Overacheivers

21 Days to Go - This was the day that I needed to hit double digits. A group of runners had invited me to join them for a 7 a.m. run but H was at a slumber party and I really wanted to enjoy sleeping in on a Saturday. Wendy agreed to drive up from Danville and meet me for a 9:30 a.m. run. As I arrived at the YMCA, the 7 a.m. crew was leaving and they stopped to tell me about their impressive 12-mile run. I was nervous enough about running 10.

Wendy and I set out on the Dick & Willie Passage Rail Trail and made really great time, running at a 8:15 per mile pace for the first three miles. I was actually shocked at how quickly we made it down to the turn around at Mulberry Creek. We've discovered that the more times you run a particular route, your body get acclimated to the elevation changes  We headed back up the trail and began running towards Liberty Street, a new stretch for us.

Running and breathing is challenging enough, running and talking is even harder and Wendy and I learned that running and complex math for us is just a no-go. In our calculations of time, map miles and estimated distance between trail landmarks we severely miscalculated our run. We discovered this error at mile 9 when we were half-way between Liberty Street and El Parral. At that point, there's only one way to get back...run!

During our run back we got to know the hill between Liberty Street and the Uptown Connection Trail well. This hill presented nearly 250 feet of elevation gain over the course of a mile and a half. Despite the fact that we walked up this hill some, ran two miles further than planned and took two restroom breaks during our run, we completed it an average pace of 10:05 per mile. 12 miles.... um, we meant to do that!

Almost there!

#KeepRunning #WeCanDoThis

SNOMG!

Winter Storm Pax stopped by this week and left us with 14-18" inches of snow in Martinsville-Henry County. My family was fairly prepared for being snowed in a couple days - minus a serious craving for Doritos, which we didn't have. #Didn'tNeedThemAnyway

We enjoyed sledding, snow cream, building snow forts, making a snowman and making snow angels. All this trekking up and down the hill, packing snow blocks and rolling snow balls had to constitute some kind of cross training right? Two and a half days after the snow fell we ventured out to go restock on groceries...and yes, I bought Doritos!

35 Days to Go - H and I were enjoying the morning at home while Darrin went on an outdoor excursion to combat cabin fever. I planned to run at some point during the day but no firm commitments had been made. Mid-morning I received a text from Sharon inviting me to a group run. I knew going with a group would be more enjoyable than running alone so I jumped on the opportunity. H got to spend some time with his Gigi and Pops while I went out for a run.

Energy Boost

Over the weekend Darrin and I traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to attend the Fly Fishing Expo. While in town we stopped by Fleet Feet Sports to check out the available selection of GU and other energy supplements.

The staff there was very friendly and knowledgeable and they walked me through the pros and cons of each type of supplement. They also shared their opinions on the various flavors. The supplements ranged in price from $1.35 to $2.25. I purchased a variety of types and flavors to test out during my training.

41 Days to Go - I selected Vanilla Bean GU ($1.40) as my first taste test. This product is intended to be taken 15 minutes before running and every 45 minutes during the run. After hearing stories from other runners about the gag-inducing thick texture of this product, my goal was to get it down and keep it down. I started off by drinking some water. The salesman at Fleet Feet warned me that you should drink plenty of water with GU. The texture was very thick but if you enjoy icing (I do very much!) you'll like it. I sucked down the entire tube of vanilla deliciousness, drank some more water, puttered around the house for 15 minutes and then headed out for a one mile run at a race pace of 9:25. I didn't have any problems during the run; the GU stayed down just fine. After the run I realized that when the salesman said "drink plenty of water," he really meant PLENTY of water. If you are not properly hydrated, GU will absorb water from your body giving you some serious GI issues. After an evening of discomfort, lesson learned.

It's What Runners Do...

This week it was so nice to get back in the swing of things after the crazy winter weather of last week. I enjoyed running with friends, got in three runs and even set a new personal record for my long run on Saturday. Here's how the week went...

46 Days to Go - I was excited to finally get to run with the YMCA's Half-Marathon Training Group again. During our discussions we learned about running supplements like GU and other similar products that give you a boost of energy and electrolytes during the run. It seemed like all the experienced runners in the group had very specific preferences of one brand or flavor over others. The bottom line, our coaches advised that if we plan to use them during the race to try out various supplements early so that we'll know what type we're most comfortable with. (I'm going to a sports store this weekend to purchase a variety of supplements and will have a taste testing session soon. Watch for that in a future post.)

We began the group run by turning left on Starling and running around the block. We turned left on Church Street and ran all the way down the the Farmers' Market then up Main Street before taking a left to go down the hill at Ford Street. We continued down the Uptown Connection Trail until we reached the intersection of the Silverbell Trail and then reversed the route. I enjoy running in Uptown and was happy with this route. One new element for me was Ford Street. Running down it was a breeze but coming back up was a beast. As we began up Ford Street our coach Becky yelled back at us "This is just a hill- you all can do this." My thighs burned. Behind me I could hear Richard shouting "Thank you Ford Street for making me stronger!" That helped me pick up the pace to muscle through it and when we go to the top, I couldn't help but give a joyful shout!

5 Mile Milestone!

59 Days to Go - I felt bad not going to the YMCA's training session the night before. I heard that they had a great time running in the snow but where I live, out in a rural community, it's important to get home before the snow sets in. There's a half mile incline between my home and the main road that does not get salted or scraped by VDOT. #CountryLife

58 Days to Go - Our training coaches sent out an email to the group reminding everyone of our training assignments for the week -  I needed to get in a five miler before the next session. They also sent a wonderful story to share from a fellow runner.

“A few years ago I was running in insanely high winds.  The type of wind that pushes you back a foot for every two feet you go. I may have had a little of a runners high or maybe I was just being my insane self but every time the wind would smack me in the face and push me back I would pound my chest and yell (yes literally yell out loud) “That’s all you got”. Last week I ran again in strong winds and this time I thanked the wind.  I literally said out loud “thank you wind for making me stronger”. I welcome opportunities like high winds, rain, snow extreme heat or cold, for I know it makes me stronger, better and tougher. When I finally get to the starting line I know I am ready for anything that day holds.  I also know I will crush my competitors that decided during training that it was too windy, too rainy, too cold or too hot to run. Embrace adversity for it will give you the edge to victory!”

This was definitely something I needed to hear. Reality check - it might be cold or raining on race day and there's no turning back at that point. Training in the elements is important so that you are ready for race day, no matter what mother nature brings. After work I headed to the YMCA to run on the treadmill since it was quickly getting dark outside. I ran two miles before getting bored. Treadmills are nice to have but pale in comparison to actually running outdoors.

It's All About Perspective...

61 Days to Go - Knowing that an impending snow was on the way, I decided to take the opportunity to get in a long run on the Monday holiday. It was a gorgeous day with temps in the high 50's. After running 3.12 miles the previous day, I was ready to up my mileage and I wanted to beat 4.06 miles, my highest mileage to date.

I took off and started running in a residential neighborhood. The first mile was brutal, the second mile I felt better and by the third mile I was smiling.

Why, you ask?

A week ago, Sharon took me running on a hill that I thought was going to kill me. That day I plugged away, huffing and puffing as she cheered me on and pushed through the hill. On this day, I dreaded the hill as I ran toward it remembering how ominous it was. When I got to the bottom I looked up and thought, "Well that's not so bad; I've got this!" And I did. The second time around it was so much easier.

Now the next hill after that one... we've still got some work to do, but maybe third time's the charm! It's true that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

I finished the run with 4.11 miles at a pace of 10:42 per mile on a route with 376 feet of elevation gain. I felt great! Take a good look at what intimidates you and get ready to laugh when you conquer it. #WeCanDoThis

60 Days to Go - There's a nice blanket of snow on the ground outside my house so I passed on the training group session this evening. A little disappointing because I really wanted to run with the group but I'll catch up on the mileage this week.

"Just Keep Running..."

65 Days to Go - During the week I was contacted by a friend who's been reading the blog and was interested in running; we'll call her "Joy." I invited Joy to come running with me. She is an avid walker but had not run in quite a while. Joy had the same wishes as me to get in better shape so that she could keep up with a growing child. She admitted that she was concerned about being able to run a half-mile so I challenged her to do just that and try her best at half a mile.

I began running on my own, to get in my miles, and had arranged to pass by Joy's office when she got off work. I reached the three mile mark right as she came outside and then we began running together. When Joy felt like she needed to slow down we did and at one point when she felt like stopping, we power walked. We picked the pace back up and when she was at a point of desperation I informed her that she had already run four-tenths of a mile and needed to go just one more. The look on Joy's face was priceless - instead of worry it was suddenly "hey, I can do this!" She ended up running 0.66 mile and didn't give up. My total mileage was 3.66 at a pace of 11:03 per mile. Joy agreed to run a half-mile again in the following days to get stronger at it. I'm so proud of "Joy" and am sharing this story to remind all my readers that you've got to start somewhere to move forward!

64 Days to Go - I really wanted to reach the four mile mark and knew that I'd need a little motivation so I called on Sharon to run with me. Not only did she agree to help me get in four miles but she also brought along three other inspiring ladies to run with us. One of the ladies was this week's guest blogger, Tiffany.

Words of Wisdom

We're 67 days away from the Martinsville Half-Marathon, 5K & Relay and my personal goal for today was to run 1.5 miles during my lunch break. In the past two weeks I've picked up lots of great tips but the absolute best piece of advice that I can give anyone interested in running is to find a veteran runner that you can connect with. Training for a race is intimidating but hearing from others that they once had the same concerns and challenges as you is very motivating.

Today, all of the advice that I've been hearing from veteran runners really helped me out. I seemed to have a million excuses not to run. I knew I needed to run and I wanted to run but doubt can creep in telling you that your stomach doesn't feel good, you have a headache, there's more work left to be done, I might get cold, etc. 

Pushing Forward

This afternoon I went running with Sharon. She took me to one of her regular routes and provided lots of great encouragement along the way. Thanks to her motivation, I was able to meet my next goal of running 2.5 miles and also set a new pace record of 10:04 per mile! While I lagged behind twice, I did run the entire distance (#ProudMoment). Sharon never gave up on me and kept cheering me on.

One moment that sticks out in my head about today's run is towards the end of when we topped a blind hill and I could suddenly see my car (a.k.a. the finish line). I experienced a quick boost of energy and even though I was spent I just started running faster going towards the car. That moment reminded me that even when you think you are tired there's always a little more to give. Push yourself to the next goal.

Making The Moment Count

71 Days to Go - I ran 1.25 miles during my lunch break on the YMCA treadmill at a pace of 11:22 per mile.

70 Days to Go - This morning H woke up exceptionally early. My plea for him to snuggle in the bed with me was futile; he wanted me to get up and play. So we had fun playing trains and cars, ate breakfast and watched cartoons together. All during this time a heavy rain and thunderstorm was going on outside. It appeared that I would not have an opportunity to run today. I already had plans made for the rest of the day and the morning was my only chance.

While H was engrossed in a favorite program, I slipped off to check my e-mail. Sharon, my guest blogger this week, had invited me to be a friend on RunKeeper. I accepted the invite and sat there in amazement looking at her stats..."how on earth does she find the time to run like that?"

After the thunder stopped I hopped in the shower to get my morning started. (I have a date with a cute young man at Dino Day later today.) As soon as I was out of the shower and dressed it was no longer raining. For the moment I was torn, I just got all cleaned up but I really want to run. If my new running friend had found the time to get in 5 miles this morning, surely I could do something, right?

It's Not About the Numbers

Since I've started training and blogging, word has spread across the community about my, now very public, plans. So far everyone has been very supportive and excited for my news. My friend Morgan made cute handmade hair ties for my workouts, Katie shared her recipe for delicious peanut butter energy balls and colleagues throughout the community have been sending me words of encouragement. It is exciting and I hope that I am inspiring others to become more active in 2014 and challenge themselves, personally.

One of the most common questions I hear is "Wow, you're running a half-marathon; so how many miles are you up to?" The question is innocent and very valid. The first week, my answer was sheepishly "one." This week, my answer is a confident "one to two miles."

Setting the Pace

Now that the critical "first run" (a.k.a. "get off the couch") event has occurred. I plan to update the blog each week with my training progress and helpful tips that I discover along the way.

82 Days to Go - I took my first run using the RunKeeper app. I ran the same residential route as my first run Dec. 28th. Throughout the workout, my audio trainer gave me information on distance covered and pace to push me along. It's encouraging to hear when I've hit a milestone distance. I was happy to complete the route without any walking and could tell that it was a little easier the second time around.

When I completed the run and hit the stop button, I learned that I ran 1.65 miles at a pace of 11:20 per mile. The charts on the app show how my pace fluctuated during the run and the elevation of the course. This particular route provides 130 feet of elevation gain, adding to the challenge. I'm looking forward to learning tips in the YMCA's training program on when to pick up the pace and when to go easy so that I can be more efficient in my running.

The RunKeeper app thinks of everything and even sent an email to congratulate me on my new record. Ok, so it was my first run with the app but I did set the bar. Thanks for the shout out and encouragement, RunKeeper!