Correction

Just to stay honest, I have modified my swearing off wine policy to one night a week excluding nights my husband works all day and all night and does not come home, just to be honest, amen.

The Calendar must be lying

Today I looked at the date and almost died. I usually am oblivious to the date, just following autopilot and living day to day because the days have been so overscheduled and crazy lately. How can it already be the end of October, I should know this since the house has been decorated for Halloween, we went to a fabulous and fun Halloween party last night, the costumes are purchased and we are listening to Halloween music as I right this, but somehow, I always had it in my head that the 1/2 marathon in January would not get scary until November and now November is a week away! Yikes and since the 1/2 is January 9th that means I only have two months left to train, it is essentially crunch time. Time to sink or swim and I plan on becoming an olympic swimmer!

So to recap, I started in April a full fledged heffalump, unhealthy, not exercising, horrible eater, overall 100 pounds overweight and depressed. I decided to start running and change my life and loose weight and get healthy while raising money for breast cancer. It has indeed been a journey, but it is still the beginning. I have lost weight, but still have a lot to lose, I have made incredible progress in my running, but still have a long way to go. I have changed my eating habits, fallen in love with a new sport, become addicted to races, made new friends, met wonderful people along the way and gotten my children, husband and friends involved in my journey.

I have been slowly trying to remove the unhealthy habits piece by piece. First, I started exercising, then I gave up soda, then I gave up fast food, then, I changed the way I approached food, focusing on making small changes. I would use mustard instead of mayonaise for example, I would use light cheese instead of full fat. Now there is only one BIG change I need to make. I am ready to do it, I have to do it, I think this will help me lose the 20 pounds I want to lose by January 9. I am going to mostly cut all alcohol out of my diet. I am going to allow myslef one night for date nights, events ect, but by and by I am going dry. I am considering myself pregnant and this 1/2 marathon and full marathon is my baby.

I hope this will improve my running, my weight loss and my overall health. It will be hard on the stressful days, on the tough days, when a glass of wine seems like the only antidote, but I will find some other reward system for a bad day.

This is a journey and I need to make this happen, for me, for my kids, for my husband, for my future.

If you think you can you will for it's all in the state of mind....

6 months in, a lifetime to go

Six months ago, I looked in the mirror and cried. Starting about two months ago I started looking in the mirror and said hey is that a chin I see, hey I am kind of cute! I see myself again. I was never beautiful or gorgeous, I was always the cute spunky athletic one and I liked that, I kind of see myself that way again and it feels good.

I am not sure how much weight I have lost, I do know that I have been walking out of my jeans and yes Nik does get a few kicks out of this. I also know that my XL workout gear has been falling off me. Kind if cool, I am not existing on salads and fruit only, I still eat nachos and burgers and drink, but more in moderation, I just ate two mini twix, it is Halloween season, what do you expect?????

I find myself getting more and more emotional. I hear songs in my ipod while I am running and start crying. This was just so hard to do, it is easy to think it to want it, but it is soooooo hard to make it happen, and I kind of have been making it happen. I could not have done any of this without my amazing husband. Take yesterday, I left him with all four kids in Boston while I went to run the Tufts 10k. He did it with a smile on his face, what a stud right? Yep, he rules!

It was an awesome Autumn day, we took the train before 8am into Boston and then the T, the kids were in train heaven. We surfed the swag, scoped the common and the kids ran the challenging kids 1k race. This is my fave part about my journey, getting my kids addicted to running and races, they are already junkies! They love getting the numbers and the snacks after of course. I am so proud of them!

I always get so nervous before a race and this was insame over 6500 women lining up for this race. Of course sheepishly I go to line up behind the sign 10 plus minutes miles. It was very exciting! I ran the fastest I could possibly run, it was very overwhelming people tripping over each other and so many people everywhere, the course was incredible, running along the charles, down through Charles street, back down Commonwealth, what an incredible 6 mile route, women of all ages, shapes and sizes and abilities.

I ran my fastest pae, 12:36 mile pace, fast for me, incredible because 6 months ago running for 5 minutes was impossible and look at me now!!!

Anything is possible! If I can do it, you can do it, I have never felt more alive than how I feel when I am running. If you believe it, you can do it so get off your ass and go do it and feel free to call me and do it with me! Come running, it is awesome!

Updates

Well, it has been a month since I posted, but don't think I have not been training, because I have! I am actually up to 9 miles on my long runs, yes 9 miles!!!!! It took me 2.5 hours, but I did it!

September was tough though due to the hectic pace of back to school life and getting the kids adjusted into their activities and the fact that I am coaching field hockey in addition to my gig as a travel agent and mom to four and on the PTO, so it has been crazy.

No cross training this month, something I hope to improve in October. I have been averaging only 2-3 runs a week, I need to average a solid 3 from now on. I typically run 1-2 5 miles courses and try to do a tempo run where I run as fast as I can and then run a more average pace for some, but my course has lot of hills. I have noticed that after these runs, my shins act up a bit which I imagine is due to the pounding when I run faster.

Weight loss is slow, but still happening and that makes me happy. Dropped out of weight watchers, because I feel empowered now that I know how to mke the right choices and I can weigh myself. Not that I do it very often!

I love running! I love seeing my body change. I love the feeling of accomplishment I have at the end of a long run.
I love it so much that I just joined the Tufts Marathon Challenge. www.tuftsmarathonchallenge.com If all goes well, maybe I can run the Boston Marathon.


It is frustrating when it rains like today and I have days when I don't want to run, but I still go, except not in the rain, too scared of getting injured.

My biggest fears are of the sweep bus. I have to improve my pace and only have three months to do it.

3 months!!!! I am scared.

And the Clock Ticks

Sorry I have been neglecting my blog lately, just enjoying the final days of summer. So some random things I have learned about running and me as a runner from my perspective.

1. I hope I never have to run on a treadmill again, I feel like it is not running and it is impossible to get that feeling of spiritual freedom and release you can achieve when outside from running on a treadmill.
2. Running as a sport is way more complicated than Field Hockey.
3. Having an ample chest easily should grant you a 3 minute per mile handicap in races,
4. Running alone does not make you lose weight, in fact, it makes you hungrier.
5. My legs are starting to get scary with the muscles that are appearing.
6. I am not an early morning runner, I am more of a 9am runner or a 5pm runner.
7. I subscribed to my first running magazine!
8. I now fully understand hydration and look like a complete goober when I run with my hydration belt filled with GNU water bottles.
9. I know I need to start strength training and core training, that is my next mystery to challenge.
10. I am up to 7.3 miles on my long run and ran for 2 hours straight last week.
11. I am terrified by my slow pace. I am not getting faster yet and it scares me.
12. Sometimes a run still really hurts and is mentally tough as well as physically tough.
13. This is a sport I would like to continue for the rest of my life.
14. I think it is amusing when so may people tell me they can never run long distances,, but yet have never tried and are way more fit than me and a million pounds lighter.
15. Everyone can run if you just get out there and do it and believe you can.
16. If you don't think you can do it, you won't, if you believe you can, you will!


Some random thoughts above. I have been having fun with training, dealing with a lot of anxiety of will I be ready can I do this now that the main event is only four months away. I know when the cold weather sets in I am going to have to purchase and learn about running with a whole new set of gear.

My plan now that school is coming next week is to run between 3 and 5 miles Monday and Wednesday, do a long run Friday am. Cross train and strength train Tuesday and Thursday and look for fun races on the weekends. I am hoping I can drop another 30 pounds in the next four months.

I need to turn on the juice when it comes to fundraising. Hopefully people will realize that this is the real deal now and I am really going to run 13 miles in Disney with the hope of raising a couple of thousands of dollars to fight breast cancer. The plane tickets have been purchased, my body is in training, this is plan in motion.

Come run with me! Honk at me if you see me running come to my party at flynnies in early November, buy a raffle ticket for the raffle I am going to have, mostly, please support me in my quest to fight cancer!

A week of Ups and Downs

Downs

-Failed to accomplish my first Long 6 mile run last Saturday.
-Was alone most of the week since my husband worked a gazillion hours an went away all last Sunday leaving me little time to run when scheduled to run.
-Had horrific pain in my right shin develop causing me to fear I had a stress fracture.
-Found out the inserts I had gotten from ALIGN were too hard and most likely causing my second round of shin splints.


Ups

-Learned from my mistakes from my failed long run.
-Bought two different hydration system, a hand held bottle and a belt and poweraid and GNU.
-Got myself a running buddy!
-Had x-rays done which were normal and saw an orthopod who said my exam seemed inconsistent with fractures and consistent with shin splints, told me to keep running and start taking Advil 3x 3 a day. That's a lot of advil!
-Got myself some new softer inserts.

Really Upity Ups

-Ran my fastest 5K yet in 38:18 at a 12:22 pace!
-Shins felt good afterward!
-Ran 6.2 miles Saturday AM and it felt awesome!

Accomplishing those 6.2 miles felt amazing, I really believe I can do this!

Live and Learn

So,all week long I have been freaked out knowing Saturday would be my first long run or 6 miles, or was supposed to be. I had two good 3 mile range runs Tuesday and Thursday and had run 3 miles or so last Saturday so I was back on track. Shins have there moments on and off but overall healthy. I was nervous and tense, well freaked out about this impending 6 mile run all day Friday.


I mapped out a gorgeous flat course along the ocean and started mentally preparing myself. Whay am I so freaked out? I ran a 5 mile race and did it, 6 can't be much worse. Something in my head was causing me to have a mental block. A bock that was filling me with anxiety and dread.

I awoke Saturday morning and started freaking out about hydration. I had been learning all week long from fellow all ears team members about hydration strategies and replacing electrolytes and how important this is. So, I was drinking water and coffee, Saturday morning which then resulted in bathroom trips and then I was full so I did not eat anything, I was nervous and could not get my sneakers tied just the right way. I was feeling pressure and the "I can't do this" voice was having a party in my brain. Stupidly, I did not head out until 9ish. It was a warm beach day and was 80ish. I did not bring any water never mind electrolyte water, nor money. DADADADUM< the death noise, I killed my run with that step.

I started out with the usual first 10 minutes hard, sneakers, needed to be adjusted, shins sore, sports bra tugging, but after 20 minutes settled into a groove, I was running super slow on purpose to conserve energy, I was just about mile 3 the turn around point at the end of Nahant beach when it hit me. The nauseating feeling of heat exhaustion, face burning, stomach upset, feeling like I might pass out, I weighed continuing, but without water, was afraid of really hurting myself.

I have been spoiled by the races with water stops along the way and hoses. I admitted defeat and the frustrating part was that I knew I could do it, make it the whole way, had I had water.

After walking the last 3 miles, trying not to feel too defeated, but I did, I went to the running store and bought myself a hydration belt. I also bought the lemon lime flavor GU20 electrolyte powder mix and some GU energy gels.

Of course, I was painfully reminded that I am still a Heffalump after three months of hard work when the first two hydration belts would not fit around my waist, as if my self esteem had not already taken a hard enough hit today with my failed run.

Anyhow, the 6 mile run is rescheduled for Tuesday, Monday I am going to try a timed mile. Still need to get a Garmin, not sure if I should splurge on the heart monitor with it or not, can't imagine wearing the chest strap to be honest and the hydration belt and the Garmin while running.

Overall, I am in a bit of a slump I would say, too many long exhausting days alone with the kids. I have gained a couple of pounds which is annoying due to the numerous nights out and weddings and such we have been doing. I need to get this 6 mile run out of the way Tuesday and hopefully that will get me more confidence.