One Month at a Time

Happy February! January went by so quickly.  I did not do as well as I had planned.  I just could not stay healthy.  I am still not 100%, but I am pushing through it.  I am not one for conspiracy theories BUT I am almost convinced that this year’s flu shot made me sick.  Each time I recover, I get different symptoms.  Now I am battling a sore throat and upset stomach.

Weights.  I laid off the heavy weights because I just did not have the strength.   I’ve been picking up the dumbbell here and there.  I’m going to try to hit the weights tomorrow. 

Plank.  I planked the entire month!  I got up to two minutes.  My goal is to do a five-minute plank, at least one time in my life.  Last week I struggled to do one minute.  Not sure what’s up with that, but I am going to continue working on it.  I know having a stronger core is going to help my running.

Pushups.  Last week my friend Bianca invited me to do 22 pushups a day for 22 days for Veteran Suicide Awareness.  The first day I did them I almost started crying.  It is so hard to imagine that each day 22 veterans commit suicide.  Each day I dedicate a pushup to the memory of a veteran and his or her family.  Yesterday, I figure I will have done a push up for 484 veterans and their families. It is a very humbling and sacred experience. 

Running.  I started my Couch to 10K a couple of weeks ago.   I completed Week One no problem.  I have had on and off days with Week Two.  I completed the first session with no problem.  The next time I could barely get to the halfway point.  I almost completed the third session.  Yesterday, I made it to the halfway point and walked the rest of the session.  I am not moving on until I can complete all runs in all three Week Two workouts.  

Swimming.  On back burner until I am feeling well and it is warmer!

Nutrition.  I am feeling really good about my nutrition.  Today I made quinoa vegetable “fried rice.”  Last week I made quinoa veggie patties.  Yummy stuff!

Fitbit.  Well, I decided to go with the FitbitSurge.  I need an extra-large band so it on back order.  I can’t wait to get it!

Peachtree Road Race: What I Learned

Now that I have completed my dream race, I have been thinking about my next running goal. I know I will never be a fast runner. I do know that running consistently will help increase my pace. So, one of my goals is just to continue running and improving my time and pace.

My three takeaways from Peachtree/my first 10k are:

1. Trust my training – As long as I follow my training plan, I will be fine. I was very surprised how well I did. I really did expect to feel much worse than I did. I am sure that some of this had to do with my slow walk to the finish line. I started my training early. This will be my plan of action for my next 10k.
2. Pay better attention to the road – This should really be my number one lesson. There is no way I should have stepped in the puddle of water. I was so distracted trying to avoid the water spray that I wasn’t paying attention to where I was placing my feet. I could have injured myself.
3. Run my own race – Although I did a great job of this on the road, I was so worried before the race. I need to just focus on me and what I am doing. I think this will come with more experience in races.

Part of the hidden curriculum was the support that I received from all my family and friends. When I first started sharing that I wanted to become a runner, I was meant with some discouragement. I know many doubted me. As a result, I have learned not to share my running dreams and goals with everyone.

Peachtree Road Race: I did it!

I did it! 6.2 miles! What an emotional ride it was!

Once my wave gets to the starting line, I remind myself of my strategies and advice I’ve received to pace myself. Thankfully, it was a great day for a race in the ATL. It wasn’t that hot and there was a slight breeze.
Miles 1, 2, and 3 went like a breeze. I ran into trouble about halfway into mile 4 -- due to those darn water sprays! I was trying to get on the curb to avoid the water and accidentally stepped in a puddle of water. I was soooo upset! My right foot was soaked! It was all downhill, figuratively, after that. I tried changing my form a bit but that wet sock keep rubbing against my skin. I ended up walking across the finish line. At first I was a bit disappointed, but I decided I would be grateful that I finished.

The Peachtree Road Race has been on my fitness bucket list from day one. At the time, I thought it was a long shot. Today I am living proof that all it takes is one step, one day at a time. As I slowly walked to the finish line, I reflected on those times I could barely walk around the block. Now, there I was on a 6.2 mile course. Unbelievable!

This race is sooo much fun that you forget about time. I love all the cheering and I always stopped for the high fives and fist bumps from all the cute kids. As expected, Cardiac Hill is a very humbling experience. Even though it uphill, it's hospital row and there's the Shepherd Center that has spinal and brain injury patients sitting outside cheering you on.

Oh, I almost forget to mention one of the coolest parts of the race. At about 2.5 miles into my race, Meb (winner of the Boston Marathon) passed me. He started dead last and passed me! Unbelievable!

Progress, Not Perfection

I have less than a week until the Peachtree Road Race I am on the verge of having an anxiety attack. I am as ready as I will ever be. Today my intention was to run six miles. My knee is not feeling so great so I didn't want to risk injury. I walked about four miles and decided to give my knee a rest.

I am going to continue stretching, hydrating, and preparing myself mentally. No matter what happens on July 4 I am so proud of myself for what I have accomplished. The Peachtree Road Race has been on my bucket list for years. I am going to cross that finish line!

Run, Rest, Repeat

Starting to feel very anxious during these last week before the Peachtree Road Race. I felt really tired on Wednesday. On top of that my left ankle was bothering me a bit. Even though it was National Running Day, I decided the only way I was going to participate was to read my latest edition of Runner's World. I even had to avoid social media because I was felt conflicted about not pushing myself to go out for a run.

I ended up going for a quick 20-minute walk. The next day I was still feeling pretty run down. A huge part of me wanted to push through the fatigue. I decided I needed another day to give my body, especially my ankle a rest. I reminded myself that rest and recovery is a very vital part of training. I'm so glad I did.

I just returned from completing Week 12, Day 1 (run 18 minutes, three times). It felt pretty great. I kept checking in with my body and I felt like I had another mile or so in me. This is a good thing. I am no where near 6.2 miles. I know if I keep up with this pace and listen to my body I will finish without feeling totally wiped out.

I am slowly, but surely learning that resting is just as important as running. The problem is knowing when I actually need rest and when I am just being plain lazy. I will continue praying for this wisdom and trusting the process.

Towards the Finish Line

Boy, oh, boy! I'm still here. I was so concerned about remaining injury free that remaining germ free escaped me. I have been sick off and now for about three weeks now. The last week was the worst.

It started off with a stomachache that turned into stomach cramps, headache, fever, chills, and diarrhea. I was soooo sick! I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance.

So, here it is the night before my 5k and I haven't run in a week and before that it was sporadic. I am not even sure I am going to be able to pull this off. My stomach still feels wobbly. As long as I just eat plain oatmeal and drink water, I should be fine. My aim was to run this one nonstop but we'll see what happens. I going to try to complete Week 11, Day 2 while I'm at it.

Five weeks until Peachtree and I am nowhere near where I'd like to be. I am going to focus on how much I have accomplished and not give up. So, now my aim is to stay healthy and injury free!

Easter Brings Hope

Today was a beautiful day. Easter has always been my favorite holiday. I love the message of resurrection, renewal, rebirth, and hope. How light comes from darkness....

Today I tapped into that message of hope and checked off a goal on my fitness list. For the longest time, one of my goals has been to be able to run around this loop at Wills Park. This is the path I usually walk. I know that in order to prepare for Peachtree I need to be able to run uphill. It was my intention to try running around this loop in June.

Last night I spent some time catching up on my blog reading. I read something about how running is also mental. So I spent some time visually myself running around that loop. For whatever reason, when I woke up this morning, I decided to give it a try. I did it! I really took my time, checked in with my body, stayed present with my thoughts, focused on my breathing, and run around that loop 1.25 times. So, now my next goal is to do two laps. Before my race, I will complete four laps.

Today was a real confidence-builder for me. For the first time, I believe I can be well-prepared for this race. I know it is a little out of my reach, but I can do my best to be as prepared as possible.

Peachtree Road Race Training

Check out what I received in the mail today!

It’s really starting to sink in that I am going to do this. The Peachtree Road Race has been on my bucket list since I started my fitness journey. This year is the first year I have had the courage to go after it.

I am so excited and nervous. Tomorrow I finish Week 9 of my training plan. I’m running about three miles. I have five weeks left in the plan and 11 weeks left until the race. I pray I’m able to run/walk/crawl 6.2 miles by then.
I went into Big Peach Running today. They’re always so nice and friendly. I went in to purchase some NUUN to help me with my hydration goals. One the guys asked me what I was training for. Me? I felt like a real runner. One of these days it will sink in that I am a runner now.

So, we chat about Peachtree and he gives me the best advice ever – HAVE FUN! He told me the funniest story about supporting a friend during her first Peachtree. She told him to go ahead and run his race. He waited and waited and waited for her at the finish line. She finally shows up all happy. He was so worried. She was having a blast. She stopped for a doughnut and a beer along the course. She did exactly what he advised her to do -- have fun!


In the end, that’s what it’s all about. I am having a wonderful adventure. While I want to be prepared and take my training seriously, I do not want to forget to enjoy the journey!

There's no such thing as a bad workout?

Today was not a good day. I have been doing so well on my Couch to 10k workouts. I cannot remember the last time I needed to repeat a day. Well, today was one of those days. I decided to run at Wills Park. It's usually my spot to do my walks because there are inclines. I can walk 2.5 loops with no problem. Running is another story.

I couldn't finish the last 10 minutes. It's okay. This lets me know I still have a lot of work to do. The Peachtree Road Race course has inclines and hills. I need to be prepared for them. I am going to start running at Wills Park more often. I tried my best not to compare myself to others out on the path. I reminded myself to just run my race and remind myself of how far I have come.

Once I stopped this pity party, I was okay. I'm prepared to give it another try! I will get to the point where I can run around that loop nonstop!

HIIT = DOMS

I had a really nice HIIT training workout on Thursday. It felt great! I felt great! I didn’t feel like going to the gym to lift so I did a combination of kickboxing, dumbbells, did two sets of deadlifts, my Spartan 30 pushups, and used my stability ball. It was a nice 30-minute workout. No big deal, I thought. Well, yesterday Thursday I woke up and I could barely move. WTH???

My knees and quads were stiff! It really doesn’t help that I work from home and only had to move from my bedroom to my office. I made it a point to get up often, stretch, and ice my knees. However, when it was time for my workout, I knew there was no way I should try running.

So, I decided I would try to go for a walk instead. It was not cute. By .75 miles my muscles loosened and I felt pretty good. I walked two miles. I was going to do another loop but didn’t want to overdo it. I came home, stretched, and used my foam roller.
This morning my body feels fine. I’m ready for Week Nine, Day 1! Even though I plan to workout at the gym tomorrow, I’m thinking I need to do that at-home workout again. I obviously gave myself a pretty good workout without all that fancy LA Fitness equipment.

Three Months!

I have exactly three months to get myself together for the Peachtree Road Race. Today I completed Week 8, Day 1. I almost blew it. As I was driving to the greenway, it started to rain a bit. I turned away. No way am I running in the rain, I told myself. I thought about going to the gym. My knees don't like running on the treadmill. I'm doing my best to stay injury-free. So, I go back home and hop on my laptop.

Thirty minutes later, I notice it's not raining. I head back out. I realize I cannot be a wimp. There is a possibility it may rain on July 4. It was kind of rainy last year. So I am going to make it a point to train in the rain over the next three months. I will be finishing up the plan next month. Then I just start working on distance and endurance. I also need to work on tackling some hills.

Motivational Monday

Last night I spent some time looking over my March training plan and creating my April plan. I feel pretty good about where I am with my training plan. Yesterday I completed Week 7, Day 2. I am halfway through the plan and will have a full and half month to work on distance. I should be good.

I was planning to walk four miles today but stopped at two. My right knee didn't feel right and I don't want to risk injury. My calves and quads are starting to feel tight and sore. I've got to be more consistent with stretching and using the foam roller.

I'm looking for to April. The weather is nice. I'm so happy to be away from that treadmill. I saw the following on Facebook and I think about it often while I train. I am making it my mantra for the month of April:

I'm still here!

I haven't been blogging, but I have been working out! Today I finished Week 7, Day 1. Week 6 was a bit rough so I completed Day 2 a few times before moving on. Today I felt strong. I am also proud of myself for running outside, even though it had been raining all day.

I have this fear of falling and was worrying about slipping and falling. Although it had stopped raining by the time I went out, the greenway was still wet. In fact, there weren't many people out on the path. Mostly people on bikes. I could how slippery things were as I ran on the little overpasses, but I took my time and it was fine.

My trip to Michigan was okay. My Dad is in better spirits than I expected. In fact, I use him from inspiration and motivation. I think of how he is going to radiation and chemo fighting for his life. I listen to my breath and think about the cancer that was in his lungs. I am humbled. I am grateful.

On a bright note, today is my 5k anniversary. Five years ago today I completed the Publix 5k. I think about how nervous I was. In hindsight I was so naïve. I picked one of the hilly courses for my first 5k! I am very grateful that I am here and still plugging away at my fitness goals.

Terrific Tuesday

Yippee! I just finished Week 5, Day 2 of my Couch to 10k training. It was a hot and sweating one. It's about 71 degrees out. I decided to wear my jacket anyhow to give my body a taste of how hot and sweaty I am going to get in July. I am finally reaching a space where I am okay with sweating. I think I can officially say I am no longer afraid of sweat.