Just Plodding Along

First things first....NEW PR. Yeah Baby. A double digit PR at that. I will take it. Official time 4:28:59. Not my A goal but I am proud of what I did that day and feel I gave everything I had to give on that day. I thought I might wake up the day after or today and feel like I could have done more. But nope still super excited about my new PR!  When I crossed the finish line the first words out of my mouth as I stood hunched over with my hands on my knees was "God I hate marathons". I do. I really, really do. But I also love them. I think because, using the words of first time marathoner Patrice, it never fails to serve up a nice big piece of humble pie at some point. 26.2 miles is a long freaking way and I don't think running a marathon will ever be a walk in the park for me. I always have a point somewhere along the course where I regret the very poor life choice I made to run a marathon. But then I finish and there is really nothing like the feeling of finishing a...

...until the Albany marathon. Whaaatttt. I am so excited. I thought I would be more nervous. Maybe that will come later....and I always get a bit nervous the morning of. I think the fact that I have seen a lot of progress this training cycle in my speed and strength gives me confidence that I can go out there and run strong. Goals: A Goal: Finish time of 4:20 or less. Just to put that in perspective that will be almost a 25 minute PR from my last marathon. This goal is ambitious and I feel ready to run hard and give it my best. B Goal: Under 4:44. That would still be a PR so still exciting. C Goal: Just to finish. The marathon distance is hard for me. I never quite know how it is going to go. 26 miles is a long time to stay focused and execute a race plan. I feel every time I cross the finish at the marathon it is a big achievement. It is funny the last few marathons I have run I have really enjoyed the training cycle. I feel like I have gotten stronger and become a bit faster...

        Okay people the Albany marathon is this week! Who is excited and nervous? This girl. Training for this marathon has gone extremely well. A big part of that is due to me having an awesome coach. I thought you all would like to meet him and learn more about him. World meet my coach Buddy!     Have you always been a runner? How did you start running? What are your favorite distances? Any must have running gear? What is your favorite post run snack? I have not always been a runner. I thought running was boring and senseless. In high school I quit playing baseball because I had no desire to run 3 miles a day. Since, as a 15 year old I knew everything, I knew for sure the furthest I needed to run in baseball was 90 feet. Maybe 180 if I wanted to leg out a double. Either distance far short of 3 miles. So I decided to focus on playing drums in rock bands and drinking. As it turns out, running wasn't senseless….I was. Some would argue that I ...

Saturday night I made sure to methodically prepare for my Sunday 22 mile run by....oh no wait this happened It was Christa's birthday so we had to go out Amanda, Victoria, Christa, Jordan, and me livin large at The Loft for comedy night Happy Birthday Christa!!! Hope it was a great one! ehhh I was still in bed by 11 and kept the celebrating to a minimum amount so was still able to peel myself out of bed and get my run on. I am that person. You know the one that leaves any and all sorts of events early because I have a long run in the morning. And I am not even sorry about it (okay I was a little sorry these girls are fun and the second band was apparently awesome). I have never trained so hard for something in my life as I have for Albany. And I think it is paying off. Ran 22 miles in 3:36:56 today. The fastest I have ever run 22 miles and that was even with over dressing and sweating an unnatural amount. See below splits sent to coach in an email after: 3:39:56...

Another 55 mile week. Monday 6 miles Tuesday 6 miles plus 2 with C25K Wednesday 6 miles Thursday 7 miles plus 2 with C25K Friday 10 miles Saturday rest Sunday 16 miles Total fail on the cross training front. Though I did do some core and hip exercises on my own. My goal for this week is to get to body pump and yoga at least three times (so then maybe I get there twice).  I have noticed that I have been in a bit of a mood lately. Mostly of the bitchy variety. I think all this exercise might be making me a bit tired. So sorry world if I have been less than pleasant. I will work on it.

Things that happen when you go from running three days a week to six, from 10 miles a week to over 50: Must eat all the things. And I thought I was hangry before.  Laundry. So much laundry. And then if I also cross train, even more outfits. It is not so much the washing, folding is just the worst. And then apparently they are supposed to go back in the dresser. That part is just so difficult to get motivated to do.  Tired, so very tired. I would like to make a motion that naps become part of everyone's day. Can I get a second?  Running six miles seems like no big deal. Unless you throw a mini fit like I did this morning and then it seems like a very big deal and you will feel like a ridiculous person the rest of the day. Sometimes running is just hard and you don't feel like doing it. Boo hoo poor me. But I did it anyway.  Yesterday the other LT wives and I had a cookie social with some of the wives of the various commanders and high ranking important pee...

I have been trying to figure out what I want to do next. I signed up for the Publix Atlanta Marathon at the end of March. But that race is hilly. HILLY. So after talking to my friend Buddy about wanting to PR again in the marathon he suggested the Albany marathon which a flat and fast course in the beginning of March. This would let me try to PR and still run the Atlanta one for fun. And then words like track workouts and tempo runs started coming out of his mouth. Basically he is ready for us to train hard and kill it. I can get behind that. So I made it official and wrote it down on our Live Big Challenge board at work. You know when you write it down it becomes real. And I might have put I want to finish around 4:20 or less.......so I might have got a little excited and ambitious. But we are going to go for it. Dream big! I can do hard things (and any other mottos that may assist as needed). So March 1st is go time. Albany we are coming for you. My new theme song just ...