Plump Runner: a gal just doing the best she can.

Marathon training has begun!

2012-02-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's official boys and girls. Marathon training started on the 6th! I have my schedule all planned out and I'm doing my darndest to follow it. Week one had a bit of a snafu with my tendon, but it seems to be alright now. There's a delightful rant about the whole ordeal on my Daily Mile page if there's anyone who hasn't seen it. I am continuing to work in barefooting where I can (winter makes this a bit tough at times). I've come to think of barefooting as my dessert after running in shoes, so I'll do the bulk of my running in my minimal shoes and then slip them off for the last mile or so. It's still delightful and brings a smile to my face every time.

I have realized that I may have become addicted to races. In the past 2 days I have signed up for 2more half marathons and another full marathon. I have sticky notes all over my computer at work that let me know when registration opens for various races so that I can be sure to sign us as soon as is allowed. I can't imagine the melt down I would have if the race sold out because I dilly-dallied. I have also gotten this crazy idea in my head to run a race in every state in the U.S. So of course, I can't wait to start working those in. I have plans to check Colorado and Nevada off the list before the end of the year. If I had an unending cash flow, I would be checking off even more before 2012 leaves us. And now that I know the Goofy Challenge can be lived through, thanks to the Buzbees for going out and getting it done, I have decided that I need to add this into the race schedule for 2013 (this would check Florida off the list, in style!). Nothing like running a half marathon on Saturday and a marathon on Sunday to feel like a hardcore running machine. And yes, I realize that it may seem a bit nuts to be planning 2013's race schedule already, but I honestly can't help myself. Ocassionally, I cast my mind back to the girl I was in high school, the girl who hated to run, who even if being pursued by a bear would have probably just given up and gotten eaten, and I marvel at how far I've come. Life leads us down paths that we didn't see coming, and I for one am glad for it.

Happy running!

Blogging on a rest day.

2012-02-01T18:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here, on my plump heinder, taking a rest day because my legs are just tired. So so tired. I guess my January of sickness and injury took a bit of a toll on me. But it's the perfect opportunity for me to do a double header book review! Since I only mentioned "Barefoot Running Step by Step" by Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton and Roy M. Wallack in my barefooting blog, I will go into a bit more depth here. This book is a joy and a treasure. I laughed out loud at least once a chapter. Ken Bob is an extremely likable man, teaching people how to do what he loves. His writing style is gregarious and readable. He is full of puns and jokes that some might find a bit "lame" but I found them to be hilarious. He includes testimonials and stories from people all over the the U.S. and abroad. He even has the "angry podiatrist" (the anti-barefooter) in his book to be fair to both sides of the barefoot running debate. I highly recommend this book to anyone who's even considered barefoot running. It's a practical guide with great advice. I bestow 5 Gu's to this fine volume.

The second book I would like to review is the glorious "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. This book was loaned to me by a friend who isn't much of a runner and he had wonderful things to say about it. When a non-runner has a glowing review of a running book, that's a good sign. This book is absolutely a must read for anyone who has ever run in their lives. Even if all you've ever done was run away from an angry hornet, this book will be enjoyable. McDougall goes into the history of the Tarahumara Indians, a tribe I had never heard of before this book. They are an incredible people, with distance running built into their DNA. Their diet and lifestyle doesn't seem conducive to being able to do what they do, and yet, there are none better than these shy Indians when it comes to tackling long distances and insane conditions. Also, I love the stories of Olympic athlete Emil Zatopek. He is truly the perfect example of a man who ran for the love of running. There's so much I could say about this book, but I will just say that everyone needs to read this book. You won't be disappointed. I am going to make my book club read this when it's my turn to pick. I love it so much, I'm forcing it on a whole group of non-runners! I want to award this book 5 Gu's times two. Go read it. Go now. And let me know how you liked it!

Happy reading!

Barefoot!

2012-01-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous blog, the one that was bloggier than ever, I was having some issues with my ankle. Those issues then spread to my shin as well. So what did I do? I got fed up, went to the running store, and bought a pair of minimalist shoes, the Nike Free. I made sure to get the most eye blinding color of course. Fact: Bright shoes make you look faster. But what's even better than minimalist shoes is running in your naked little feet. Here's the story.

I went out for what I wanted to be a 5 mile run. I was in my standard stability shoes, not my minimalist shoes. I could only go 2 miles before the pain in my shin was so intense it forced me to stop. Since I had just finished reading Ken Bob Saxton's "Barefoot Running, Step by Step" book, I decided to try his method. I stripped off the shoes and socks and started to run around the outdoor track in my bare feet. The track is not as soft as it seems once those shoes come off. But what's great is that all the pain in my leg was totally gone! I decided to give my tender tootsies a break and try running on the grass on the inside of the track. That's when the laughing started. It felt so good to run barefoot on the grass, with absolutely no pain that I started to laugh out loud. I just ran and laughed and then almost cried because it just felt so amazing. I knew I needed to take it easy though and I stopped at a half a mile. Barefoot running uses different muscles than when you heel strike in cushioned running shoes. People tend to go a little nuts when they start barefooting and I can see why. You just don't want to stop! But I'm making myself take it slow so I can really enjoy it without injuring myself. I did 4 miles today in my minimalist shoes and it felt good. Then I took them off and went for a mile barefoot. I'm planning on picking up a pair of Vibram Five Finger shoes as well, so that I can get the barefoot feel when it's cold outside, since it IS January and all...

Happy (barefoot) running!

Took a break, now I'm back (and bloggier than ever!)

2012-01-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

I really just wanted to use the word "bloggier". So 2012 started off with a nice 10 mile run. But for some reason, after the run, my left ankle stiffened up and started to hurt quite a bit. Then a day later, I managed to contract whatever flu/cold virus that's been going around. Since I'm working on my positive attitude, I have decided that it's a good thing that I got sick and injured at the same time. That way, there was only one healing period for both things. I took 12 days off of running, throwing in some elliptical workouts once the illness passed. I was able to take advantage of the beautiful weather and test out the lungs and ankle today. I managed 4 miles and feel pretty good.

My official marathon training will begin the week of February 6th. That'll give me a few weeks here to get back to 100% before I hit the training full force. I have worked up a training schedule that's an conglomerate of a few training schedules that are out there in books and on the interwebs. As much as I am dreading it, I have to work in speed work and drills. It's about time this plump runner got some speed in her running!

I've got a couple more running books to review for my captive audience's enjoyment coming soon.
Happy running!

A whole new year in which to run my butt off.

2012-01-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

It appears that I have not blogged in just about a month. I suppose I should have seen this coming. December is always a rough month to get anything done. My running definitely took a hit. I have started using my rec center pass to run indoors when it's cold. The only problem with that track is that it takes 6 and 1/4 laps to make a mile. So the 8 mile run that I did there totaled 50 laps. It's absolutely mind numbing. The weather has been really cooperative for winter, however. I have been able to get out and about for my runs, thanks to the lack of snow. I even managed a festive Christmas Eve run in a Santa hat. My mile time has been improving this month, despite my lack of consistency. I'm now averaging close to an 11 minute mile instead of my usual standard 12 to 12.5 minute miles. My hope is that I'll be able to finish my first marathon in less than 5 hours. It's hard to fathom running for 5 solid hours... But I want that finisher medal, and I want it bad.

My motivation for 2012 has been renewed by my acceptance into the Canyonlands Half Marathon in March. So now I have to be race ready even earlier. I will also be supplementing my Moab running adventure by going skydiving after the race. Hopefully, I won't have a heart attack when I jump out of the plane. I guess you'll all know if I die, since there won't be any more posts if I do. Here's hoping for more posts!

Happy new year everyone!

Long time, no post.

2011-12-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Oops! Yeah, I have a blog, I should probably post from time to time, right? I've even had some nice accomplishments to talk about and just haven't... Two weeks ago, I was able to run 10 straight miles without stopping. That's pretty darned amazing. Don't get me wrong, I love the run/walk method and I fully intend on implementing it in my marathons. But sometimes, you just get wondering how far you can go without taking a walking break. My stamina has really increased! My motivation has been zapped a little by the onset of colder weather though. I've only been getting out for a run 2-3 times per week instead of 4-5 like I should be. I did get a pass to the Orem Rec Center, they have an indoor track. That way, when it snows I'll have somewhere to run. The only problem is that it's a 30 minute drive to the rec center... But I can't spend my winter months vegetating. I'd never been ready for June 9th!

In racing news, I completed another race yesterday. It was the annual Santa Run 5K in Provo. When I did this race for the first time in 2009, it was the first race I had even run. Obviously the race bug venom works a little slowly, I only did 2 races the next year. But in 2011 I have run 6 races and I have 10 + races planned for 2012. And all because of a charity 5K that was a great experience from start to finish. This race is also nice because it's a fun charity event with very little pressure to complete in a certain time. I can convince people who aren't runners to show up and walk it at least. It's so nice to have a group of people to enjoy it with. I also managed a PR for this race, beating my best time by 3 minutes. One of these days I'll break the 30 minute barrier for a 5K.

I'll do my best to post more regularly!
Happy running :)

I am absolutely insane everybody.

2011-11-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

It's true. Today I put together my 2012 race schedule. I must really have a lot of faith in myself... It starts out in March with the Riverton Half Marathon, then April brings the Thanksgiving Point Half, June will feature the Utah Valley Marathon, July: the Timpanogos Half, August gets two races, the Moonlight Half and the Park City Marathon. September is the Nebo Half and I believe the Spanish Fork Half will be in there too. Then October brings the Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas, and November will be the ultimate in running awesomeness, the original Marathon in Greece! And this list isn't counting any of the 5Ks, 10Ks, or any other various and sundry races that may grab my attention. See? I'm am officially a crazy person. (I blame all the sweet gear that comes in the race packets and all those shiny, pretty medals you get when you finish a race.)

I did another race last weekend. It was a nice little 10K to raise money to build a hospital in Kenya. The weather held for the race and it was quite pleasant. I finished in the time I expected to, which was a whole lot slower than most of the other racers. But I don't mind. I'm just glad I can finish at all. It wasn't that long ago that a 6.2 mile run had me shaking in my sassy buckled boots. Tonight, I did an 8 mile run, just because I could. I think I've come a long way. And while my race schedule is a bit daunting, I really think I can at least live through it and maybe even enjoy it. Besides, all that running means more shiny medals!

Happy running :)

A faster run, a shorter distance.

2011-11-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dear reader. I have a confession to make. I feel that if I run less than 4 or 5 miles at a time, I haven't really been doing my time as a runner. But last night I freed myself from this thinking. At first, I was just going to take Tuesday as a rest day. But the weather was actually cooperating after work and I felt that I should do something at least. So I told myself I would only make myself run two miles. A measly two miles. But I had to do it fast. As fast as I could without falling over dead from a myocardial infarction. And I did just that! I managed those two miles in 20 minutes even! Now a 10 minute mile may not seem speedy to those of you who consistently run at the rate of Olympic athletes. But for this girl, whose numbers have been between 12 and 13 minutes per mile, 10 minutes is akin to breaking the sound barrier. I did manage to get a nice side ache after the first mile. I had to really work on keeping my breathing in check. My helpful heart rate monitor informed me that my heart was on the verge of explosion basically from the start, but I lived! I was so pleased with my non-dying that I think I will work in one short/fast run per week. Maybe someday I'll get faster overall. Either that, or I'll keel over. But I'm working on living without fear. I have to in order to get through the next year of running that I have planned for myself. At this point it includes 3 full marathons and the Ragnar Relay race. Eeep! (That's the sound I make when frightened, in case you were wondering.)

Happy running!

Halloween Half Marathon

2011-10-30T15:46:00.001-06:00

I completed my second half marathon yesterday. It was a lot different than my first one. My first one was a great experience from start to finish. This one was fraught with frustration, annoyance, and disorganization. The packet pick up was quite the debacle, nothing was ready. People had waited in line for over 2 hours and still weren't able to get their packets. I only had to wait just over an hour at least... Race day was freezing and we had to spend over an hour standing in a cold parking lot waiting to be bussed to the start. There was supposed to be a a heated tent at the start. There was a tent, but I'm certain the only reason it felt a little warmer in the tent than outside of it is because of the thousands of bodies that were packed in there. All told, we stood around waiting to run for a total of 3 hours. We were all thoroughly stiff and cold by the time we actually got moving. Once the race started, things were better, until the aid stations started to run out of things, like water. I really needed that aid station at mile 8 but was out of luck. Oh well. And they started packing up the aid stations towards the end when there was still an hour and a half left for runners to finish. I really had a rough time with this race, finishing 18 minutes slower than my first half marathon. The medal is cool at least. There was more than once that the medal lust kept me going through that race. I've become a medal fiend... I think I'll be skipping this one next year though. There are plenty of other half marathons out there to be run.

One a different note, I am now officially all signed up for the Utah Valley Marathon on June 9, 2012. I'm feeling really nervous, but I have plenty of time to get ready. I know I can do it! (At least that's what I keep telling myself).

Happy running!

I run hills now!

2011-10-25T10:54:00.000-06:00

With the advent of cooler weather, I am not as motivated to wake up before the crack of dawn to go running. This has lead me to run after work, since it's no longer 100 degrees in the afternoon. It so happens that there is a lovely canyon just minutes from my home that has a handy path for walkers/runners/cyclists etc. I have walked this trail many times but running it always seemed a bit crazy. There are hills, you guys. Big ones. But all the other runners I know run hills, and they're pretty darn speedy runners. So I was thinking maybe hill running would make me faster. And so far, it has! (I think it's the coming back down them part that improves my time though.) Another thing that makes me faster is getting caught in the canyon after dark. You had better believe I run faster trying to get out! There are skunks, people. Stinky ones. I always picture myself running right into one crossing the trail in the dark and BAM! Skunk spray in my face. Blech. By the end of my last canyon run, my pace was an incredible 7:45 minute per mile! The threat of skunks is a powerful motivator. Now I just need to be able to run that fast, on flat ground, in the day time, without threat of skunks and I will beam with pride.

This Saturday I have my second half marathon, the Halloween Half, that comes down Provo canyon. I feel much more prepared for this one than I did for my first one. I even did a 13 mile long run last Saturday and felt fantastic afterwards, no soreness or anything! For the Halloween Half, I will be dressed as an astronaut and I promise to take many pictures.

Happy running! (and watch out for skunks!)

Yet another running book review.

2011-10-10T16:23:00.000-06:00

Okay. Anyone who's dipped their toes into the running world will know the name of Hal Higdon. He's one great runner. Not such a great book writer... Today's book review is on Hal's Smart Running. I think I would have liked this more if I had read it in a magazine instead of in book form. It's basically a collection of questions that people asked Mr. Higdon and his answers to those questions. Which would have been pretty neat, had I written him a question and his answer was published. I'd probably run around waving the book in everyone's faces telling them how Hal answered MY question. As it is, it was kind of a random, slightly haphazard book. I suppose if you had never talked to anyone about running before in your entire life, it may have some grand nuggets of wisdom.

Now I like Hal, and I follow his marathon training schedule. He seems like a pretty darned good guy. But I can't give his book a better rating than that of 2 Gu's. He has some other books; I may have to see if they're any better. I do have to give him some credit for getting out there and publishing books. I haven't tried and I'm sure it's not easy.

Happy reading :)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

2011-10-04T14:09:00.000-06:00

Ah yesterday. A fine fall Monday morning. I woke up at 4:20 am, feeling a tad unmotivated. But I still got myself to the track for my morning run. Once I got warmed up, things moved along so well that I was able to break my personal record for a 5 mile run by 5 and 1/2 minutes! Imagine my excitement! I was giddy all day long, not to mention I also got to go to the dentist that afternoon. (Which I absolutely adore, and no, I'm not being sarcastic. If you had my dentist, you'd understand.) I think it was the finest Monday in the history of Mondays.

Now on to Tuesday. Another fine fall morning. I woke up at 4:00 am today, the earlier time was to facilitate a longer run. Too bad a longer run just wasn't going to happen. The best laid plans and all that... I do my warm up lap, my stretches, and take my first few running steps. Yikes. My muscles were in full on rebellion. I really didn't feel like I had pushed myself the day before, but apparently I don't have a clue when it comes to this body of mine. So here I am, shambling around the track like the unholy undead not even 24 hours after my record breaking morning run. I toughed it out through 4 miserable miles and then gave up and just walked another 2. I didn't wake up 2 hours before the sun came up to quit at 4 miles.

The funniest thing about this morning's miserable zombie-esque run is that I tried to be upset about it. I tried to be angry, irritated, peeved, even miffed. But for some reason, I just ended up feeling grateful I could get up and do anything at all this morning. I felt so glad to have legs that could move me around the track, even if it wasn't pretty. I kept tossing negative thoughts around my brain and every time they were countered by some fuzzy wuzzy feel good statement. Maybe it's all those endorphins. Good run or bad run, exercise still makes you feel fantastic. I think this running thing is going to be really great for my outlook on life :)

Happy running!

Slacker blogger girl.

2011-10-02T12:41:00.001-06:00

I think I slacked off on my blogging this week... Oops. Live and learn, and then get back on the blog horse, right folks? The running is going well, no major mishaps or anecdotes to relate for the week. Although, I have decided to put a closer marathon on my schedule. I was driving and saw a billboard for the Utah Valley Marathon. It's next June and I'm going to go for it. I was originally planning on the Park City Marathon next August to be my first one, but honestly that seems so far away. And it always helps me to have goals that are closer so I don't lose focus.

So now, it looks like I'll be running three marathons next year alone. Is this crazy? Is it an unrealistic goal for a girl who's never run more than 13.1 miles? Sometimes when I sit and think about actually running that far, I get really nervous and worried that I can't do it. And then I have to sit and calmly remind myself that I have 8 months to get ready for the first one. And once I've ran one, I'll know I can do another, and another. I'm just glad I have a decent support system to keep me going through the times when I start to doubt myself. Plus, next year I'll bump up into a higher age bracket. I think being a runner is going to help me deal with aging quite gracefully really. I know the only way I will win anything in a race is if I can keep running as I get older and then with a little perseverance I can win first in my age group. I can see myself being the running grandma. I should come up with some fun name to call myself when I get to that point.

I promise to have another book review up soon!

A good week with a crap weekend.

2011-09-24T15:37:00.000-06:00

I had a great run in the middle of the week, doing 6.42 miles without stopping for a walking break. This was a first for me. I had planned on running 10 miles today (Saturday) but of course the best laid plans and all that. It was my best friend's wedding this weekend. I had to spend Thursday night in a hotel and all day Friday being smack dab in the middle of wedding drama. Hooray. So the combination of not enough sleep, a crazy amount of stress, and hardly any real food made a 10 mile run completely out of my reach today. I couldn't even get out of bed until almost noon to start with. And by the time I made it out the door, it was already pretty darned warm for fall. I shuffled around for the first 3/4 of a mile and then just had to walk the rest. I logged just barely over 4 miles, and felt like dying for most of it. I'll hit the track again Monday morning and hope that I will have recovered from the wedding ordeal sufficiently by then. All I have to say is that those two better stay married, because I am not going through a weekend like that ever again.

Another running book review!

2011-09-21T20:36:00.000-06:00

This week's book review is on the Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running by Dagny Scott Barios. This handy volume is a must read for any woman who's even thought about running. It's one of the first running books that I bought and still one of my favorites. It covers a wide range of concerns for women who run, from shoes to bras to running while pregnant and for running as women age. I especially like her running log excerpts. She has some very inspirational thoughts that helped to boost my own desire and motivation to keep on running. She also includes a guide to stretching, speed work, and cross training. The nice part is that there are pictures of the stretches and such. I don't know about you, but sometimes it can be difficult to translate the words into an effective movement. The pictures let you know if you're doing it right. I bestow a Gu rating of 5 Gu's to this fine reference guide to women's running.

The Dirty Dash

2011-09-18T15:57:00.000-06:00

I ran the Dirty Dash again this year. Well, I ran some of it... It's hard to run in mud and through obstacles. Plus, I was not really feeling it. Last year, I had someone to run it with and lots of people that I knew were there. It was a great atmosphere, like a big, muddy party. This year, I had to go by myself. For some reason, there was not a lot of interest from the people I know. I couldn't even guilt/bribe/coerce anyone to wait at the finish line to take pictures. It was a beautiful day up an Soldier Hollow, but honestly it was hard to enjoy the race. I don't mind running timed races by myself, I like that I ran the Nebo Half on my own. But when it's a non-timed, charity race/party it sure is nice to have people there to enjoy it with you. Next year, I'll see if I can get a team together and go all out with matching outfits. I may need to find more friends who run... Or who will at least sign up to get a little dirty.

I read a lot, cats and kittens.

2011-09-14T20:56:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I like to address a group as "cats and kittens". I blame Dinosaur Comics. So anyway, I was looking around at the stacks and mounds and even piles of books in my home. And I've noticed a strange proliferation of running books. I thought to myself, "self, maybe we should write up some reviews on these books, let the other runners out there know what to spend their rest days reading." I have 5 running books in my possession at this time. I'll just tackle one at a time, since I have to get up at 4:30 and run. I will also be scoring the books on a Gu scale of 1-5. 5 Gu's is the best.

Tonight's book review is on The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide For Women by Dawn Dais. I wanted to start with this one because it made me laugh out loud more that once (of course while I was at work, reading on my lunch break and having coworker's wonder what was so funny). This book is a great quick read, I finished it in just a day and a half. Her journal entries are absolutely hilarious. And she says a lot of what I'm thinking as I'm out there pounding the pavement. She has some good advice sprinkled throughout. One of my favorite parts was the stick figure illustrations of running stretches. I was trying to drink a protein shake while reading through that part and nearly shot brownie batter muscle milk right out my nose. I highly recommend this book to anyone who isn't a perky runner. It's a book for those of us with a nice, wide, sarcastic streak. And I bestow a rating of 5 Gu's to Ms. Dais and her entertaining account of marathoning.

I'm a finisher! (I have a medal to prove it!)

2011-09-11T15:34:00.001-06:00

After almost 3 months of ups, downs, injuries, insomnia, and crazy running dreams, I have completed my first half marathon! Woooooo! It was a beautiful course down Payson canyon. They had campfires going up at the start to help us keep warm before the race started. Everyone is so friendly at races. I was there by myself but I was surrounded by my "running family". We started running as the sun was coming up. It was a nice downhill course, not too steep but it really helped my time. I managed to average an 11:27 minute mile for the race, a full minute per mile faster than my training times. I love you gravity. I was feeling pretty good until about mile 10, then the course started leveling out and some fatigue set in. The last 3 miles took some mental manipulation, especially since there were a few little hills to go up. I had it in my head that as long as I finished in under 3 hours, I'd be okay. I was able to surprise myself by finishing in two and a half hours! Now I have a PR in place to try and beat :) The Halloween Half is coming up, and I can't wait!

Hard core hiker :)

2011-09-05T13:25:00.000-06:00

I conquered Mt. Timpanogos this week. It was a long grueling ordeal, fraught with peril. I managed to slip off the trail at one point. Luckily there were a lot of shrubs to grab onto... That's part of the thrill that comes with midnight hiking, right? But all in all, it was a good hike. We were all completely exhausted and nearly immobile by the end, but we lived! It was beautiful up at the top, watching the sun peek up over the Rocky Mountains. There were perhaps a billion mountain goats running around too.

As far as the running, I've been feeling really good. I managed to get out today and log 3 miles, despite still being ridiculously sore from the hike. It's just a good thing running uses different muscles than hiking. My mile time is staying pretty steady. That's okay for now; I'm not trying to break any records. I'm just glad my body is letting me get the mileage in. I'll be taking it easy on myself this week since my first half marathon is this Saturday! I figure I should be able to complete it in 2 and half hours or so. I'll have a full race report and hopefully some great pics to post :)

A triumphant return!

2011-08-30T14:32:00.000-06:00

I'm back on track! (literally and figuratively, since I run on a track...) I took 9 days off of running due to the ankle of pain. 9 loooooong days of captivity. I was finally able to get out last Saturday and do a three mile run. My legs felt fine, the ankle felt fine. What was not fine was my breathing. I could hardly catch my breath! Can 9 days of not running really set me back like that? And my heart rate was too high, according to my incredibly talented and attractive Garmin 305. But Monday's run was much better. I was able to do a nice steady three miles at my fastest time to date, 11:07 per mile. My breathing had returned to normal for Monday's run, thank goodness. I tried to get out there this morning for a 5 miler, but I had spent the night up in SLC with my best friend, trying to finalize the plans for her bachelorette party. Not much sleep came my way. So today is a rest day and the 5 miles will happen tomorrow. Instead of doing a long run this weekend, my boyfriend and I are going to hike Mt. Timpanogos. It's something like 9 miles, so I figure that will count. I'll try to get some lovely mountain pictures to post. And speaking of the boyfriend, he just joined dailymile.com and has logged his first run! He says he wants to run the marathon in Greece with me next Novemeber :)

Ankle in revolt :(

2011-08-21T11:06:00.000-06:00

My ankle has full on revolted. I haven't the slightest idea what I've done to it. All I know is that running = pain. Great. My first half marathon is in 3 weeks. So I have been forced to take at least a week off to see if it can heal up. I'll still be working out, just no running. I gave the elliptical a shot yesterday and was able to pound out a decent workout without upsetting the prissy ankle. I've been icing it and wrapping it, as well as popping more ibuprofen than I probably should. On the up side, I bought myself that GPS watch I wanted. It's coming in the mail and should be here just in time for my triumphant return to running. I had to do something to alleviate the despondency that came with the decision to take a week off. Shopping heals all sorts of wounds. And I've also started looking around for marathons next year in the area. As long as I keep positive and keep my goals nice and defined, I'll get there, even with little setbacks and inconveniences.

A slight setback...

2011-08-14T16:03:00.000-06:00

I have successfully completed week 6 of the marathon training schedule. And I seem to have injured my ankle in the process. I didn't do anything to it, like step funny or twist it. It seems that the amount of running that I have been doing has caused the tendons to be a bit stressed out. Perfect. Especially since I went ahead and signed up for the half marathon in September. I have just under a month for my ankle to get with the program. I can put weight on it and walk just fine. It just aches sometimes... Hopefully the ice packs and ace bandage wrapping will make everything peachy again. Other than that little snafu, things are going well with the training. I keep improving my mile times, and I walk less and less on the long runs. I'm looking forward to the 12 mile run this next weekend. It's always so great to find out my body can actually do things like that. I do need to start training somewhere other than the track though. The long runs on the track are fairly mind numbing, just running around in circles... There's a handy gadget that I want. It's a Garmin GPS watch that tracks your distance, time, elevation, calories burned , and loads of other stuff. I may just have to get one soon and start hitting the streets for my long runs. It's probably time to start incorporating some more hard core running gear into my life. After all, I think I may have finally entered the realm where I can call myself a runner :)

Double digit long run!

2011-08-07T20:03:00.001-06:00

So I was pretty stoked about running nine miles. You all remember that, right? Well guess who just did ten miles on Friday? That would be this girl. This one right here. Yeah, the fat one who looks like running ten miles would send her to her death. Ha! I even did it five minutes faster than I though I would too. I averaged a 12:30 minute mile. For running that far, that's amazing for me. I am thinking of signing up for a closer half marathon. My Halloween Half isn't until the end of October. There's one that goes down part of the Nebo Loop on September 10th. I really think that I can be ready for it. I'm getting antsy to run a race. I do have the Dirty Dash coming up next month, but it's just a 10K, also the obstacles slow one down considerably. I just wish some of this weight would come off. I think that would help my times if I had less to lug around with me. But there's some good news. A few of the pounds that came on when my training started have dropped, but I'm still three pounds over the weight that I started at. I just got my copy of Nutrition for Marathoners book. It should help me out on this issue. Hopefully, it will tell me that ice cream is an essential part of the marathoner's diet.

I'm a running rockstar!

2011-07-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, the impossible has become possible! Yes, this plump runner, this gal who has 30 extra pounds hanging around, has run nine miles, at one time even! Nine! I never ever thought that I could do that and enjoy it as much as I did. I even did it at a 13 minute per mile pace. That's incredible when I think back to my seven mile run that I ran at a 15:46 per mile time. I even experienced a "runner's high" today around mile seven. It was so great. It makes you feel like you can keep going forever. I was even able to keep the walking breaks down to one every 3/4 of a mile and even 1 1/2 miles inbetween. My legs feel a little stiff, and I'll probably be a tad sore tomorrow, but who cares?! Nine miles! I have never thought that I could be a distance runner. I know now that I can do anything I want. If I can run nine miles, I can run a marathon. It's so empowering to learn what you're really capable of. I still haven't lost any weight and I get frustrated about that, but today I'm on cloud 9 and I know that if I keep this up, the weight won't have a chance :)

Everything's going so well!

2011-07-24T20:12:00.001-06:00

I think it's finally happened. I may have become addicted to running. I've started to notice that I feel like something is missing on my rest days. I had a successful third week following the training schedule. And as crazy as it sounds, I am looking forward to the 9 mile long run for next week. I haven't ever pushed myself that far and I am really excited to see how I do. My mile time has been steadily improving and despite the additional weight I've put on, my calves are starting to get that hard core runner look to them. Wooooo! They did look pretty good with my high heels today. It's always nice to have some positive reinforcement like that. I've also found motivation through using the dailymile.com site. I love all the information and feedback you can get there. Here's to another great week of running :)

7 miles and still able to stand under my own power!

2011-07-18T16:11:00.000-06:00

I conquered the next long run last Saturday. 7 long hot miles. July is the WORST for training! Heat. So much heat. I'm sporting a fantastic tan line from my ipod arm bad. I just joined the dailymile.com site. It lets you log your distance and time and it does a nice little break down for you. Turns out my 7 mile adventure was done at a pace of 15:45 per mile. Yikes. I really need to get faster... I just hope that speed will come with my persistence. What has come from all this running I've been doing has been 5 extra pounds. Not okay body, sheesh. I've even been making sure to keep the diet in check and the scale keeps going up. Now the theory is that muscle weighs more than fat, so this up swing is normal and the weight will start to drop after this initial period. Let's hope so. I was already 25 lbs over what I want to weigh and having the scale go up another 5 took some drive out of me, not to mention the fact that I had to go shopping for a bridesmaid dress and the only sizes left were an XS and an XXL. The XXL basically fits. WTF? That same day I also purchased a shirt labeled Medium. Go figure. I have decided to just ignore all of that for now and keep on training the best that I can.

6 Miles!

2011-07-11T20:00:00.000-06:00

I'm sure everyone was getting a little nervous after the 6 mile run threat. Well the prophesied 6 mile run did happen. And I even lived through it. Barely. And much to my surprise, a mile into my run, the first annual Mapleton/Spanish Fork area family track meet joined me at the track. Hooray! I wasn't quite sure what to do. Already a mile in, I didn't really want to switch venues, and my usual track is still closed. So I just stuck to the outside lane and did my best to stay out of everyone's way. It was a little awkward, but it wasn't a huge event and they finished up before I did... It took me an hour and a half to run the 6 miles (15 minute miles), which isn't bad for having never run that far in my entire life. I interspersed the walking breaks like the schedule suggests and it really helped. I haven't been sore, just stiff. I have mixed feelings about the walking breaks. While they obviously helped me get through the run, accomplishing the entire distance, I still feel a little guilty. It seems like cheating or something. But I have no illusions. I was already pretty sure this body would be walking parts of my half marathon anyway. And the method is supported by super hard core marathon runners, so I should just go with it, right? Next Saturday is the 7 mile run and we'll see how that goes.

Thanks for the heads up guys :P

2011-07-07T17:53:00.000-06:00

So I am a diligent runner, waking up at 4:30 again this morning to go run. When I get to the high school track where I run every time, there's caution tape strung up and a big notice that says the track will be closed from today until July 15th. How come that sign wasn't up yesterday morning?! It's just a good thing that they built another high school not too far away so I could still get my run in. Now some people would argue that I should just run on the streets. To them I say, last time I ran on the streets in the dark, I sprained my ankle and couldn't run for the next 6 months. The track suits me just fine. Besides, you always know just how far you've gone and you don't have to worry about carrying your keys, water, or phone, since you can just leave it all in the car in the parking lot. Good times all around. The one advantage of this other track is that it's by the mouth of the canyon so there's a nice breeze that blows all morning, which comes in handy when it's already 71 degrees at 5 a.m. I'm glad I won't be running the half marathon until the end of October. By then the morning temps will be much more bearable. Don't get me wrong, I love 71 degree temperature, just not when I have to run.

Success!

2011-07-06T19:04:00.000-06:00

Finally! I was able to haul this bruised and broken body out of bed at 4:30 a.m. to go running! The bruised and broken part is from yoga, somehow I keep getting banged up while finding peace... It was a successful 3 mile run, as per the schedule. I should be able to repeat this feat tomorrow, followed by my Thursday round of yoga after work. And now, enjoy this picture from my first race of the year, the Kiss Me Dirty mud run.

A rough start.

2011-07-05T11:18:00.000-06:00

Monday holidays always throw off my groove. The day off from work is always welcome though. I didn't bother to work out Monday, since according to the Hal Higdon training schedule I'm following, Monday is a rest day. But I probably should have done something... seeing as I stayed out to late for "Friends of July". So no morning run on Tuesday happened... Oops. Let me tell you, 4:30 a.m. rolls around too quickly sometimes. I'll hit up my yoga class tonight and hope that the hour I spend sweating my buns off will make up for the lack of running this morning. At least it'll help me get in bed sooner, so that the Wednesday run will happen. And apparently, according to the schedule, I'm supposed to run 6 miles this Saturday... 6 miles?! After having only run 3 miles, 3 of the days the week before? The farthest I have ever run without stopping was 5 miles and that was when I was running 4 miles a day, 3-4 times per week. And it nearly killed me. So you'll know if I lived through the 6 miler if I post after July 9th.

Well, here goes nothing.

2011-07-03T20:15:00.001-06:00

So I started this thing, 101 goals for 1001 days. I made all kinds of goals. One of them was to start a blog (even though I've never even read a blog before..) and another one of them was to run a half marathon. Yikes. So far, this blog thing doesn't seem too scary. But the half marathon is a different story. I'm not one of those skinny, bean-pole types you always see doing things like that. I'm built for comfort, not speed. Hence the "plump runner". But I paid my money and I'm all signed up for the Halloween Half marathon in Provo this October. I have just under 4 months to get this "comfort" body race ready. I started out just yesterday with my first race of the year, the Kiss Me Dirty mud run up at Wheeler Farm. It was a 4 mile run, and it wasn't too bad. I am also signed up for the Dirty Dash and the Night of the Running Dead races. I'll do my best to post results and pictures of the progress towards what is a big goal, at least to me. And maybe someday, I'll be able to teach this body to run 26.2 miles.