5k Tomorrow!

Tomorrow morning I am going to run in a 5k!  It's been AGES since I've run a 5k, so this should be a great change of pace.  My heel is still bothering me, but I figure that I will be fine since the race is so incredibly short.  : ) It'll be over before I know that it has even started, at least that's what I'm hoping.  My goal for tomorrow is to a run a 22 something...We'll see if I can do it, the boys are coming to cheer for me which might help me run a little faster!  

13.1 Lessons Learned!

A few lessons learned from Sunday's half marathon experience:

1. Do not run everyday in the week leading up to the race because something is gonna hurt after the race and linger on throughout the next week.  My right heel is killing me, I ran six miles yesterday and I'm back to limping around on my toes.
2. If you need new shoes, buy them prior to running the race.  This goes back to #1, my heel really hurts!  
   
3. Buy yourself a post race treat, whether it's a hot cup of coffee or a donut (or, BOTH!) and enjoy the ride home.
4. Wear a watch because believe it or not, there may not be one single clock on the course.  Not one.
5. Relish in your soreness the next two days.  Sounds crazy, right?
6. Have a mantra while you're running.  While running on Sunday, I kept telling myself "Use your arms, take it easy, and enjoy the moment."  It really worked and helped me to relax and reminded me to look around.
7. Even if it's raining, a cup of cold water down your back feels really, really good at mile ten.
8. Drink!  Walk through the stop if you have to, but drink, drink, drink!
9. Think about something that brings you happiness while you're running.  I thought about my boys and how much I couldn't wait to walk in the door and hug them, even our dog!
10. Smile for the camera.  Flash a peace sign if you'd like...
11. Do not over-dress!  I had on a long sleeved shirt, which I took off around mile four because I was so hot.  Due to my lack of planning and thinking, I had to move my number down to my shorts, remove the shirt, and situate it around my waist.  Total pain!  
12. Use your arms up the hills, give your legs a break.  
13. SPRINT to the finish line.  Pick out a person you'd like to pass, especially someone of the same gender/age group.
14. And, since there is a .1 ~~~ Give a pray of thanks for having a healthy and fit body.

Better Day

For the past two mornings I have been able to escape from the babies and run a little bit.  Thank goodness!  I love them, but I really need just thirty minutes to myself to start the day.  The rain and a sick little one certainly make for a long day.  This morning my running friend and I got in a little over five miles in forty-one minutes.  Hurray!  I felt fantastic, not tired at all!  Maybe I'll be able to pull out a 1:50 half marathon in two weeks?  Maybe--if the course is not insanely hilly and as long as it's not incredibly hot and humid.  This weather has been fantastic for running, I love running in spring rain. It's a great start to the day.  I am hopeful to get in another five miler tomorrow morning.  We'll see!  

Frustrated with running.

Running has been really frustrating lately.  I'm tired!  Normally I run in the mornings, but I've been so tired lately that I just haven't been able to drag myself out of bed.  I wanted to do a long run on Sunday morning, but the thought of getting out of bed before seven o'clock made me want to cry.  So, I listened to my body and enjoyed the extra few hours of sleep.  

This weekend I ran in the AB 10k, which was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I didn't even try to race it because I know my body just isn't ready yet.  It was great to get in six miles, but I was completely annoyed with myself for the rest of the day for not at least setting a goal.  

For some reason I am planning on running in a half in just two weeks.  I'm going to set a goal this time and even wear a watch.  We'll see how it goes.  A good goal at this point would be something around an hour and fifty minutes, or so.  I haven't run that far since the last half, but I'm still going to try my best.  

Now that tax season is behind us, I'm thinking that I will be able to get out on a more consistent basis.  At least I'm hopeful for that because right now I feel completely frustrated with myself, even though I haven't had a full night sleep since last spring some time.  I'll sleep again one day, right?  

100 Push Up Challenge

Well, I've been doing this 100 push up challenge that I've read about on the "Internets".   And, WOW!  My stomach, or baby gut, is slowly but surely shrinking!  There's some abdominal definition, which makes me very happy.  Oh, and my arms?  They're stronger, too.  It's an easy program and doesn't require too much extra time.  Completing the set usually takes about ten to fifteen minutes because of the extra long breaks I like to take!  I struggled to complete a mere eleven push ups at first, and now I'm doing anywhere from fifteen to twenty push ups per set.  My arms have yet to fall off!  So, that's been helping my running and my psyche.  

Running is a lot of the same.  It's tax time and it's hard to escape for too long on Saturday mornings with the girls.  We only have a week left, so I am hopeful that  I can get in a ten miler (at least) before this next half marathon.  So far this week I've run two mornings with my friend, five miles each time.  Not bad.  We leave for vacation soon, so I'm going to try to run as much as I can between now and that time.  This way the pressure to run will be a tad bit less, though I'm sure I'll be itching to get out there (or, find a  gym, at least!)  

Runner's Commandments:

A fellow blogging/runner had this posted on her blog. I thought I would steal it and share it as well. I love them all, but I think I need to print it out and post it on my fridge.

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing.
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.
9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
17. Talk like a runner. “Singlets” are worn on warm days. “Tank tops” are worn to the beach.
18. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
19. Don’t always run alone.
20. Don’t always run with people.
21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.
24. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.
25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.
27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
28. If you say, “Let’s run this race together,” then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.
29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people
32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
34. Don’t try to outrun dogs.
35. Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of shape, or not feeling well.
36. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.
37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
39. Without goals, training has no purpose.
40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.
42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
45. “Winning” means different things to different people.
46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.
47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.
48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn't look good in tights.
49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.
51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
52. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.
53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow I am going to register for my sixth marathon! Wahoo! I can't believe this will be the sixth one, something's really wrong with my brain. This one will certainly be challenging with going back to work in the fall, trying to be a good wife, and now keeping up with two babies. It'll work out, though. I plan on using the same training program, Hal Higdon's Novice marathon program. It's doable, and the long runs are not too freakishly long. A bunch of friends are signing up, too, so running this summer will be lots of fun!

It's been ages since I updated this blog. Over the course of the past month I've run a half, taken a week off due to a sinus infection, and started running longer runs during the week. It's been a great month and I'm so thankful to have an outlet during tax season. The runs with my friends help my spirit tremendously, and the runs by myself are just as important. It's valuable to have some quiet time, as well as friend time.

Now that I'm thinking ahead to this marathon, I'll try to start updating the blog more frequently...