City of Oaks Half Marathon

I can’t believe it took me a week and a half to write this. It’s official: I FINISHED A HALF MARATHON! Didn’t do too shabby either if I say so myself, 2:12 (even though afterwards at lunch there was a marathon on tv and the winners ran their 26.2 in 2:09, barf).  I don’t know when I’ve ever been this proud of myself.

That being said, let me just say that stuff was haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrdddddddd, physically and mentally. I had come in out and of my mental “you got this” only once or twice until mile 11.5. At that point I knew exactly where in Raleigh I was and exactly where I wasn’t; close enough to being finished. For a minute I thought about how I wasn’t going to be able to do it anymore and then I saw the marathon folk spilt off and continue and I thanked God that wasn’t me. I slowed significantly there but still finished which was my number one priority.

I will say up until my 11.5 mile meltdown of confidence.  It was a good run. My running buddy, Brooke and I cruised through. We even ditched our pace group fairly early on because in training we had been running a fast 5 mile pace and staying with them felt like our strides were all jacked up. I never would have been able to run this thing without Brooke training and running it with me.

Did I say it was hard already? I honestly thought I was going to come through the finish line with tears and a huge smile but it was more of a look of disbelief that it was over and I had come out alive. After that fuzzy moment my family appeared and reminded me of what an awesome feat I had overcome. Seeing Jordan’s face come through the crowd with a huge grin and rose (he’s a keeper) was more than enough recognition. I value his opinion more than anyone else’s and although he told me several times he was proud, he didn’t have to, his face had it written all over it.

My mom and dad also came which was super sweet of them. I’m a lucky girl to have such a supportive family backing me and my goals.

After the race I couldn’t even think about running without feeling sick. I really felt dead the rest of the day. I do know now that it’s because I didn’t replenish electrolytes during the run and so my body had a hard time recouping the rest of the day. Next time (If there is a next time) I will be sure to eat my GU gummies and save myself the rest of the day.

After saying for so long “I’m not a runner, I can’t do that, I’ll never be able to go out and just run”, it’s a truly amazing feeling to be able to slap my 13.1 sticker on the back of my car. I’m already gearing up for more (also I love the bling, I'm a sucker for it now. If you thought a free t-shirt with entry was awesome, just wait 'til they put that medal around your neck). I didn’t run the entire WEEK after my race, mainly as a “you go girl” for me but I do know that most of the motivation is gone to seriously train. That being said I signed up today for a 10k J

 

Shoe Perfection

After 174  miles I had to say goodbye to my first real pair of running shoes. Generally speaking, I let them go a little early but I could tell it was time. Here's what clued me in:

                  1) One of my toenails bruised and got blood under it...just waiting for that sucker to fall                   off now :)
                 
                 2) I felt like I had zero support underneath my foot. It felt like all the cushion had been                  squeezed

                 3) My feet started to go numb during my longer runs. It was making me panic a bit                  thinking that I just wasn't built to do 13.1.

                 4) I began developing a lengthening list of semi-injuries, ankle pain, knee pain, the toenail,                  IT band pain, and although these things do accompany longer distances I really felt like                    something was off

With all that said my sweet hubs took me to a running store Saturday and let me talk to someone. It took the guy 3 seconds to look at my shoe and tell me it was too small. Opps. I went up an entire shoe size just like that. Luckily the shoe was still the correct fit for my stride which was something I had worried about. I do think that I killed my first shoes so fast from a few different factors. I was heavier when I started by 10 lbs which doesn't seem like a whole lot but I felt like it made a difference. I know my stride has changed drastically from when I first started really running. I finally feel like I have a good rhythm to my runs which is nice compared to before when I felt like I was all over the place.

The extra size feels awesome. My foot finally has some breathing room in the shoe and can shift down when I land which it didn't have room to do before (hence the blackened toenail). The sales guy explained how running shoes aren't meant to be like street shoes that should be laced tightly (guilty) and that you should tie them comfortably. I ran 5 miles yesterday and they felt like I was on a cloud. I had so much spring to my gait.

Here's a picture of the new shoes. I'm a believer of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", so I didn't. My other shoes were Brooks Ghost 5's and my new ones are Brooks Ghost 6. Basically the same shoe, minor differences that aren't really noticeable to me but I was told all about them. Cool thing about most running stores is that you can return them even after running outdoors. Inside Out Sports in Cary has a 14 day return policy for running outside and a 90 day for inside which is awesome. I don't foresee returning these though because they're awesome.

 

3 more Sundays until 13,1!!!

Fuel Up: The Mind and Body

 

 

On Sunday I ran my farthest distance to date: 8 miles. To say I had scared the crap out of my self before hand is an understatement. From the moment I saw 8 miles on my training calendar, I had a knot in my stomach. Running is so mental for me. I still don't have that confidence to go into a long run KNOWING that I am going to rock it. That's what training is for, building that stamina physically but also, for me, it's a confidence builder.

 

The run started ok. Brooke and I decided to run a new route which was fun but sometimes not doing your research can really mess up your mojo. We ran a trail (we normally run pavement) and it was only 1.5 miles one way (we don't usually backtrack). It's amazing to me that a tiny give in ground can affect you so much differently that pavement. I felt this run in every muscle I had. I made it non the less and after walking a ton and feeling like I was going to throw up a ton, this is what I looked like :) Eat your heart out:

 

 

I have a few suggestions for going out on a long run:

1. Run in a familiar place. Don't get a wild hair and go rogue: it may not work in your favor to switch surfaces ,altitude, route, etc. Also for me, when I run a familiar route my brain doesn't have to think as hard and my pace stays steady, Running in an unfamiliar area I'm much more inconsistent and never feel as confident about what's ahead.

2. Time is only a number. A mile is a mile no matter if you do it in 6 minutes or 15. Sure you'll burn more calories the faster you go but finishing your distance will feel much better than running half of it and stopping due to fatigue. (If you run a 6 minute mile, Scott Brown, you're a freak of nature)

3. HYDRATE. Big mistake I made Sunday. I drank 10oz of water. That's it. Not a good idea for any run but especially a distance run coupled with unseasonably hot weather. I was so dehydrated I just knew this would be the first time I threw up on a run :) lovely image. 

4. EAT! I ate 3 granola bars the day of. That was breakfast and lunch. Stupid. I'm not going anorexic I just decided to have a lazy morning and got a little carried away :). I did not fuel my body with enough calories or carbohydrates to get 8 miles. It's a miracle I'm alive (jk)

5. Eat during the run. I really like the GU Chomps! They taste pretty good and can give you enough umph to push through and complete your run. I didn't do that either. (see the trend)

6. Stop and stretch. There's no shame in stopping to stretch. If you're tight, stretch it out. The rest of your run will thank you for it. Remember this isn't the end, you're in it for the long haul and not stretching out a tight muscle can lead to an injury that can put you out of the game.

 

So now that I have written down some tips I will hopefully follow them and not break nearly every suggestion I wrote like I did on Sunday :) That being said, I ran 5 miles last night and got my confidence back. I BEASTED it. It was easily my favorite run. I never thought I would say 5 miles and easy in the same breath but it was. We kept a great steady pace and were easily able to hold a conversation throughout the run. I really needed that confidence boost after Sunday. It just goes to show that fueling your body with ample water and food will give you great results!

 

Only 4 Sundays until 13.1!!!!!!

 

What's Motivating You?

This post has been started and deleted more times that I can count. Every post so far has been relatively easy to write until now. Maybe because the others have been fact oriented or just a little glimpse into what I'm doing, I don't know. I do know that admitting things aren't always 100% gravy are hard for me to do. Let's see if I can get this thing going finally.

I started pretend running (that's what I call that time frame because looking back it's hysterical) a year ago. I was "training" (loose term there) for a 5k I planned to do with my sister in law. We had to run x number of days a week or fork over $5. It worked because I didn't want to part with money. I ran a mile at time. Mainly out of breath and demanding water when I came in. I lost 0 pounds and ended up paying for and not running the 5k :) I was scared I couldn't do it so I didn't even try. CHICKEN. I'm so embarrassed to say that AND if you know me, I'm pissed I don't have that T-shirt. After being separated from my husband for 3 months, getting an AWESOME job, and being reunited with the hubs, I still didn't feel like myself. It was like I didn't even know who I was anymore. I was lazy, always needed a nap, "I'm tired" was my auto response to nearly every question asked. When I was teaching allllllll of these things were true with an addition of "I'm pissed, frustrated, tired of my job, tired of children (except my cheer babies; they rocked) and miserable". Once I realized I'd hit the job jackpot at NCSU, I realized none of these things should be in my vocabulary. I knew I had to do something and thus began running.

I remember running my first 5k ( thought it would be a bucket list type thing, one and done). I had my runner's high for 1.5 miles and realized then I was going WAAAAAAAAAAAY too fast and needed to slow it down if I wanted to cross the finish line. I also remember thinking "this is so dumb I paid $25 to run and it SUCKS. I hate this. Why did I sign up for this torture". Then the magic of the finish line happened. My husband surprised me and busted his butt to get there after getting off shift that morning and was able to make it just in time to see me cross the finish line. He looked like a Cheshire cat grinning ear to ear. He was so proud of me which, made me proud of me. I don't think I realized that until today. That first race I was more satisfied with him being proud than recognizing my own accomplishment.

That race motivated me to do others because I liked that feeling (I'm a people pleaser). Once I really began logging more miles and races I realized I was pretty proud of me. I love looking at Nike+ and seeing how many miles I've logged.  The continual running and eating healthy made the weight begin to finally shed which was awesome. and another reason to keep it up. I really don't want to go back to the weight OR the person I was 10 pounds ago.  A motivation for running a half marathon was to get the last bit of weight off. Writing it down seems so dumb. I can't help feeling like I will be more pleased hitting my "goal" number. I know that I will be content momentarily and that will then turn to wanting to change something else but is that a bad thing? That's what is keeping me going the days I DONT WANNA GO.

My hubs is a huge motivation to me to stay exercising. He hates to run and on the days  I can con him into going with me I love it. I'm faster keeping up with his gazelle stride (or trying). My non-existent children are also a motivation. I want to be an active mom who can play and have fun with their kids and keep up. I also don't want to gain 90 pounds (ain't hating if you did, that's just not going to work for me) when I am pregnant. I can thank my friend Renee (hey girl) for that. I didn't know her through her first pregnancy but I did for the second and she rocked it. I've never seen someone so energetic and up for anything during pregnancy or post-pregnancy. But most of all I want to do it for ME. I want to be the best me I can be, all the time, healthy and happy. For the moment running is doing that for me. How's all that for motivation?! So today I will ask: What is motivating you?

Blair

1st Annual Mountaineer Mud Run

This past weekend Jordan and I went to Boone with our best friends for the first annual Mountaineer Mud Run. First off: if you've never done a mud run DO IT. Even if you only do it once. Most fun I've ever had running! People of all shapes and sizes were there and everyone had a blast. They are doing it again in May if you're interested.

The cool thing about a mud one of this size and caliber (there are always exceptions like the Spartan Race), is that they are fun. You're not trying to beast the run and PR because there's mud and walls that you have to have a team to get over. Our sweet husbands even helped out a few loners who had lost their way. I really would recommend doing this run with a team and staying with them. Which is the point. I'm not a life rule follower but in games and sports I play by the rules. It was frustrating for me to see "teams" cross the finish line one member at a time. Who you trying to impress? I just wanted to scream out DQ every time one of these lone rangers passed me BUT I held back because it was a fun race. One guy even flew past us at one point, sans his team, and NO MUD?! WHAT. Why even sign up, you can do that at home buddy. I guess he's allergic and has no friends. I'm not judging, whatever.

I had only one down to this race ( besides the cheaters) and it was probably 1/2 way through. I got mud in my contact and had to pull it out and finish with one eye. If you knew my vision, you'd know this is true. All in all I'd love to go to Boone and do this race again. Jordan and Scott were a huge hit with the ladies and race goers, They wore their fire turnout gear and played like children in every mud hole. Naturally they made the websites page, losers. Here are some pictures.

You're a Real Pain!

Just the other day I was pouting about how my last run was hard, and is it ever going to be easy, and when am I going to be able to say I am a runner? When my epiphany came...I AM a runner. I do it 5 days a week and even if I didn't, I'm no less of a runner. It's funny how we strive for more all the time and while that isn't always a bad thing, when it comes to my self esteem as an active runner, it feels really good to say. One of my favorite feels after running (after "yay I'm finished!") is knowing that I get to call myself an athlete again and that feels awesome.

I do have some actual tips and info. to share today, aside from my earlier rant. Today there are two F words to add to your vocabulary. Fit and Form. Let me explain:

When I first started "running"(I laugh now because it was sporadic and one mile only) a year ago I was wearing some sweet colored Nikes I had bought on sale at Foot Locker. They were cute, and BOLD, and people always said "Cool shoes" and I loved it. These shoes got attention but the did not give me support. My feet would literally go numb. I'm no doctor but that isn't the desired effect of running. When I started running longer distances and more frequently I knew it was time to change shoes. I went to a store and was fitted with my new best friends. I LOVE my Brooks. It's a good idea to go to a running store and let them see you run, no matter how weird it may seem, especially if you're like me and have no idea what you need to be looking for when it comes to a neutral or stabilizing shoe...huh? They say most shoes will be able to withstand 200-300 miles. I do think after my second bought of shin splints recently that I may need to go back and check in to some other pairs for different needs. In the last month or two I feel like I've finally found my stride and my pace so with that, the shoes may need to retire.

If you have been fitted for a new shoe by someone who is probably a super freakishly good runner and some specialty running store, and you're still having problems, shin splints, numb feet, tight calves, then maybe it's not the shoes. Just as in any sport, form is crucial to running. One of my favorite FRIENDS episode is when Rachel and Phoebe go running together. If you watch the show, you know this is true Phoebe form. Try not to take advice from Phoebe. Instead, you really want to try to strike the ground mid-foot. This absorbs more of the shock and pounding that your body has to take on from hitting the pavement over and over. Another interesting tip is to take smaller strides. Although log legged people can get places in less steps, when you run and take smaller steps, you fatigue less quickly and improve your overall time. The last piece of running advice is lean slightly forward while running. It shouldn't be too noticeable but your upper half should be slightly forward. This alignment will also help you pick up your speed because your body will feel the need to catch up with itself.

All that to say...Form is important and if your feet or legs are killing you or even mildly hurting when you're running and you haven't been fitted properly for a running shoe based on your needs, GO GET FITTED!

Resting is Training Too!

This past week I have not ran even one mile. Although I have felt super lazy, I've been busy and mainly recovering. Last Monday I was running what I thought were some make up miles. I had missed my long run over the weekend because we house hunted literally all day. So Monday I thought, "I'll just get that long run in today." Nope. Not even close. I ran as much as I walked. I felt like a child learning to use my legs for the first time .I stumbled, twisted my foot, nearly tripped a few times, was out of breath and in pain the entire run. I went ONE mile and walked to try and regain my breath and start fresh. I think  I MAY have made it a quarter mile before I walked again and then again and again. It was so frustrating. I just couldn't get into my stride.

Not to make excuses but if I was making them I will say I have had a dull shin splint that was furious that day. It just wouldn't go away and since it was having such a good time my left shin decided to join in. Needless to say I decided to take a few days off, which turned into a week. I did feel lazy and worthless but my body thanked me! I've been so conscious about eating healthy and making sure to excessive I was sure that I would gain 5 lbs immediately after taking a break. I'm happy to say I didn't gain anything.

All that to say that if your body says STOP, give me a break!, I need REST! Remember rest days (or in this case a week) is still training. Your body needs down time. If you ignore that, you could find yourself laid up from an injury. I can't wait to get back today! I got 2 awesome running tanks from family this past weekend. My sweet unborn nephew, Noah, got me one that says "I don't sweat, I SPARKLE" Which I am obsessed with! It's so me because I sparkle A LOT. I didn't know it was possible for people to sparkle that much. I also got a really pretty one with a cool back pattern which will be nice to rock since I have a permanent razorback suntan going on right now :)

Changes All Around

13 weeks ago I started running. What started with one hard mile has turned into training for a 1/2 marathon. I can't believe how far I've come. I used to DREAD going out the door. If I would have only known three months ago where I'd be today I probably would have been sprinting out the door.

I started running for a few different reasons: I was exhausted of being exhausted; no energy is no fun. I was disappointed that at 26 I was in the worst shape of my life. I had low self esteem because I was in terrible shape. I was sick of buying clothes that would easily camouflage. So because of these things I laced up and hit the pavement.

I feel like before incorporating some serious effort/exercise in my life I really just wanted to get "skinny" as quickly as possible. I tried a few different routes, a few different times. Although some protein shakes work for some people they didn't really work for me. I've found that for me to lose weight and feel energized, I need to eat all day long, HURRAY! I eat small meals 5-6 times a day. I use to hear that and think and HOW do you have the time? When I say meals I mean one meal is yogurt, another a banana, another an apple, another my actual lunch, another grapes, you get it. That's small to me. I've found that the result is I don't over do it on dinner and I feel energized and have the fuel to run after work.

Running has not only helped me get in shape and lose weight/inches, it's literally changed my whole lifestyle and way of thinking. It truly is a God send. I'm conscious about moving more and what types of foods I'm putting in my body. I don't deprive myself, if I want cake I eat cake. It's funny though because now I don't crave candy and ice cream; I crave water or bananas or yogurt. Being healthy is definitely a lifestyle change and I'm glad it's here to stay!

Raleigh's Finest 5k

I had been looking for another 5k to run here in the area when I found out about Raleigh's Finest 5k. It's a local race that is put on for Raleigh Firefighters who have passed away in the line of duty or otherwise. Their families host it and they have a really good turnout. This was such an easy decision for me to do this race  because my husband is a firefighter and we wanted to be able to support this extension of our firefighting family.

Truly the most beautiful thing about emergency services (firefighters, police, ems, paramedics) is that once you are hired, you're family. It doesn't matter where you live, what department you're on, you are family. I can't tell you how many craigslist adventures have turned into "Yea we just moved because I got hired with Cary Fire and...Oh you're a firefighter too". That's how we got our wooden fence for our dogs for practically nothing, that's how the fence got built; these guys will help you do anything, anytime. Firefighting is how we found our best friends who we ran the Blueberry Festival 5K with. Scott is also a firefighter and he and Jordan went through their academy together. Renee and I have been best friends ever since.

Ok back to Saturday. The humidity Saturday was easily at 100%, it was miserable. The current recruit class of RFD ran it as a unit. That was so powerful to watch them run and sing cadence the whole way through. They made the run a bit easier to run when you thought "At least I'm not singing this whole thing". The hills weren't too bad but the humidity felt like I was having to climb Everest. I did PR here at 28:16 which was good considering I was sweating buckets :) So thankful I had my sweet hubby there running with me the whole way, he even stayed with me through the "sprint" haha I don't think I can really call it that, more of a leg extension.

We finished out day in Winston Salem to celebrate Jordan's great-grandmother's 100th birthday! I hope that all this running keeps me healthy so that I live to see my 100th birthday! Nanny Nail is full of life and the sweetest woman you'll ever meet. So glad we got to celebrate with her! Here's a picture of the Nail clan,

This is my last 5k for a bit...I started my half marathon training yesterday...can't wait to be posting on that in September!

Running Routine

I've recently discovered after running my last 5k that I run better if I don't listen to music. I ran the Blueberry 5k with friends and my husband. Here we are here:

Running with my husband always pushes me to run faster because his legs are so much longer and I have to push to keep up. This journey to this race was a hot mess for us. We left OKI in just enough time to make it to Burgaw at the start of the race. Genius I know, time just slipped away that morning. After we got downtown I forgot my decided not to run with the iPod in. I was bummed at first but honestly listening to your feet hit and concentrating on your breathing at 7:30 am was actually really nice. I was finally able to breath in 3 out 3 which is something I really try to do at home when I'm training, but can't ever seem to do.  I think I tend to pant breathe to the beat of the music.

I don't think I'll be able to listen to noting for the 1/2 in September but it's nice on a 3 mile run. Something else that prepared my breathing is running with my friend Brooke. Brooke and I tend to talk non-stop throughout the entire run. It's easy at the beginning but every day towards the end of the run we're both using shorter and shorter breaths. So I think not talking during that particular race really improved my pace.

What do you think? Do you listen to music when you run or not? Do you talk to a friend or yourself? I'd love to know your normal training routine!

Midtown Race Series

Well folks, God has intervened. There just happens to be a 1/2 marathon scheduled for September 21st in Raleigh. That is ONE week past my 12 week plan which to me sounds like perfect timing!  I think I will need a running partner for sure to accomplish this distance. Who's in?
Sign Up!

Big Goals

I don't know if anyone reads According to Kelly who also is reading this but if you aren't, you should. This lady is awesome. She juggles a lot and manages to run a 7:40 pace marathon. She definitely my running role model. After looking through my friend's Diva 1/2 marathon pictures and reading Kelly's blog, a 1/2 marathon is on my list. I'd like to do a few more 5k's and possibly a 10k before hand but honestly who says I have to? Kelly ran a half and full marathon without ever doing a 5k (she has done them since).

Why should I wait for the perfect race to come near me? I'm strong and if I train properly I can run 13 miles. Today starts my 12 week training. Whether or not an actual race falls on "race day" I don't know. I hope so. We'll see what I can find.