Four Miler Monday!

So, I'm getting ready to go out of town this week to my cousin's wedding up in Vancouver, B.C. So, instead of doing Tues/Thurs weekday runs, I'm doing Mon/Wed. I know that last Monday, I was NOT up for running ... still recovering from the Saturday long run. So, while I was a bit sluggish getting up, (hello ... it IS 5:35 am!) it was totally doable. It started to get bright a little earlier than usual and was just the right temperature.

It's amazing the battle that goes on in the mind. I can't imagine not doing this with a running partner. We talk through the walls. And the most amazing thing happened, as we were finishing the last lap, I thought we had one more to go. When Robin told me we were done, I was ecstatic! I could have cried, I was so happy!!! I can definitely see glimpses of being able to just run, without thinking about how far I'm going or when I am going to stop.

4/14/08 - 4 miles (track)

~ 6 miles!!! ~

We did 6 miles on the Porter Rockwell Trail this morning and I actually ran it all! I have to say, getting started is really the hardest for me. It takes a good mile and a half to get the rhythm, breath and body to work. By mile 3 I was ready to take a little walk, but Robyn was determined to get to 4 without walking then we zoomed past 4 and she was ready to walk at mile 5. I was feeling great to run the last mile, after all the worst was over! The last 1/2 mile was pretty tough but we did it and even sprinted to the car! What an amazing feeling to finish so strong. Such a difference in comparing to the long run last week.

4/12/08 - 6 miles (hilly trail)

4 miles? Piece of cake!

Well, maybe not exactly, but I DID run 4 miles this morning, and I'm NOT about to die! Robyn and I went on our own to the track this morning, since we are slower that the others and don't have the same time constraints. We wanted to run 4, but were also knowing we needed to listen to our bodies so we don't overdo it. So, the alarm goes off at 5:25 am, and I think there is NO way I'm getting up, but I did. I'm so sluggish getting going when I don't get enough sleep (note to self: GO TO BED EARLY!!!) so it started out really slow. Before we knew it we had already run 2.5 miles. We walked one lap and then ran the rest of the way. What an amazing feeling to run for that long (about an hour or so ... like I said we are SLOW runners!) and not feel like we were going to keel over!

4/10/08 - 4 miles (track) walked .25 of it

This is for yesterday, actually ...

Yesterday I ran with Robin around the track. She and I run at the same pace (most people could probably walk faster than we run!) so that works out nicely. It was pretty hard to get going, but got better as we went on. I had hoped to do 4 miles, but it didn't happen. My shins have been bugging me and I didn't want to injure myself. I am getting bugged because I have yet to lose one pound. In fact, I put on a couple of pounds. So, I'm keeping track of my food again over at fitday.com, since this helps me stay more accountable. I am not restricting necessarily, but going for a balanced diet under 2200 calories with more complex carbs and fresh fruits and veggies. Less sugar and refined stuff. How's that for a plan?!?! I'm sure the weight will work out at some point, and I really don't want to focus on that. It's really about being healthy.

4/9/08 - 2.5 miles (walked just over .25 of it)

Now for the mindless ramblings

So I have been taking this seminar called "Self Expression and Leadership" course. I actually took it for myself in the fall completing it in January (it's a four month course) and am now in it again as a coach. I get to coach four extraordinary people. So now on Thursday nights I am there from 6pm until about 11pm, with three Saturdays that run from 8:30 am until about 11:30 pm. I was really hesitant to take it on, since it's a big time commitment and I was already feeling like I didn't have enough time. Well, I am so glad I did. It has been an amazing roller coaster. For me to be a powerful coach with the people on my team, it means that I have to deal with my crap (grin) so that I can really be there for them. Surprisingly it has actually allowed me to do more of the things that I want to do (like get up at 5:45am to run!) Here's just some of the things that I've accomplished that have been on my "to-do" list for ages:

• I'm making wheat bread (from wheat that I grind) again ... and the kids actually like it!
• I cleaned out the unfinished bathroom downstairs (it had many boxes and MISC junk) and made it a cute space to keep the toys for the kids
• I'm exercising again (duh!)
• My sisters and I have started a business and have lots of creative energy going in that area (we have talked for YEARS about doing this!)
• We're having people over to the house. Okay not that we never had people over, but we are getting to know people in our new neighborhood ... stepping outside of our comfort zone which is being the first to approach, not waiting for the invitation.
  

The other thing that has been big for me is being able to work through things when I am feeling upset or trials in my life. It's breaking things down in a way that helps me see things I never would/could have seen before. I have really seen this show up in my relationship with Taylor and with the kids. It's not like things are perfect now, but I have so much more patience and understanding.

Well, I actually have to run, but I did want to start to get some of these thoughts onto paper (blog?)

Hit 5 miles today!

Okay, so I have been continuing my training but have not been journaling here. I think I need to make a renewed effort so that I can find the right balance of diet and length to optimize my training. Here's the stats that are from memory:

5/20/08 - 2 miles (ran it all) neighborhood (thought I was going to die going up the hills, but felt great the rest of the time)
5/24/08 - 2 miles (ran it all) Track (felt great!)
5/25/08 - 2.5 miles (ran it all) track (felt pretty good, but was tired)
5/27/08 - 2.5 miles (ran it all) track (felt great!)
4/1/08 - 3 miles (ran it all!) track (felt great, even like I could do more)
4/3/08 - 3.25 miles (ran it all and that .25 makes a difference!) track (felt good, but really tuckered out for the last 2-3 laps, started getting sore in pelvic bone and started running the opposite direction for those laps)
4/5/08 - 5.? miles (ran most, but had to walk some) neighborhood (I started out very slow and my legs felt like lead. It eased up as we went further. Was a big mental battle.)

My friend, Trisha, was telling me that there are certain foods that if she eats the night before a run, she really struggles the next day. So, I am going to keep track of any meals before the run now:

4/4/08 - Dinner - Penne noodles w/ alfredo sauce from Olive Garden, fresh fruit (pineapple, grapes, cantelope, honeydew), a few carrots. I may have had a muffin and some milk later on, can't quite remember!
4/5/08 - I piece of wheat bread w/ PB & cup of tropical fresh fruit smoothie/drink 40 minutes before run

New goals for a new year

Okay, so it's not January first, but I haven't posted on here all year! I have really been trying to figure out why I didn't stick with my exercise goals from last summer. I have lots of reasons/excuses:

• It was too hard once school started ... I was exhausted and not able to work out fully if I got up before Aubrey went to school, and if I waited until after I dropped her off Braden would be all over me wanting attention making it impossible to workout. I couldn't work out during nap time, because that is time that I needed to work (I work from home).
• I joined the PTA board, and that took up a lot of time (especially with the fundraiser)
• I joined the Sandy City Orchestra. Gotta practice!
• I started a new four month seminar. Call it self improvement, call it education for life. I was bettering myself so I could be a better Mom, wife and Carrie! ;)
• I wanted to go for runs in the evening with Aubrey, but there's never enough time to get everything done as it is and if she's not in bed at 8pm, she is a basket case in the morning trying to get ready for school. And THEN it got too cold.
  
• If I tried doing workout videos in the evening, then I would be all keyed up for bedtime. How can you be healthy without sleep?
• My sisters and I started a company. Gotta work on that with what little extra time I do have.
  
• Blah, blah blah blah blah!

Those are just some of the many procrastinating thoughts that I have allowed to rule my mind since the end of September. But honestly they are just words. A few weeks ago I invited a family over for dinner from our ward, Trisha, Glen and their three kiddlings. Trisha told me about how she was gearing up for a half marathon in May with some of the other girls in the ward. I made a HUGE (grin) mistake and told her that I have had this secret wish of knowing what it is like to be a runner. She invited me to come run with them telling me that she would slow down for me as I get started. I was like naw, no thanks! As I stewed over it for the next few days, I realized it was just what I needed. I needed some people in my life to help me stay accountable. I needed a goal to work towards that was tangible. So, GUESS WHO'S TRAINING FOR A HALF MARATHON IN MAY??? That's right I AM!!!!!!!

I am actually on my third week now and going strong. Can you believe that we are getting up and going to the track and Dimple Dell at 5:45 am?!? Yup! And this week I went twice on my own, because the others were either sick or slept in. Here's what I've done so far

Week 1
2/19/08 - 2.0 miles (ran .9, walked 1.1)
2/21/08 - 2.3 miles (ran 1.1, walked 1.3)

Week 2
2/25/08 - 2.5 miles (ran 1.3, walked 1.2)
2/28/08 - 2.5 miles (ran 1.3, walked 1.2)
3/1/08 - 2.5 miles (ran 1.3, walked 1.2) *slept in by mistake, but went on my own anyway!

week 3
3/3/08 - 2.7 miles (ran 1.5, walked 1.2)
3/4/08 - 1.7 miles (ran 1, walked .7) *went on my own, but was pretty exhausted, so cut it short.
3/6/08 - 2.7 miles (ran 1.5, walked 1.2)

I'm working on getting my base mileage (running) up to 3 miles. Starting March 30th, we will start the official training plan which should help us get ready to run the full 13.1 miles. Two of our girls are injured and running in the pool. (They did too much, too fast), but hoping to be ready by then.