New Motivation – New Race

July 5, 2010 by 4 Comments

Instead of an inspirational quote for this week’s Monday Motivation, I chose to register for another race….and this time it’s a 10k! After years of hearing so much about the spirit and camaraderie of this event, I decided this morning to register for the Tufts 10k for Women!

I am once again both psyched and nervous! As I went for a run this morning in 80-plus degrees, I wondered how in the world I’m going to double my mileage to comfortably finish the 6.2 miles while training in the summer’s heat. On the good side, the race isn’t until October 11 so there is time…but training in the heat will be unavoidable.

So now I’m trying to decide on a 10k training plan to follow, cause the one thing I definitely learned from working up to my 5k is that my running is much more productive when I have a game plan. But the question is, which plan to follow? I’ve looked at Running Planet’s 10k program for Beginning Competitors and their 10k for Recreational Runners ; and then there’s Cool Running’s Beginner’s 10k . These are free programs, then there a whole host of fee-based programs. So how does one decide? And how long do you need to train – some of these programs are 12 weeks while others are 8? I’ve got 14 weeks til race day so I’ll need to figure all this out fairly soon.

In any event, it’s nice to have a new target and new motivation!

signature
Filed Under: Monday Motivation, race, training, Tufts 10k

July already?!?!

July 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment

July already?!?! I know everybody seems to be saying that but it really does feel like the first half of this year flew by in a blink…especially the month of June.

When I laced up for my run yesterday I realized it was my first run in two months without a target – I’ve been focused on getting ready for my first 5K and completing the C25K program. Now the race has come and gone and as I headed out I thought….ok, now what?

So the mid-point of the year seems like a good time to set some goals to carry me through to the frosty days of December.

  1. Run two more 5k races, improving my time with each race. The beauty of being a newbie runner is each race is a PR!
  2. Run a 10k race
  3. Increase my monthly mileage each month. I added 10 miles in June over May so with goals 1 & 2 this one shouldn’t be a stretch.
  4. Embrace hill repeats into my training. I loathe hills so this one will be a real challenge!
  5. Continue to improve my eating habits and find the food/drink that works best for me both pre- and post-run.
  6. Continue the weight training routines I started with the trainer. The trainer sessions are done but I feel like I was making progress, especially with my “angry” left leg and I do not want to regress.
  7. Identify races for 2011….including….dare I say it….a half marathon!

That ought to keep me busy and challenged! 🙂

Would love to hear what others goals are for the rest of 2010! Happy running everyone!

 

signature
Filed Under: C25K, goals, race, training

Everyone should Run Like a Mother!

July 1, 2010 by 6 Comments

I’d heard about the book Run Like A Mother and had been meaning to check it out. Got to read a few pages with the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon and I was hooked. I quickly downloaded the book to my Kindle (love that instant gratification!) and started reading. I was not disappointed!

Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity

I love that I walked away feeling like I know Dimity and Sarah – like we’d been hanging out with a cup of coffee (or maybe I should say on a long run) while they imparted all of this great wisdom to this newbie runner! No subject is off-limits! It’s funny, intelligent and very real.  I love the quotes from the collection of mom runners – very inspiring and easy to relate to, whether you’re running your first 5k or 2nd marathon.

I now also enjoy the RLAM blog and Facebook page , and know I’ll go back to this book again and again for a good laugh, a useful tip and some always appreciated motivation!

 

signature
Filed Under: fave things, product reviews

First Race Report!!!

June 28, 2010 by 6 Comments

My first race report — feels so good to say that!

Quite simply, I had so much fun this morning!

The whole family was up and out fairly easily this morning. The boys were really excited to go cheer on mom and while I was initially a little nervous when I first woke up, I quickly got swept up in their enthusiasm. My goal for the day was to just enjoy the whole experience and have fun! This sentiment was summed up in my choice of t-shirt which said “Breathe Deeply. Appreciate the Moment.”

Once we got to the race, I kissed the boys & hubby goodbye and joined the masses heading to the starting line. While waiting for the race to start I chatted with several runners – whenever they heard I was a newbie runner everyone was so encouraging and positive. It was a great atmosphere! They were a little slow getting the race started but when the start was finally announced, everyone let out a big cheer and we were off!

I was really worried about going out too fast, especially with such a flat course, but it didn’t take me long to get into a comfortable pace (thank goodness for the playlist I created last night!).

It was great seeing my guys cheering as I reached the first mile marker. I swear there’s no better sound than the kiddos yelling “Go Mommy Go!”

I was psyched about how good my left leg was feeling – the kicker for me was the heat. The sun was so intense – it was pushing 80 degrees already! About half way through I was wishing I had worn my visor just to help keep the sun from beating on my forehead.

When we made the last turn, I could see where we had parked and knew I was close to the end – time to push. I had promised myself to finish strong!

 (I love that my hubby caught me smiling here – I had just spotted my guys near the finish)

(The only other minor negative of the day apart from the heat, was that the race timer was not working properly so the “official race times” were off — good thing I kept my own time on my watch!)

After the race, I milled around chatting with other runners in the food line and with some of the sponsors. I ended up talking with reps from EAS Myloplex about what makes a good post-workout drink.  I had brought the new Gatorade Recover 03 with me to the race but it was unbelievably sweet and I just couldn’t drink it! I tried the Myloplex Lite Chocholate Cream and really liked it.  The reps even asked me if they could take a picture of me holding the product in front of their booth – of course I said yes! How fun!

As we headed home, I just felt very satisfied. It was so cool to set a goal like this and have it realized in a few short weeks! So I have my first finisher medal and must admit I’m thinking about my next race….I might be hooked!

signature
Filed Under: product reviews, race, race report

In Praise of Yamuna Body Rolling

June 25, 2010 by 2 Comments

A few weeks ago in one of my many attempts to clean my hall closet, I came across my Yamuna Body Rolling balls tucked away on a shelf. I decided to put them to use again and now I cannot imagine why I ever let them disappear into the abyss of my closet in the first place!

Yamuna Body Rolling is a series of routines using 6 – 10 inch balls specifically designed for the practice. According to the YBR website:

“(it) works the way a hands-on practitioner works -only using a ball. The ball replaces hands as it moves on muscles to stretch them, dislodge tension and discomfort, increase blood flow, and promote healing. Lying over the ball, you literally roll your body out almost like dough, stretching and elongating your muscles. The YBR routines follow specific sequences that match the body’s own logic and order. Starting where each muscle begins, at its origin, you roll toward where it attaches to the point called its insertion.”

I was introduced to Yamuna Body Rolling by a couple of my pilates instructors (one of who also runs marathons) and took a few classes to learn some of the routines. But eventually, making time to do the routines became less and less of a priority….too busy rushing around….and lo and behold, the balls ended up in the back of the closet!

However, in these past couple of weeks, I have been making the time to do a couple of the routines, both the night before a morning run and following a run (much harder with the kids and the demands of the day calling), as well as after a weights workout. I’m finding the level of soreness in my muscles is diminished, and that alone is reason to continue to make time for it!

signature
Filed Under: fave things, tips, Yamuna Body Rolling

Pain is temporary

June 21, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Pain is temporary. 
It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day
or a year, but eventually it will subside
and something else will take its place. 
If I quit, however, it lasts forever.
                                                    –Lance Armstrong

Looking forward to a fairly low-key week: a couple of easy runs, my final weights session with the trainer and lots and lots of stretching!

signature
Filed Under: Monday Motivation, Quotes

Final week in the books

June 20, 2010 by 1 Comment

Finished my last run of the C25K program. I wish I could say it was a great run but let’s just say humidity, hills and an angry stomach made for a very l-o-n-g three miles! Note to self — choose what you eat the night before a run wisely!

On the good side, there’s been no knee pain at all this week. I’m feeling fairly confident that since they’ve held up on the hills this week they should feel fine on the flat course of the race.  Just one week to go till race day!

signature
Filed Under: C25K, race

random observations from the road

June 15, 2010 by 3 Comments

Hit the road this morning to start the final week of the C25K program . It was an absolutely picture perfect morning and I actually turned my iPod off (gasp!) and just took in the run.

  • it is amazing how many drivers are busy doing something else other than looking at the road
  • every one should walk or run along the road once, it would make them more considerate when behind the wheel!
  • 6:30 am is too early for a young girl to be waiting by herself for a school bus
  • older men are far more courteous (read – say “good morning,” move aside on the sidewalk, etc.) than their younger counterparts
  • running through puddles is inevitable
  • there are too many hills in my town
  • do hills ever get easier?
  • love that I no longer feel so wiped out after a run!

signature
Filed Under: C25K, general musings, observations

Impossible is Nothing

June 14, 2010 by 2 Comments
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by
small men  who find it easier to live in the world
they’ve been given than to explore the power
they have to change it. 
Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. 
Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. 
Impossible is potential. 
Impossible is temporary. 
Impossible is nothing.”
                                                              Muhammad Ali
A big shout out to Paige at Two Runners and A Brown Dog for sharing this quote on her blog a while back. It resonated with me immediately!

Have a great Monday!

signature
Filed Under: Monday Motivation, Quotes

Another first – a rain run

June 13, 2010 by 1 Comment

I am seriously what you could call a “fair weather” runner and have used the weather as my excuse for why I couldn’t run. “It’s too cold,” “It’s too hot”…or (the most often used) “It’s raining!” That is until this morning. I had planned to run at 6 but woke to the sound of steady rain which easily justified me rolling over to go back to sleep. I clung to my pillow for as long as possible until Thing 1, Thing 2 and the dog made that impossible — time to escape the chaos and go run!

When I came downstairs to head out, my hubby informed me that according to weather.com’s hourly forecast I had a break before the next showers were to begin. Sounded good to me so out the door I went – but I decided at the last second to leave my iPod behind just in case I didn’t want it soaked.  Well… let’s just say Mother Nature has a sense of humor cause I was no more than 2 minutes into my run when the rain started again. As I hit my first hill, it was now a steady rain and I was quickly getting soaked. But instead of turning for home, as I might have done in the past, I decided to just embrace it. Besides I kept telling myself, you can’t control the weather the day of the race so you might as well see what you can do in the rain! Without my iPod (another first for me!), I just listened to the rain fall and my own breathing — it was very peaceful. And as I hit my second hill I was feeling oddly good, my pace was still steady and my left leg was cooperating. The rain subsided and the rest of the run felt good…I even managed to shave a little time off from my previous runs this week! And….drumroll please….I actually didn’t mind running in the rain!

So week 8 of C25K is in the books – final week coming up and still 2 weeks til race day!

signature
Filed Under: C25K, general musings, race, training