On October 19, 2008, hopefully sometime before 2:00 pm, I will be a marathoner.
I just registered. I don't know whether to cry, throw up, or call the hospital in Denver and let them know I'm coming.
...and I, I have a goal.
7 years ago
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Annnd I'm Back!
Wow, talk about a Debbie Downer! Last week totally sucked...It was really one of the worst weeks I've had, ever. I had a lot of "Can I really do this?" and "God, I really suck, WTF was I thinking?" but then came Saturday morning. I had the most amazing run of my short running life.
My running group is for beginners - people who have never run before. Even though I tried to train on my own for several months before joining, I fit in perfect here. I was really worried for this week's "long" run because I had such a hard time during the week. I know for some people running for 4 minutes straight is nothing...for me, it's the feat of a lifetime. Add only a 2 minute walk break and I was seriously contemplating just giving up. Saturday came before I knew it and I had to have a heart-to-heart with myself just to get out of bed. I managed to get up, get dressed and out the door...It was amazingly cold outside! Even still, I found myself meeting up with the rest of In Motion at 9 am. We got started and that first running interval was long, but I made it. I kept reminding myself to go slow...there's no need to race through it. Before I knew it, it was over...and then the next one was over, and the next, and the next. By the time we got to the last running interval, I was doing good. I was tired and sore, but I didn't feel like I was going to die. I had hooked up my Nike+ system that morning, and as the last running interval started, I hit my power song ("Never Gonna Stop" by Rob Zombie...yes, I'm that big a dork) and I got through it.
I felt so good, so proud. I was one of the last ones coming in, but I did it...I ran everything I was supposed to run!
My first race - a 5k - is coming up in a little over a month. I'm nervous for it because as much as I don't care about being dead last during our training runs, I don't want to be dead last for the race. Eh, but someone's gotta do it...I just keep telling myself "A'int no shame in being slow." At least I'm out there...that's a lot more than most can say.
My running group is for beginners - people who have never run before. Even though I tried to train on my own for several months before joining, I fit in perfect here. I was really worried for this week's "long" run because I had such a hard time during the week. I know for some people running for 4 minutes straight is nothing...for me, it's the feat of a lifetime. Add only a 2 minute walk break and I was seriously contemplating just giving up. Saturday came before I knew it and I had to have a heart-to-heart with myself just to get out of bed. I managed to get up, get dressed and out the door...It was amazingly cold outside! Even still, I found myself meeting up with the rest of In Motion at 9 am. We got started and that first running interval was long, but I made it. I kept reminding myself to go slow...there's no need to race through it. Before I knew it, it was over...and then the next one was over, and the next, and the next. By the time we got to the last running interval, I was doing good. I was tired and sore, but I didn't feel like I was going to die. I had hooked up my Nike+ system that morning, and as the last running interval started, I hit my power song ("Never Gonna Stop" by Rob Zombie...yes, I'm that big a dork) and I got through it.
I felt so good, so proud. I was one of the last ones coming in, but I did it...I ran everything I was supposed to run!
My first race - a 5k - is coming up in a little over a month. I'm nervous for it because as much as I don't care about being dead last during our training runs, I don't want to be dead last for the race. Eh, but someone's gotta do it...I just keep telling myself "A'int no shame in being slow." At least I'm out there...that's a lot more than most can say.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Second thoughts
I'm really starting to doubt myself, and I don' t know what hurts worse...the second guessing or the fact that I really may not be able to do this. I'm not going to give up, at least not right away, but it sure is getting hard to keep pushing myself. I keep telling myself that I can do it...all it takes is one foot in front of the other (literally I guess) but it's getting so hard, and I'm not even to the "hard" part yet. I know, considering all that I've been through injury-wise that no one would blame me for throwing in the towel.
Someone on the nest asked me today "Honestly, why do you even want to run a marathon when you say that you hate running?" I really can't answer that question. I think that "hate" is too strong a word, but I am having an extremely hard time. This is just something that I want - and I can't think of a single thing that I want more out of life right now. When I envision crossing the finish line the emotions that take over me are insane and I keep telling myself that if thinking about finishing the race is enough to put tears in my eyes, surely the actual, real life finish will be even more earth moving. And even though I don't love running yet (I say "yet" with hope) I love the feeling I have when I'm done. I'm sore, and I hurt, and I cough for a couple of hours...but I feel absolutely amazing. And somewhere in my screwed up head, that feeling of amazement is going to be multiplied by millions the day of October 19 when I cross the finish line, whether it be on my feet with my arms in the air, or if I'm crawling and pulling my poor, tired body in.
***PS: To read a really good marathon recap, see Mrs50%'s blog, linked on the right. Thanks to her, my motivation has been renewed tonight.
Someone on the nest asked me today "Honestly, why do you even want to run a marathon when you say that you hate running?" I really can't answer that question. I think that "hate" is too strong a word, but I am having an extremely hard time. This is just something that I want - and I can't think of a single thing that I want more out of life right now. When I envision crossing the finish line the emotions that take over me are insane and I keep telling myself that if thinking about finishing the race is enough to put tears in my eyes, surely the actual, real life finish will be even more earth moving. And even though I don't love running yet (I say "yet" with hope) I love the feeling I have when I'm done. I'm sore, and I hurt, and I cough for a couple of hours...but I feel absolutely amazing. And somewhere in my screwed up head, that feeling of amazement is going to be multiplied by millions the day of October 19 when I cross the finish line, whether it be on my feet with my arms in the air, or if I'm crawling and pulling my poor, tired body in.
***PS: To read a really good marathon recap, see Mrs50%'s blog, linked on the right. Thanks to her, my motivation has been renewed tonight.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Ouch
I orignally started training for this marathon on my own in October...I lasted about 3 days before giving myself a nasty knee injury and having to take about a month off. Once I started running again I went to a local running shop and got fitted for the right shoes - or so I thought. My knee wasn't hurting, but I had the shin splints from hell. They would kick in within a couple of minutes and by the end of my run, I could hardly walk. I tried everything...stretching, ice, Advil, running through the pain (the worse thing you can do, apparently), time off...nothing would help. Finally I took three weeks off in January and figured I'd just start up again when my running group started. I kept thinking that maybe I was moving too fast and join the group would help me slow down.
Well tomorrow will be my third run with the group and already I'm to the point where I have a hard time walking after runs. I couldn't even get my weekly runs in because of the pain. When I tried on Wednesday I had to quit after 15 minutes. After talking to several people at work and on thenest.com (love my nesties!) I realized that maybe I didn't have the right shoes afterall. I went to a different shop tonight after work and after running in three different pair of shoes on their treadmill as they filmed me I think I have my issue straightened out. So, here I sit, $100 poorer and with bags of ice on my legs. Wish me luck for tomorrow.
Well tomorrow will be my third run with the group and already I'm to the point where I have a hard time walking after runs. I couldn't even get my weekly runs in because of the pain. When I tried on Wednesday I had to quit after 15 minutes. After talking to several people at work and on thenest.com (love my nesties!) I realized that maybe I didn't have the right shoes afterall. I went to a different shop tonight after work and after running in three different pair of shoes on their treadmill as they filmed me I think I have my issue straightened out. So, here I sit, $100 poorer and with bags of ice on my legs. Wish me luck for tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
And we begin...
Wow...I've totally ignored the whole blog thing for a while...I thought for sure I'd be better at it than this. Anyway, while it's no excuse, things have gotten CRAZY around here!
I started running with a beginners group last Saturday and so far, so good. We only run for 60 seconds and then walk for 4 minutes...at least for this first week. In all our "runs" last about 30 minutes. There were a ton of people who joined though! I was expecting about 20 or so people, but I was completely off...it was more like 200! Granted, a bunch of them are in the more advanced groups but there were still about 100 people in mine. I think it's going to be fun though. I didn't really talk to anyone that first day, but I'm hoping to get to know more people and make some new friends as the training progresses.
Another thing that has kept me from posting is the new job that I started this past Monday. I'm back in public accounting, doing audits but I think this will be a good change Cross your fingers and lets see how it goes.
I started running with a beginners group last Saturday and so far, so good. We only run for 60 seconds and then walk for 4 minutes...at least for this first week. In all our "runs" last about 30 minutes. There were a ton of people who joined though! I was expecting about 20 or so people, but I was completely off...it was more like 200! Granted, a bunch of them are in the more advanced groups but there were still about 100 people in mine. I think it's going to be fun though. I didn't really talk to anyone that first day, but I'm hoping to get to know more people and make some new friends as the training progresses.
Another thing that has kept me from posting is the new job that I started this past Monday. I'm back in public accounting, doing audits but I think this will be a good change Cross your fingers and lets see how it goes.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The first step
I'm not athletic. I never really have been, at least not what I considered "athletic" to be. My younger sisters excelled in soccer, volleyball, track, basketball and just about every other sport you can think of. If they tried it, they were good at it. I, on the other hand, was a pretty good swimmer, a decent ballerina and I could cheer with the best of them. I was never the best, but I could hold my own.
Out of nowhere, I decided I wanted to come up with a few "must-do" things that I'd like to accomplish. Some of them were easier than others (graduate college, maintain friendships that were imporant to me) and some were just completely out of the blue (become a world-class chef...have I mentioned that I'm new to cooking too?). But one got me excited...it got me thinking...and even though I sat on it for a couple of years, I finally realized that I can do it.
I was raised to believe that there's not a single thing I can't do as long as I put my mind to it and give it all the effort I have. A lot of great things have happened to me during my short lifetime, but honestly, this is something that I am unbelievably excited for. I'm excited for the work, the pain, the doubts, the early mornings, everything. Because I know that along the way I'm going to make some new friends, create some amazing memories and above all, when I cross that finish line, I believe that I will experience something truly breathtaking. Something that I've done just for myself when not everyone else believed that I could.
Out of nowhere, I decided I wanted to come up with a few "must-do" things that I'd like to accomplish. Some of them were easier than others (graduate college, maintain friendships that were imporant to me) and some were just completely out of the blue (become a world-class chef...have I mentioned that I'm new to cooking too?). But one got me excited...it got me thinking...and even though I sat on it for a couple of years, I finally realized that I can do it.
I was raised to believe that there's not a single thing I can't do as long as I put my mind to it and give it all the effort I have. A lot of great things have happened to me during my short lifetime, but honestly, this is something that I am unbelievably excited for. I'm excited for the work, the pain, the doubts, the early mornings, everything. Because I know that along the way I'm going to make some new friends, create some amazing memories and above all, when I cross that finish line, I believe that I will experience something truly breathtaking. Something that I've done just for myself when not everyone else believed that I could.
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