Just Keep Running #4

I may have come out a little worse for the wear after the run.

The 2 nights before my long run I went to bed with a fever about 2-3 degrees higher than my usual. I decided Friday night that if I woke with a fever I would not run. When I woke I was back to normal. So I ran. It may have been a bad choice. 

During the run, I did not feel my best. And I learned a few things to do and not do before I set out on another big run. 

Do:

(This is the trail on which I do long runs)

- Train. I felt up to it as far as physical capacity. 

- Carry water or something. I failed to do this. I got water at mile 7, but after that there were no fountains. Poor, poor planning. 

- Use that tiny pocket in the running shorts to store a couple of bucks just in case. This came in handy as I paused the run when I came across a gas station and bought a Gatorade. 

Don't: 

- Run when you have been feeling sick. I have now been sick for a whole week. I think my body decided I was silly for running so far and wanted to punish me.

- Think you can't. Running is way more mental for me than a physical limit at this point. 

- Run without sustenance. Again, I learned that the hard way. 

 

Miles 7-10 were the most difficult. It got a lot hotter out by that time and less shady on the trail. And it wasn't until mile 10 that I came across that gas station.   

10-13.1 weren't too bad once I downed some Gatorade. 

My time was not what I had anticipated, but with the things I learned I think I can improve on it next time. 

I ended the 13.1 miles soaked in sweat, my shoes were even a little squishy, and mildly exhausted, but glad I did it. 

In March it was an accomplishment to run (and by run i mean slowly jog) 1 mile without stopping. And by the beginning of August I ran 13.1!  Well, mostly ran. There was plodding and jogging and a little bit of walking.

Never would I have thought I would enjoy running, but it turns out that I do. 

Who knows, maybe I will try for a full marathon in the spring. 

Just Keep Running #3

One of my goals for 30 by 30 is to just keep running. This includes a few things. One of them being complete a half marathon.

On Saturday, I did this (sort of). 

I did not sign up for a real race, partly because I didn't want to pay for it and partly because the timing of my starting the training program did not line up with any local races. 

I started running in March and getting through one mile without stopping was an accomplishment. And for some reason by April, I thought a half marathon sounded like a good idea. 

In April talk of doing a half marathon happened and I was given a training plan. The only problem was I needed to be able to run 6 miles before I could even start the plan. 

Step 1: build up to 6 miles.
Step 2: start the plan:

That happened toward the end of May. 

Conveniently, the plan was 10 weeks long and the summer camp season here is about 10 weeks long. 

Having some sort of distraction and goal during the summer outside of work is good for me and this summer it became running. 

And it all culminated Saturday with my own half marathon. 

I considered making a bigger deal out of it than I did, but I went with a rather small deal and just got up and started first thing in the morning and had my friend Steph chauffeur me back to my car.

I finished a bit slower than I anticipated and learned a few things about long runs and preparations that should be made along the way, but slow time or not, I did it.

(I think I like the calories burned the best)

 

More details to come in later posts, but I feel a little accomplished in that I (mostly) jogged 13.1 miles in one shot (there was some plodding and about a collective mile of walking) and didn't pass out or come out too worse for the wear so far. 

Just Keep Running

There were a few things on a list of which I thought I would never say in life.  But, somewhat out of nowhere to me, in the past year or two, this list is changing. Some of which are seemingly drastic on many fronts.

One of those things I thought I would never say is:

I love running.

(and by running I mean jogging at a possibly slower than average pace)

Just this week I was trying to focus on some homework for a class I am taking and I just couldn't do it. All I wanted to do was lace up my lost and found running shoes and head to the trail around the lake. So, I did, because trying to read when I cannot focus is futile in most cases.

And, after that run, I was pleased to have done it.

After every run I am pleased to have done it.

With this new love of running comes a new set of activities in life. Some would call them races. I won't because I doubt I will ever be in the shape it takes to win. But races they are none the less and I have begun researching and planning and considering budget issues and how many in the next year would be feasible.

So far, I have completed one and our team came in somewhere in the middle of the crowd. Which, in my opinion, was not bad for a team of girls who had never really done anything of the sort before. We did the Goodwill Mud Run, and it was a blast! I could not have had a better team of girls to complete it with.

 

Next up on the so called race list is the Swamp Rabbit 5k at the beginning of May. This should be a fun run as many of my friends in the area will be doing it too.

 

And for the fall on the list we are toying with the idea of the Table Rock 15k. The goal for this one would be to not die and actually complete it. But I really like running on trail as compared to paved path, so this might just be my thing. Also for the fall is a half marathon. I haven't picked one yet, but will likely start the training process for that as the summer season starts up here in a few weeks. 

So to those of you that have more experience in this than I do, I would love any helpful hints or suggestions to help me continue to grow in my love of running and maybe someday be able to legitimately say running rather than jogging slightly faster than I can walk.