tomorrow and Wednesday, and then I'll give my legs a rest. I'm so excited that summer is here, and I'll have more time to run. I'm going to come up with a plan and some goals to make the most of my time.

Miles: 6
Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (approx)

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 6

Royal Running

2011-05-01T15:11:00.001-04:00

Mathis just caught me watching the Royal Wedding for the thousandth time. What is about this wedding that is so captivating?!

I'm sure many of you were intrigued by the many hats worn to the wedding, including this one by Princess Beatrice...

But what you probably didn't know about Princess Beatrice is that she is the first royal to run the London Marathon! And she did it while tied together with 33 other runners to form a human caterpillar!

The team ran together for charity (Children in Crisis) and they set a new world record for most people to finish a marathon while tied together. Any guesses on their finish time?

It was 5 hours and 13 minutes -- nearly a half-hour quicker than my own finish earlier this year at the Disney World Marathon! :) Anyways, this was too interesting for me not to post! Hope you all enjoyed a great weekend of running. My legs (calves) are really sore from Friday's run, but I'm looking forward to a run tomorrow to stretch them out.

Long Run: Check!

2011-04-29T20:01:00.001-04:00

My day tomorrow is pretty packed, and so I decided it'd be best to do my long run today. I waited until Mathis got off work for us to run together on the Huckleberry. The weather was a little warm -- still in the 60s so I can't complain too much! :)

Today I got to run with my new Garmin Forerunner 305!!!! :) It arrived on Wednesday, and this was my first run with it. I LOVE IT. It works so well, and I can hook it up to my computer which is something I never did before. I also ran with compression socks and my new bicband today -- both made the run great! I will wear both next week for my half-marathon, and I wanted to do a trial run with them today.

I really tried to push the pace today. I am hoping to PR next week, and I feel that I'm at the point where I should be working on my speed a bit. It was tough, but I'm pleased with today's run! Having Mathis with me really helped. I carried water with me, but still got pretty thirsty towards the end. I'll do a few more runs before Saturday, but I'm getting very excited about the Capital City Half-Marathon!

Tonight I'm stretching my legs and enjoying a night on the couch watching my Spurs. We're going to open up a bottle of Virginia wine and just relax........ :)

Have a great weekend!

Miles: 10
Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Miles this Week: 16
Miles this Month: 76

You've Got Questions, Hopefully I Have Some Answers! :)

2011-04-26T09:35:00.000-04:00

Last week I did a post asking for your questions about running. I know that many of you are thinking about starting to run or increasing your distance, and I'd love to share some tips I've picked up since beginning my own journey with running. Here are some other posts (here and here) where I've mentioned my own story about running. I never ran cross country in high school, and I've never been fast at running. But I have ran a marathon and four half-marathons so I'd like to think I have some wisdom to share! :)

What strategy do you recommend for newbies to get out there and get started? 

There are a lot of ways you can get started with running. The two main strategies are to either run by increasing your time or your distance. I’ve done both, and they have both worked well for me. Here is a training plan you can begin that increases the amount of time you run, and here's one that works on distance. I realize the training plan I linked for distance has you starting out at 1.5 miles -- if you can't run this entire way then I'd recommend walk/running it OR just working yourself up to running 1.5 miles on your own. You can see the structure of the plan and easily copy this set-up while shortening the distances.

But here's the REALLY important tip to getting started: Go as SLOW as you possibly can. This was by far the best piece of advice I was given when I started running. Running slow will keep you from starting out to fast and exhausting yourself. Start slow and work on your breathing -- work on being able to cover the distance. In the past when I tried to pick up running I would go outside, run fast for a few minutes and give up because I was tired and couldn't keep up the fast pace -- this is NOT the way to do it! Slow and steady is a much better way to begin! And just remember...

Any tips or exercises you do to start your run?
I am terrible about cross-training or warming up. I usually just warm up by doing a few stretches (maybe) and slowly running to get my heart pumping.

What gadget do you use to track your distance?
I started out by using a basic stopwatch and planning out my running routes by using gmap pedometer. When I started training for my first half-marathon my Dad let me borrow his Garmin Forerunner 305. I was immediately hooked, and my Dad let me keep it! I love love love my Garmin. I really like the 305 model even though there's newer versions out. Yesterday I mentioned that I went ahead and ordered another 305 once my old one died. The 305 does everything you need -- tracks distance, pace, time, clock time, and heartrate. I love this running watch -- it's expensive, but worth every penny in my opinion. However you certainly don't need a watch like this to run, so don't let it hold you back if you don't have one!

How do you keep your endurance up when running?
Endurance will naturally come as you increase your time/distance of running. It may seem like it's taking forever to come, but it will come! In fact I think you'll be amazed at how much your body can quickly adapt once you've built a strong base. If you get tired when running try hard to push through it -- come up with a way to tell yourself to keep going. Mantras are VERY powerful. So much of running is mental, and very little is physical. As you continue to train you will find yourself becoming stronger both mentally and physically!

What is the chocolate milk thing? :)
I'm not sure where I first read about chocolate milk being an amazing recovery drink, but it is one of the best things you can drink after a long run. I've read the research articles, and I've personally tried it out! While we're on the topic, recovery is a very important aspect to running. It's important to eat the right foods after running (especially a longer run) and stretching post-run is a MUST. My legs were SO sore when I first started running... I constantly stretched and iced them. I now own a foam roller and the stick to help me stretch out. In addition to fuel and stretching, you also need to give your body rest days and get plenty of sleep at night. These things may seem trivial, but they are vital to staying healthy and injury-free.

How long did you train before your first half marathon?
This is somewhat difficult for me to answer. I tried starting to run several times before I got really serious about it. In November of 2009 is when I began this blog, and followed through on my commitment to run. I worked myself up to a 5K in December of 2009 and then I ran my first half-marathon in April of 2010. Most training plans take 3 months, and have you starting off at running 3 - 4 miles. So once you've worked yourself to a base of running 3 or 4 miles I'd say go for it!

Other things I've learned along the way...

1. Always set more than one alarm clock the night before a race! ;)

2. Reading running blogs and magazines like Runner's World will teach you a lot about the sport.

3. Running with others makes the miles go by quicker! Don't be intimidated to run with other people -- it's a great way to increase your distance and it makes running fun. Another way to break up the miles is to chunk them together. Does 6 miles sound too daunting? What about running 2 miles, running another 2 miles, and then 2 more? Sounds silly, but this will really help break up the mileage if you think of it in smaller parts! :)

4. Uses races as a goal to work towards -- in addition to motivating you to train they are an awesome way to celebrate the time you've spent training. Search for some in your area and sign up!

5. Make sure you hydrate and drink lots of water during the day.

6. Be careful if you listen to music while running and make sure you're aware of your surroundings. Always run facing traffic, and run in a safe area. Carry ID and a cell phone on you if you can (iFitness belts make this easy!)

7. Get the right shoes!! Running is relatively inexpensive, but don't cut corners on your shoes. Go to your local running store to get fitted for the right pair, and make sure you get a new pair every 350-550 miles.

8. In addition to shoes, the right outfit can also make a big difference. Clothes that wick sweat away are the best thing to wear. Cotton can get heavy and chafe your skin after awhile. Find out what you like, and if you're like me then you'll reward yourself with new running clothes frequently! ;)

9. Running (like anything in life) takes time, hard work, and commitment. But you CAN do it -- we all can do it. Make running a priority, and I guarantee you won't regret it. Running is good for your mental and physical health!

10. Have fun with it! Make running fun -- there are so many ways to do this. Don't let yourself become stressed or burdened by not running long enough or fast enough. Ever hear a runner say the word PR? That stands for personal record. Most runners are not running to beat the person next to them -- they're only running against themselves. I strongly believe finishing is winning!

Spoiled

2011-04-25T19:57:00.003-04:00

Y'all, I am so spoiled when it comes to running. After only running for a few months my Dad gave me his Garmin Forerunner 305, and we've been inseparable ever since. Unfortunately I ran with it at the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon it hasn't worked since then. Water got underneath the screen, and I'm pretty sure it caused some type of an electrical short. Now it won't charge... since it's no longer under warranty, Garmin would charge me $80 to fix it.

This weekend Mathis and I made the decision to go ahead and purchase a new one from Amazon ($128). I have Amazon Prime, and I get free two-day shipping. My new Forerunner 305 should be here by Wednesday! I feel so spoiled, but my last few runs without this piece of technology have been tough! The running has been okay, but it's been weird not having all my "stats". Please don't get me wrong -- I fully know that I do not need this watch. It is a big want. But at the same time, running does SO much for me. Instead of paying a monthly gym membership, I spend money on running shoes and race entries (or in this case, a watch). Yes, I'm investing some money into running, but running is so good for me. It's good for my physical and mental health. It's a way for me to spend time with friends, and it's become a hobby for me.

Anyways, I did a ton of research between the Forerunner 305 and 405, but the 305 is so much better in my opinion -- especially when you factor in the price difference. The 305 is multi-sport -- I don't plan on becoming a triathlete any time soon, but it's nice to know I could keep using my GPS watch for biking in addition to running! The 305 actually holds a battery charge longer than the 405 (under normal settings), and it seems a lot less complicated. I'm excited to get my new 305, because I will actually be able to upload everything to my computer. I haven't ever done this with my Dad's old watch, and I'm looking forward to this added technology. Nerd alert, yes!

Okay, so if you're still reading this I should buy you a Garmin. :) Sorry to ramble on about this watch, but it's such a big part of my running. I am hoping to set a PR next weekend at the Capital City Half, and I am so glad I'll have the Garmin for that race!

Today I ran a total of 6 miles, and it was H-O-T! Fortunately there was still some cloud cover and a breeze, but still a warm run. I do not like running in the heat. And unfortunately Virginia has spoiled me in another way -- I now consider "hot" to be in the high 70s. Texans, I'm sure you're all laughing at this point. I really don't know if I can move back to Texas and endure the ridiculous heat. But I'm excited that the seasons are changing, and I hope to have a lot of time to run this summer! :)

Miles: 6
Time: ??

Miles this Week: 6
Miles this Month: 66

Nine is Fine

2011-04-23T12:33:00.000-04:00

This morning I met up with Hannah for a long run, and it felt good. The weather was strange... not too cold, not too hot but definitely humid at times. My legs still felt a little rusty from what I put them through last weekend, but it was good to stretch them out today.

I ran a total of 9 miles. Next week I'll do 10, and then hello again 13.1 miles the following week. :) I am getting spoiled by all these fun half-marathons I'm getting to do. I really, really want to PR at the Capital City Half in Columbus, but either way I'll become a fanatic that day!

Happy Easter Weekend!!!

Miles: 9
Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes (I think)

Miles this Week: 14
Miles this Month: 60

Blue Ridge Half-Marathon Proofs!

2011-04-22T18:07:00.003-04:00

The Jiggle Challenge -- Week 3

2011-04-21T13:33:00.000-04:00

This past week I ran a half-marathon -- woo! woo!! I tried to eat well, but I also had a lot of meals where I enjoyed what I wanted. Obviously I crazy carbo-loaded on Friday night at Olive Garden in preparation of my race Saturday morning. This challenge has really made me think about my weight in a good way. Ever since I graduated high school I've been concerned about my weight -- even when I didn't need to be. I can remember being a sophomore in college and chugging slimfast because I had gained 5 pounds. Totally ridiculous! I now realize how nuts that was, and I don't want to go back there again. And in some ways I think that I've been creeping back to this place. The place where I obsess over my image when I shouldn't.

Here's where I find myself torn -- I want to enjoy life. I want to be healthy, but I also want to eat pizza and drink beer occasionally (both of which I did last night). I know that if I cut out cupcakes and other "bad foods" I could probably drop more weight, but at what cost?

I am really proud of how healthy I am right now. I may not be stick thin, but I know that I'm healthy because of my running. And I'm starting to realize that health is WAY more important to me than being a size 0 (or 2 for that matter). I think the idea is usually that health and thinness go together, but I don't believe in any way that the two equal each other.

I still lost a little weight this past week, and I'm excited about that. But at the same time I think I'm ready to let go of my need to loose more weight. I am definitely at a healthy weight for my height, and more importantly -- I feel good. My clothes feel good, and I am doing a lot of running. I am going to continue to run and eat well, but I'm also going to enjoy foods at the same time. When I first started my "weight loss journey" a year and a half ago I did need to loose weight. I was pushing 150, and I was not living an active lifestyle. A lot has changed since then, and I'm proud of it. I think I've reached the maintenance phase now, and that's what I plan on working on. I'll still check back each week to finish off the challenge, but my goals have definitely changed.

Starting weight: 134.2

Current weight: 133.4

Pounds lost: 0.8

~~Pounds left to loose: 8.4~~

Heavy Legs

2011-04-20T20:57:00.000-04:00

Today my legs felt pretty heavy. They haven't been sore much at all this week, but as soon as I started to run I could feel the impact of this weekend's half-marathon. I kept the pace very easy and enjoyed a nice GYRO run. Not sure of the overall time and distance, because my Garmin is still under the weather from this weekend's run in the rain. :( I'm still holding out hope that it will come back to life!!

Miles: 5ish
Time: 1 hour-ish

Miles this Week: 5
Miles this Month: 51

Questions??

2011-04-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for your comments on my last post -- I am grateful I still got to run that race despite the bad weather! In thinking about a few of your comments, I thought that maybe I would do a question and answer post about running and some things I've found to be helpful. I know that I've gained a few new readers since joining this weight loss challenge, and many of you have expressed the desire to start running or increase your distance.

Make no mistake, I am the farthest thing from a running expert. But I love running, and I've learned quite a bit about it since I started running in November of 2009. A few short years ago I hated the thought of running and never thought I'd be able to run past a mile. But now I'm proud to say that I enjoy running, and I'm continually getting better at it.

So here's your chance to ask me anything you'd like to know about running, and I'll do my best to answer. Some of you might like to know about running gadgets, or training plans... or what's up with the chocolate milk thing? ;) Ask away!!! I'll try to include some basic information I think would be helpful, but I'd love to know your questions. You can post your questions as a comment to this post, or email them to me at nicolekennington@gmail.com. I'll be back next week with some answers!

2011 Blue Ridge Half-Marathon

2011-04-16T16:05:00.002-04:00

This morning I ran the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon. Last year was the Inaugural race and my first half-marathon. I had such a great time that I had no doubt I'd run it again this year. In fact, I even signed up to run the full marathon, but later decided the half would be a better distance for me this year. Mathis was signed up for the half too, but he hurt himself earlier in the week and decided to spectate this year instead of run.

Yesterday I went to the expo to pick up my race packet. I was a little disappointed that the shirts weren't technical, but I do like their design.

As I do for nearly every race I laid out all my "gear" the night before...

Carter helped...

I had my eye on the weather all week, and it didn't look promising. We've had beautiful spring weather every day this week, but the forecast for Saturday was 90% chance of thunderstorms. They were predicting a ton of rain, so earlier in the week I splurged on a rain jacket. I knew I'd be running rain or shine, and I wanted to stay as dry as I possibly could. Here I am sporting my new jacket before we left the house this morning...

We got down to Roanoke around 7:00am and the race started at 7:30am. It was already raining pretty hard, but fortunately we were able to wait inside the Taubman Art Museum before the start. Here I am before leaving Mathis to head out into the rain...

Mathis documented the start of the race well.

You can see how everyone watching has out their umbrellas!

There I am in the pink!

For obvious reasons I didn't run with my camera during today's race. I usually love documenting the race with photos, but there was no way I was running with a phone or camera today. And because of the rain there wasn't too much to see. When we got up to the Mill Mountain Star the fog was pretty bad, and you couldn't see downtown (unlike last year!).

But it was still such a beautiful and FUN race. The temp was great -- I was never hot or cold. I am SO beyond grateful for my water resistant jacket. I still got wet, but it kept me as dry as possible. What didn't stay dry was my feet. :( I ran through so many puddles, and it rained the entire race. I had put body glide all over my feet in hopes of avoiding any blisters, but the weight and sogginess of my socks and shoes was not fun. My wet feet definitely bothered me towards the end.

One of the things I love most about races is the camaraderie of runners. I ran next to a man running his 87th marathon!!!!!! He ran the Blue Ridge Marathon last year, and he said it is the most beautiful marathon he's ever done!! And around mile 9 I ran next to a woman who's run a marathon in 48 states! Two states to go and she's got all 50. She tried teaching me a few techniques for running the hills, and they helped! :) I saw a young boy running the half who couldn't have been over 13 years old. Runners are amazing people, and I'm so proud to be one.

The volunteers were pretty incredible. It's one thing to run in the rain... it's an entirely different thing to stand in the rain for hours and pass out water. I tried to thank every volunteer and spectator I saw -- they make all the difference at races! Unfortunately the race was spread pretty thin, and a few times I almost ran off course. It's hard when you can't see anyone running in front of you, but for the most part I didn't get too lonely. I managed to stay on the right path, and I'm so glad!

While trying to avoid some of the puddles I hurt the bottom of my foot. It wasn't a bad injury, but it really worried me at first. From that point on I made it my goal to finish the race injury free. I ran through the puddles after that, and didn't worry about how wet my feet got.

I ran with my Garmin, but throughout the race I kept it under my jacket to avoid it getting too wet. It still got a little water underneath, and I'm sorta regretting having run with it at all. I think it's going to be fine, but I have it in a bowl of rice just to be safe. I usually glance down at my watch multiple times, but I wasn't able to do that today. It definitely affected the way I paced myself, and I think I would have done better if it weren't for the monsoon that I ran through. :)

I got so excited towards the end -- I had absolutely no idea what my time was, but I knew Mathis would be waiting for me! He took a few pictures at the end...

I was so glad to cross that finish line! My time was somewhere around 2 hours, 22 minutes -- still don't have the official time. I met my goal of finishing the course faster than last year!! Not my fastest half-marathon, but no surprise there since the hills are CRAZY! I plan on running this race as long as I can, and I'm excited to work on my time each and every year.

The first thing I did once I crossed the finish line was grab two chocolate milks, and take off my shoes! I love love love that they had chocolate milk at the finish. It is my favorite recovery drink! And I definitely walked barefoot back to the car -- those shoes were NOT going back on. :)

Once we got to the car I changed into some dry clothes, and we went to Fork in the City for breakfast. They were hosting special "marathon hours" and giving runners with medals a discount. Fork in the City was on the course so we got to watch the marathon runners go by while we ate breakfast. And I won a "golden fork"$10 giftcard while I was there!!

The coffee and food were great, and I loved watching the runners go by -- from the warmth of my booth! They had live music playing, and it was the perfect way to celebrate the race. I am so grateful for my health and ability to run -- it's something I never want to take for granted. I love that I am able to participate in these races, and today is a race I'll never forget. I can't wait to run the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon again next year. I definitely plan on running this race as many years as I can to maintain my legacy runner status! :)

Miles: 13.1
Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes

Miles this Week: 19.5
Miles this Month: 46

Goals for Blue Ridge

2011-04-15T07:00:00.002-04:00

I'm getting a little nervous about the weather forecast for the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon tomorrow in Roanoke. They're calling for some very severe storms. I went ahead and splurged on a water resistant jacket yesterday...

Totally throws off the "blue" look I had planned for the race, but I think I will be so glad to have this jacket! I really, really hope the race isn't cancelled due to the storms. I prepared for the rain, but storms add an entirely different element. But I'm going to be hopeful. Here are my goals for the race:

Goal A: Break a course record -- last year I ran the course in 2:24:53. I would LOVE to run it faster this year! How much faster? No idea! Probably not much... the course is rough, and I'm not even going to try for a PR. :)

Goal B: Run the thing in under 2:30.

Goal C: Finish the race with a smile!

Either way I'm hoping to have a lot of fun. I've told Mathis a million times that I want to go out to breakfast after the race -- this is something I've yet to do after a race, and it needs to happen. I'm excited that I'm participating in this race again, and I can't wait to see what they've done with it this year. I would love to keep doing it every year as long as I can to keep up my legacy runner status! :)

Week Two: Not So Successful...

2011-04-14T07:39:00.000-04:00

Starting weight: 134.2

Current weight: 134.0

Pounds lost: POINT 2

Pounds left to loose: 9.0

Y'all, I was not good this past week. I did terrible over the weekend, and these last few days I've struggled to just maintain my weight from last week's weigh in. I do think this challenge is good accountability for me, and I'm just glad I lost something this past week. I will say that I'm still wondering if I need to loose this much weight, but I'm going to keep going through with the challenge to give it my best try. Even if I only loose 5 pounds (compared to 9), that would be better than nothing!

Hopefully I'll have a better week coming up!

Can't wait to hear how the rest of you did! :)

Last Run Before Saturday!

2011-04-13T19:04:00.000-04:00

Today I met up with Jamie to do my last run before the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon before Saturday. I got to run a quick mile in the middle of our run, and I hit 7 minutes, 50 seconds!!!! I'm happy that I shaved three seconds off my mile especially because today I ran a hill during that mile. :) I really need to work on my speed - these fast miles have been fun!

I'm getting excited for Saturday, but also a little nervous about the weather...

Rain is fine, but thunderstorms? I really don't want the race to get cancelled!!

Miles: 3.5
Time: ?? (1 mile - 7 minutes, 50 seconds)

Miles this Week: 6.5
Miles this Month: 33

Mondays

2011-04-11T19:54:00.000-04:00

Today was such a Monday. Not bad, not good - just Monday. I wouldn't have run today if it wasn't for the accountability of GYRO! I met up with Beth, Jamie, and Wendy. Wendy brought her daughter Daisy, and I got to push Daisy in the stroller for 1.5 miles! Daisy was such a trooper -- she's GYRO's youngest member, and she is precious.

Wendy is totally rocking the running while pregnant thing, and I aspire to be her one day! ;) My legs were a little sore from Saturday's run so it was good to stretch them out with a nice, easy pace.

Miles: 3
Time: 42 minutes

Miles this Week: 3
Miles this Month: 29.5

Today's Run Sponsored By the Letter 'A'

2011-04-09T13:54:00.000-04:00

I had the BEST run today! I was dreading it a little bit for some reason... worried about getting too bored or tired. The weather didn't look like it was going to warm up too much so I decided to sleep in. I took my time waking up this morning and made a new playlist on my Apple shuffle.

I headed out around 11:30, and I could immediately tell how AMAZING my new shoes felt. I truly felt like a whole new runner. I had no idea how beat up my last pair was until I started my long run in my new pair. My feet didn't hurt when running the hills like they had so much on Sunday. And the music really kept me entertained. Thank you Asics and Apple for sponsoring today's run! ;)

I'm getting excited to see that my speed is starting to improve... not sure where this is coming from, but I love it! Today I kept a strong pace despite MANY hills. I'm really hoping I can do well next weekend at the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon. Sooooooo excited about this race!

Miles: 10
Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Miles this Week: 26.5
Miles this Month: 26.5

The Jiggle Challenge -- Week 1

2011-04-07T10:57:00.000-04:00

A big part of my motivation to run is to keep my weight in check. Since I started running a year and a half ago I have lost approximately 15 pounds. I have really tried to work on healthy eating habits in addition to running, and I feel good about my weight. But ideally I would love to weigh 125 pounds. I'm currently at 134.2 pounds, and I've stayed in the 132-137 range for a long time now. I usually wouldn't post my exact weight, but I've decided to participate in this challenge for the next few weeks...

To be honest I'm not sure if 125 is really the best weight for me, but I thought I'd give it a try. Numbers are different for everyone, and it's not always the best way to determine physical health. But with that being said... I'm still going to give this weight loss thing a real "go" for the next few months. I would love to zip off to Hawaii this summer and be at my ideal weight. And I'd also love to weigh a little less, because I think it would help with my speed. So here we go. My plan is to run, run, run (adding in speed workouts), and calorie count. I'd like to loose one pound a week, and reach my goal weight by June 9!

I'm excited about the accountability of checking in each week -- I can't guarantee I will be able to follow through on this, but I'm going to give it my best try! Anyone else who's interested in linking up can go here.

Starting weight: 134.2
Pounds lost: 0
Pounds left to loose: 9.2

Take That And Rewind It Back!

2011-04-06T19:55:00.000-04:00

Y'all, I am so excited to tell you that I broke an 8 minute mile today!!!! I ran/walked 3 miles, sprinted a mile, and then ran/walked another mile. It was such a great day outside today. Spring is definitely here, and I love running with my GYRO friends.

After I run these next two half-marathons I would really like to work on speed. I've never done anything with speed... even now I'm just getting out there and running a fast mile. I'd really love to be able to hit up the track for some serious workouts. I have my eye on a 5K in June, and I'd love to train for a fast speed. So excited to see some progress! :)

Miles: 1(+4) = 5
Time: 7 minutes, 53 seconds

Miles this Week: 16.5
Miles this Month: 16.5

New Shoes!

2011-04-04T21:45:00.000-04:00

There were 6 girls at GYRO today!!! I love this time to meet up and run with friends. I am so blessed to have friends who enjoy running. :) It was warm today, but I actually enjoyed it. I got to run with my new shoes, and I really love them. Still a little sore from yesterday's long run... looking forward to my rest day tomorrow.

Miles: 3
Time: ??

Miles this Week: 11.5
Miles this Month: 11.5

Farewell Faithful Friends

2011-04-03T19:04:00.000-04:00

I've known for awhile that it's been time to retire my current pair of running shoes. I've had them since September, and we've logged a lot of miles together since then. 460 miles to be exact. For some reason I tend to grow attached to my running shoes. Call me crazy!! :) I ran my first marathon in my purple Asics Kayano 16s, and they were very good to me! In addition to running the Disney Marathon in them I also ran the Star City Half and the Shamrock Half in this pair of shoes.

Yesterday I went to my local running store to have them look over my old pair to see how they were wearing. This was my second pair of Asics Kayano 16s, and while they have worked well for me I thought I'd see what the experts had to say. In addition to getting their advice I tried on several other pairs of shoes (New Balance, Mizuno, Adidas, Brooks). But in the end this just felt right...

I'm now the proud owner of the NEW Asics Kayano 17!! I'm curious if the 17s will feel much different from the 16s. Today I had a long run scheduled so I stuck with the old pair. One final run together. Tomorrow I'll break out the new pair at GYRO. I'm so excited to see where these new shoes will take me -- I really like the colors for Spring and Summer!

My run today was alright... kinda boring but BEAUTIFUL weather. I ran in the neighborhood, and it was fun to see everyone outside soaking in the sun. The hills were tough today, and my legs are a little sore. I'll have one more long run this next weekend before hitting the mountains on April 16th at the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon. I'm definitely getting excited!!! :)

Miles: 8.5
Time: 1 hour, 41 minutes

Miles this Week: 8.5
Miles this Month: 8.5

8 minutes, 13 seconds

2011-03-28T18:46:00.000-04:00

The snow that came all this morning melted off during the day, and it turned out to be an absolutely BEAUTIFUL afternoon for GYRO. The sun was out, and the temps were cold, but not freezing!

I'm so grateful Jess came out from Bburg to run with me. We ran a solid 1.5 miles and walked another 1.5 to equal 3 miles overall. It was so good for both of us to leave our schoolwork behind and soak up some sunshine and fresh air.

After Jess and I did our 3 miles I decided I wanted to run another mile on my own. I've been curious for awhile now about how fast I could run a single mile if I really pushed it. Today I got my answer.

I was so happy to see my time!!!! I really thought I'd be closer to 9 minutes than 8. Now I'm determined to get my time down to 8 minutes flat. It felt so good to turn up the heat and sprint -- this is something I never do, and I think it'll be fun to do every now and then. I'd love to work on speed over the summer and run a fast 5k... Anyways, Mathis says it's time for dinner so I gotta "run". :)

Miles: 4
Time: 50 minutes-ish

Miles this Week: 4
Miles this Month: 74

Amazing Giveaway

2011-03-28T12:26:00.001-04:00

Great giveaway going on here today! :)

Eight

2011-03-26T18:17:00.000-04:00

Today I slept in and pushed my long run back to the afternoon. It's pretty cold here today, and I figured I'd run during the warmest part of the day. Plus it's nice to sleep in. :)

I ran 8 miles of hills today in order to get ready for my climb up Mill Mountain in a few weeks for the Blue Ridge Half-Marathon. I am so stinkin' excited about Blue Ridge. I love this race -- I feel like I have such a deep connection to it, and I cannot wait to see what they have done to change it up from it's inaugural year.

Today's run was pretty boring. I haven't done a long run alone in a long time. I always feel so bad the first few miles, but once I get going I usually feel like I could go for miles and miles. Legs were a little sore, but nothing unusual. We're supposed to get some snow tonight, and I'm so glad I already got my long run in for the weekend!

Miles: 8
Time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Miles this Week: 28
Miles this Month: 70

GYRO Radford

2011-03-24T18:42:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I got to run with some girls in my grad program, and we ran together in Radford. It was a really nice change of pace! I ran without my garmin, but we logged somewhere around 3 miles. It was really cold/windy, and I wouldn't have ran if it wasn't for my friends. I'm really glad I got out there, especially since it rained last night and I wasn't able to run.

Today I got back the proofs from Shamrock...

Not the greatest, but they're okay. You can see how windy it was though! This weekend I'll log another long run. The weather isn't supposed to be that great, but I'm still hoping for a good run.

Miles: 3
Time: 35 minutes

Miles this Week: 20
Miles this Month: 62

Recovery Walk

2011-03-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

Yesterday my legs felt a little tight, but I thought I'd stretch them out by taking a long walk. It felt good to be outside -- the weather here has been beautiful! I did the math yesterday, and I'm not sure I'll hit 100 miles this month like planned, but I think it was still a great goal for me to set. It got me moving, and one thing is for sure -- I've definitely logged WAY more miles than I did in February.

I do have another goal I'm working on. Yesterday I signed up for another half-marathon in May, which means that I will soon be joining this fun group...

The lowest level of membership is running three half-marathons in a 90 day window. I just ran Shamrock, and now I have the Blue Ridge Half on April 16th and the Capital City Half on May 7th. I'm so excited about running so many half-marathons back to back, and I'm definitely ready to become a fanatic! Marathons are awesome, and I definitely want to run more but I truly love the half-marathon distance.

Miles: 4
Time: 1 hour

Miles this Week: 17
Miles this Month: 59

Shamrock Half-Marathon

2011-03-21T20:01:00.002-04:00

"That's the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is". --Kara Goucher

This quote PERFECTLY describes my experience at the Shamrock Half-Marathon. It certainly wasn't my fastest race, but it was one of the best race experiences I've ever had. For some background on this race, you can look back to this post to see what happened to me last year at this time.

I went into this race with no expectations. I had hardly trained at all, and I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the moment (oh, and not oversleep it!). :) Here's Mathis and I with two of our good friends, Jed and Stacie at 6:30am that morning...

We had several friends running this race, and my friend Hannah and I decided to run together. Here we are waiting in the corral ready to run...

Y'all, it was SO WINDY as we waited for the race to start. I don't think I've ever experienced such crazy winds. We were FREEZING!!!! I had planned on wearing only a green shirt to the race, but thankfully I had packed my Disney Marathon jacket and decided last minute to wear it. I hadn't expected to need long sleeves at this race, but the wind made the 40-50 degree temps that much colder. I get pretty hot when I run, and I usually err on the side of wearing less than more. It's always tough for me to decide if I should wear a jacket or not, but this time I was so glad I did! Note to self: Always pack multiple weather options when traveling to a race!!

The sun was coming up right before the race started at 7:00am.

We finally got started, and the winds already began to die down a bit. It was pretty crowded at the start and it stayed that way throughout the race. I felt pretty sluggish the first few miles. We took it easy (our plan the whole race), and I finally started feeling better once we passed miles 3 and 4. This is typical for me -- I always take awhile to warm up and start feeling good. At the half-way point we were on target to finish around 2:15... we stopped to stretch, and we were feeling great!

Right after we stopped to stretch we came across a great view of the water! Most of the course was inland, but it was still really beautiful and FLAT! :) There was a slight cool breeze -- thankfully the crazy winds from earlier were gone!

Hannah and I talked the whole time, and I felt like the miles were going by really fast. I think the marathon gave me such a wonderful base for running. Thirteen miles no longer seems as daunting, and although I wasn't fast by any means it was relatively easy for me to run the half. This surprised me since my training had been so minimal. I love that I have a strong base for distance, and it's definitely something I don't want to let go of.

Once we got to mile 10 we did walking/running intervals. Eventually we saw the marathon runners... look at this guy in orange - he was in first place!

The final stretch...

The whole race was just fun... lots of people, entertainment, and great weather. I love the camaderie of being around so many other runners. It's just a neat feeling to know that so many people have trained for this one day -- each with their own unique story! I remember being so happy to be there, to be healthy and running with my sweet friend Hannah.

Mathis and Hannah's husband, Chris ran most of the race together, and our friends Jed and Stacie rocked their first half-marathon in style. They were in a corral behind us, and right at the end they passed Hannah and I up -- total running rockstars! ;)

We ran on the boardwalk towards the finish, and I was so proud of Hannah and I for running the half together. It's always the best feeling when you see the finish line ahead of you and you cross it! There were a ton of volunteers at the end passing out medals, water, and food. In addition to the medal we also got finisher's long sleeve t-shirts and a running hat... love all the gear! We finally met up with our hubby's and went straight towards the tent on the beach...

Yuengling is a beer that Mathis and I had not heard of until we moved to Virginia. It is hands-down the best beer (in my opinion at least)! It's only sold on the East Coast, and we love it. Yuengling was the sponsor of the Shamrock Marathon, and runners get free beer at the finish. They actually pass out beer throughout the course, but I waited to celebrate until after I was done running. We met up with Jed and Stacie in the tent, and talked about the race. Eventually we headed out to take pictures on the beach.

It was such a great weekend, and I definitely spent a lot of time reflecting on how much has happened in the last year -- both in running and in life as a whole. A year ago, 10 miles was the longest distance I had ever run. Since last year I have run two half-marathons and my first full marathon. In the past year Mathis and I have developed really close relationships with the friends around us. A year ago it was just Mathis and I in Virginia Beach, and this year we were there with four of our closest friends. It was a really neat moment, and I feel very blessed. Cannot wait to see what the next year holds for us!

Miles: 13.1
Time: 2:32:49

Miles this Week: 13
Miles this Month: 55

Hot Run

2011-03-21T13:21:00.000-04:00

On Thursday I did an afternoon run, and it was so HOT! The temp was mid-60s, but it felt so much warmer!! Guess Spring is officially here! Nothing big to report about this run... just wanted to get the miles recorded here. :) I'll be back to do a race recap on Shamrock soon!

Miles: 4.5
Time: 52 minutes

Miles this Week: 12
Miles this Month: 42