Oh no.. I'm starting to get nervous

Oh my gosh. Panic is setting in. I am a very slow runner, about 4 miles an hour to be exact and that might include a little walking here and there. Which means, no problem finishing the Seattle 1/2 and Vegas 1/2 before the courses close. However, I'm getting nervous. A little panicky to be exact. I ran 8 miles last Saturday. Took about 4 hours. Now foot hurts, big surprise. Foot will live. Just need to ice and stretch blah blah blah.

Anyway, there are 5 weeks left of training and 5 long runs. 8 miles, 9 miles, 10 miles then the taper off to 6 and 4 then race week. Panic is here. Okay deep breath! That's not working...

Oops...

There are a lot of things going on. First and foremost, I'll be doing the Seattle Half Marathon in November, not the full. My original training schedule was for a full, then I was updating the schedule and updated off the half marathon schedule so I've been under training. Anyway, I'm doing the half. Which I'm fine with. I only started this crazy adventure to make sure I kept running and got in shape. That is definitely happening. Can you say "Incredible shrinking ass?" I can. Mine is smaller, kinda flat looking. Definitely need to fix that part, but the shrinking part is great.

So to recap: Seattle Half (running) in November, Las Vegas Rock & Roll half a week later (walking with a bunch of friends and Rock & Roll full in Seattle in June!

The unbearable hip and back pain are going away. All the thanks to the chiropractor and his magic stretching along with the adjustments. My back is so much better and my hips don't hurt as much when I walk and run. Last weeks Wednesday run was only 3 miles, but it felt great and there was no walking involved.

Enjoy your week. Looks like it's going to be a cold week for running in Burien.

Yep, I'm back.

I really didn't go anywhere, but it's been a busy few weeks with The Dessert Kitchen. Running has been good. The pain in my hips and back though have been increasingly more painful each week. I finally went to the chiropractor last weekend and got an adjustment for my back. It felt better right after, but was so bad on Sunday, I didn't run. I haven't ever missed a run for my hip/back pain.

The pain is still hanging in there though a little less. I'm going to take the dreaded ibuprofen. Dreaded for me because I'm allergic. I'm going to run my scheduled 5 miles today and then go to the Chiropractor. Hopefully some movement will loosen things up and put the pain in the right direction.

Thoughts that are creeping into my head include: I don't know if I can run a marathon, what if I'm not ready? What if the pain continues? No matter what I will not stop running. Even if I don't do a marathon, I'm not going to stop running at least 12 - 20 miles a week.

Just writing these thoughts has me motivated to run my butt off today!

Enjoy your week and the beautiful weather if you are in Seattle.

Running is hard.

I already knew running was hard. Especially when you are over weight and out of shape, but it's still hard. This weeks running turned to miles and it's proving to be difficult. Mental strength is a must. It took a lot of coaxing to get my body on track with my mind. Despite the struggles, I ran most of the 4 miles. This week is 17 miles, 5, 5 and 7.

Tomorrow's run is in miles?

Today was one of the final days of running in minutes instead of miles. I've mapped a 4 mile run and I'm ready to go. The last few runs have been tough. I believe my lack of stretching has something to do with it. I'm looking forward to the run and making it, hills and all.

I'm back!

Today is the first day I have run since last Saturday. I woke up last Sunday with a sore throat that could make Godzilla cry. Sore throat and everything between my shoulders and chin swollen. So I took the week off. I decided each day if I would take the day off. Today I was sore throat free and new it was time to get back at it. 90 minute run and it felt great. Gorgeous morning. Not too hot and major satisfaction for getting in the 90 minute (mostly run).

I know it's been a while...

I haven't posted in awhile and I haven't been tracking food or running at Myfitnesspal.com either. However, I'm still running and eating well (for the most part). You have visited Jana's Dessert Kitchen? Yesterday was my best run to date. I felt good and ran well, even after spending a lazy day at the pool and only getting 5 or 6 hours of sleep!

Looking forward to more good running days like yesterday. 50 minutes, NON STOP! WOOOHOOO! They only get longer from here. I've discovered ice massage (dixie cups rock). They work wonders on knees, shins and anything else with pain. I haven't brought myself to putting them on my hips yet, but that could be next. I'm trying to take as little pain medicine as possible since it makes me itch. But I believe ibuprofen contributed to my great run yesterday.

Until next time!

New shoes.

I had high hopes for my new shoes. I went and got fitted for shoes, insoles etc. The woman that helped me was great, but I found out when I got home that she forgot to mention a few things. 1) The arch molds need to be baked 2) Do they go in with or without the insole that comes with your shoe. I ended up baking them, but the directions on the box were not has thorough as the directions online. Needless to say I over baked one and ruined it. Called the store today and they said oh we have an oven, they should have done that for you. They didn't. The result of this? Sore/hot feet and a sore arch. Run was okay. Will try again tomorrow.

Worst running day so far.

It wasn't so bad, but I didn't run as much as I have in recent workouts, but I was still out there the full 35 minutes. I just wasn't feeling good and it was slow and hot and sweaty. I just didn't like how it went. I went so that's good that I didn't miss. Back at it tomorrow morning, but on the track. Not the hilly uneven neighborhood!

Another day down...

Last day of this weeks training is done. New running shoes are in my future. Can't wait. I'm pretty sure the warn out kicks are what's causing the pain, it couldn't be the running itself! I'm trying to increase speed for the last minutes of my run to change things up with hopes of increasing speed over all. I'd really like to be at 10 minute mile by race day.

The day ahead will be spent at the pool then a show tonight. Looking forward to some sun and fun.

Raining in Seattle...Big surprise.

I woke up at 6:30 or so to go running, only to hear it raining. Not drizzle not sprinkling..RAIN! So, I went back to sleep and two hours later the weather was a little improved. Brighter out with less rain. As you know if you've seen the news our summer is practically non existent here in the great northwest. I got my run/walk in. Yes, I ran more than I walked. I ran 2 miles (in a row) and walked a mile for a total of 50 minutes. I missed my cross training Thursday. It was a crazy day with too many things going the wrong direction. So I had two days in a row of rest.

Best day yet...

Today I decided to run on the track at the junior high. My hilly uneven neighborhood makes it hard to determine how far I'm walking and running for each workout. Today I hit the track. I ran 1 1/4 miles in a row! I know this is not a big deal for very many people, but for me who hardly runs and mainly walks fast (probably faster than I run) this is HUGE! I think I'm at a 12 minute mile. Also huge! I think the first time I ever ran a mile in jr high was 14 minutes or something awful. I'm pretty excited. My total 35 minute workout was spent 1.5 miles running and 3/4 mile walking. Not too bad! It's the little things and I have a long way to go before I'm at 26.2 miles or even 10, but I'll get there. It's the hardest I've pushed and my body is already being vocal about it. Have a great day! I certainly will.

Week 2 has begun.

I ran more today than yesterday. Every post should start out like that. Which means I ran more than I walked. I'm doing the first two weeks of training twice. I wanted my training to end with a race and this training fell short two weeks. Yes, I could have just waited two weeks to start training, but that's too long. The likelihood of me not starting is as likely as rain in Seattle.

I talked to myself a lot (in my head obviously), who runs and talks? Not me. I like the idea of running with someone, but I don't want to use what little energy I have on talking. I found myself talking more and observing what was going on with me while running. You know poor form, leg pain or the side ache from the spit I swallowed. I have no idea how I'm going to eat and drink will running a marathon. I get a side ache from swallowing my spit. I rarely eat before working out unless it's two hours in advance.

I'm keeping track of my running/walking on the schedule on my fridge and also on the DailyBurn. I don't think I like that site all that much, but I really signed up to enter food and keep track to make sure I'm eating what I should be. Or at least know what the pizza I ate last night cost me. I didn't want to be rude and tell my friends know I can come over, I'm training for a marathon and don't eat pizza. At least the pizza didn't cost me in weight gain. Maybe in energy.

I took a slightly different route today. I'll measure it later. I went up a hill to avoid another hill. Where's the logic in that? No idea, but my neighborhood is full of hills and I wanted to run on flat spots so I had to avoid some hills and take others to get more flat spots.

Day 1 of week 2 is done! Tomorrow is a rest day. Rest days are a great way to start and end the week. I took my training schedule from "The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On With Your Training" It's funny and practical and certainly worth reading.

Week 1 of training complete!

I'd be doing the "Week 1 of training complete" happy dance, if I wasn't so hot and tired from my 45 minute walk/run today. Today I ran the furthest I've run all week. I still walked most of the 45 minutes, but I also ran (okay maybe jogged) more than any other day thus far. I haven't figured out the eating and training part yet. I made the mistake of having a smoothie this morning and then running. I don't do well with food before a workout.

We'll have pasta with dinner tonight and see if that will be sufficient to get me through tomorrow's workout. I prefer to go in the morning, but that doesn't always happen. Like today for example. I slept in until 10. Which I needed more than air!

Marathon training

In order to achieve some fitness goals, I've decided to train for a marathon. I'm a stop starter when it comes to running and going to the gym. I need a goal. The marathon is scheduled for November 27, 2011 and that's the goal. Hopefully by blogging about it and keeping up with it, I'll stay motivated to run and complete the marathon. Even if nobody reads the blog, it's still good to write this stuff down.

I haven't decided if I will run a full or half marathon. If training goes the way I plan, I'll have run a half marathon or two by the time the full comes around. The schedule is on the refrigerator and the first 4 days of training are in the books.