9 days to go!!

I can't believe there's only 9 days to go until my first marathon!!! I can't wait to run it. It's going to be amazing! Plus, keep an eye out for Saturday cause I have a great giveaway coming to celebrate my marathon. :)

I have to be honest though, I was SOO pumped for this marathon, but once I started having IT band issues I have lost almost all motivation. The only thing that's been keeping me going are the long runs each week. I love my long runs.I think that's a big reason I've been slacking on my blog, it's not just because the laptop's in the shop. I don't know what my problem is, but somethings gotta change!  I've lost my "muchness".
This morning was a changing point for me. I got up and took the kids on a run around the lake. I started out walking, just cause I'm not used to running with a stroller. Anyway, I start to run and B, my 5 yr old says, "Mom, are you running?" I reply, "Yep, I'm running." B says, "Are you sure mom cause grandma goes a lot faster when she runs." Hahaha! Why, thanks B...I'm glad to know that you don't even know when I'm running cause I'm THAT slow...

Then after picking up my pace to show B that I can run fast too, I stop to walk cause I'm a slacker like that. After walking for about .25 B says, "Mom, can you run again when you get to that tree?" So, I run as fast as I can until I get to the tree and walk again... So, after another .25 she says, "Mom, can you run across the bridge?" "Sure, B...I can run across it."

It's sad when your 5yr old realizes that you aren't putting in 100% and makes you do Fartleks just so you get a workout. :) For the whole 5+ miles she had me running to different things and running down hills until I reached a certain point.

Thanks B, for helping me realize that I need to put in 100% when I set a goal. I love ya girl! :)

Today I did 5 miles, Monday I did 2. I skipped yesterday cause I didn't make it a priority. Tomorrow, I'm getting up early and doing the same thing I did today, but running a lot more of it.

Go Speed Racer!

Ok, so it was more like, "Go Speed Walker!" Hahaha! I felt like Hal on that episode of Malcolm in The Middle. You know which one I'm talking about. (It was freakin' HARD to find a clip of that episode online or even a picture of Hal in his weird outfit. So, the one website that I found is full of ads and crap. Sorry!)

Today I decided that I'd rather walk than bike. I want to go the miles. I'm getting to the point that I'd rather go 12 miles speed walking than not be able to go the miles at all. Here's the crazy thing...when I run it HURTS. When I walk...NOTHING...nothing...not one ache, not one pain, NOTHIN'. So, this is the conclusion I came to tonight: You know when you were little and everything was about being obedient? Well, I haven't been very obedient. I haven't been listening to my body, my coach, my soul, my doc...you get the picture. Today was tough. The workout wasn't tough, I felt silly, but it wasn't tough...the part that was tough was listening to my body. It's been YELLING at me, "Hey! Stop running on me, I need a break!" and I keep telling it, "Hey, listen up. I'm in control and you're gonna do what I tell ya." but, little did I know my body will make me listen.

So, today I listened. I walked, I didn't run and you know what, it paid off, I was able to go the distance with NO PAIN! Another plus about my 4 mile walk, I went right before the sun went down and it was beautiful around the lake while the sun set. It totally felt like spring. I LOVE it!

(It looks a million times better on my phone.)

For the rest of the week I'm going to speed walk my miles. I'm going to do my stretches, ice my knee, listen to my body, and do what I know is right. I'm still going to the race on Saturday. I won't PR and I probably won't even run the whole thing if at all, but I know if I let myself heal now then I will be in great shape for my marathon in less than 60 days! :)

8 miles before 6:30AM

Go me!! I got my 8 mile run in this morning! Little Miss A woke up at 4:00, I gave her a bottle, and figured I might as well get my run done early. While I was getting dressed my little bro, aka Trainer Adam, sent me a text at 4:28 saying, "Get up go run!" Great minds think alike, eh? :)

I thought I'd listen to something different this morning while running. I don't know about you, but if I listen to my ipod during every run it tends to lose it's effectiveness. So, rather than listen to the same old music I thought I'd take my mind off the running with Harry Potter book on tape. It was pretty cool. It kept my mind off of my pace and the distance I had to go. It felt like I was running just to run. The only thing it didn't keep my mind off of after mile 6 was the pain shooting from the top of my right butt cheek down to the top of my calf. It feels like a pinched nerve or a strained hamstring or something. Anyway, I think I went too fast after having 2 days off. Oh well, tomorrow I'll make sure to take it easy and on Saturday I'll go as far as I can go. Hopefully I can reach 16, but if not it's ok.

I'm proud of myself for getting out there and running this morning before anyone was up. I did see a lot more runners than usual today. Usually when I go this early there's maybe only 5 people, but I saw at least 10 people out running. It was kinda fun seeing everyone out there.

Today's a good day. I have a ton to do around the house before J comes home today, let's just hope I don't make things worse by going up and down the stairs a TON today. :)

Shoulda, would, coulda...

I got up this morning at 6 for a family video conference call. My parents got their official mission president call....BUT I can't say where until the 10th. lol It's a crazy cool place though!

I shoulda gone for my run.......


*******We interrupt this program for a good KICK IN THE BUTT!*********

So, while writing that I should have gone on my run this morning after the conference call and that I ended up missing my run today, I decided to give myself a good kick in the butt and get myself out the door. Sure, it was 9 at night and it was dark and I really wanted to just go to sleep, but I got myself off the couch, got dressed, and went for my run.

Sometimes you just have to kick yourself and say, "Self, you're better than this whole being lazy thing. You need this run and you know you'll be a better person if you do it." That's what I did. I got up, told myself I had to do this and that even though it's "just 3 miles" it's part of my training and I can't skip out on it.

I feel so much better now that I did my run for today. I know it would have been more beneficial for me with all the "fun" events that happened today if I would have done it this morning when I was dressed and ready. But, I did it, I got it in. I beat that negative self talk.

I've found that running is a MAJOR mental thing. Sure, it takes a lot of effort physically, but I think it's more of a mental thing. There's a lot of self talk involved in running. A lot of kicking out the negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Some days you REALLY don't want to run and it's the hardest thing in the world to get out the door and get moving, but 99% of the time when you're out there and almost done with your run you realize that it was totally worth it.

Today Brianna and Caleb thought it would be fun to draw all over the walls in their room with crayons.... Yeah, a run this morning would have made a big difference in my attitude towards that situation.... I am a LOT more patient with the kids when I run early. I just gotta get myself to bed early so I'm not so tired in the morning.

Tomorrow I have 6 miles to run, a room to paint, and a FUN dentist appointment where I'm going to get a crown and 2 fillings done. Sounds like a fun eventful day. I'm REALLY going to have to get up early and run because I KNOW I'm not going to want to run after the dentist.

Lets pray I get up and go cause right now, I'm not feeling it. lol

I got a feelin'.....

So, I got up this morning at 5:30 when the alarm went off, got dressed, even had my watch on. I was about to go out the door when I had a really bad feeling. I kept having thoughts about a bad guy out there waiting to get me. Like he had been watching my running routine. So, I turned right around, got back into my pjs and went back to sleep. Crazy, huh? Some times you just have to listen to that voice that tells you to watch out, ya know.

I waited until later in the afternoon to run. Gma T is awesome. She was willing to watch the kids so I could go run. I just had to be back by 4:15, so I cut my 6 mile run short and only did 4.15. I was going to switch today and tomorrow, but my personal trainer (aka my little bro Adam) said not to. That's ok. I can do that. I have a race on Saturday and I need to be rested up.

Tomorrow, I'm planning on running in the afternoon again. Gma T said she'd watch the kids again for me when she gets back from taking Jon to work. It's the PERFECT timing right now to have Gma T and Jon living with us. It gives me more time and opportunities to get in my training. I'm gonna have to do something special for her for helping out so much when I'm all done with this marathon.

I talked to Adam today and he's the best. I was getting a little down cause I didn't do the whole 6 today. But, after talking to him he made me feel better and realize that in the long scheme of things missing 2 miles in the whole marathon training isn't something to get upset about. That's where the new quote at the top of the blog is from.

So, here's to a easy, safe run tomorrow! :)