My Motivation

I ran 4 miles this morning and came home to do a PiYo workout to stretch my lower body. Jack jumped right in and joined me.

He really wants to work out and be strong. He loves lifting his 1-pound weights (which I need to upgrade!) and doing lunges and squats. It's so cute! I haven't been working out at home as much as I used to, but his eagerness for wanting to work out inspires me. I know he's watching what I'm doing and following my example.

I'm glad I have the opportunity to show him how important it is to exercise and take care of your body. I need to continue to be a good example. He is my biggest motivation to succeed! Also, he really wants me to win a race. He doesn't understand that I win just by finishing. He wants me to come in first. Motivation to do that speed work! ;)

What is something your kids do because they see you doing it?

Getting My Mojo Back

I haven't been running much this summer (summers are always the slowest for me) and needless to say, haven't been doing speed work. I have a half marathon in September with a 2:45 time limit so I need to step up my game!

I could easily run a 10K but I need to get my legs used to running 2+ hours again. And I don't have much time to do it. First up, is to run more regularly and go back to doing at least 1 run a week doing intervals and 1 weekly long run.

Today I tested out a new pre-workout and set a goal to run 5 miles in 45 minutes. Because, well, I only had about 50 minutes and wanted to hit 5 miles. Keep in mind that I typically run 10-minute miles.

Not only did I crush my goal, but I felt great afterwards!

Energize for the win! This will definitely help me get back to a routine of running in the morning and I couldn't be more stoked!

You can get a tub of Energize here or message me for a sample. It will help you crush your workout!

Running Grateful

My motivation has returned and I'm enjoying running again. I've been feeling very grateful for all that I have and the direction our lives are going. My husband started a new job this week, my son starts kindergarten at the end of the month, we're all healthy, we have everything we need, and I was able to cut back my hours at my second job (more time with the fam!). Life is good!

I'm feeling very blessed and I know God is with us every day.

Happy running, friends!

Fueled by Waffles

I haven't been running as much as I'd like. I always seem to slow down during the summer months and pick back up in fall. Well I signed up for a half marathon in September AND there's a time limit. So now I have motivation to make time to run.

We spent all day Saturday at the beach with friends, but I got up early Sunday and headed out for 6 miles. I needed something to get me going and I had 1 Honey Stinger honey waffle left. Time to buy some more!

These are awesome. For long runs and races, I like to have half before the run and half during. They taste great and give me the kick I need. Plus they curb any hunger pains you may be having. Have you ever felt your stomach grumble while you're trying to finish a run? Yeah. Not fun!

After my run I enjoyed a delicious chocolate Shakeology. Honey waffle before, chocolate shake after. Yum!

My goal is to run no less than 3 times  per week with one of those runs being a long run, one for speed work, and one easy run. I'd like to get in a 4th run, but being that I've only been averaging 1 run a week, I think 3 is a great place to start.

Anyone else have any fall races in their lineup? How do you fuel for long runs?

Mission 10 Miler

This past Sunday I ran my first race of the year! The last race I ran was a 10-Miler in November. 4 months later and I'm running another local 10-Miler. It's a great distance and it's becoming one of my favorites to run.

My running has been more consistent leading up to this race, but I didn't run for 3 weeks in March. Not good! The weather has been getting better so I went out for a short run last Thursday and an even shorter run Saturday morning. Getting outside (after only running indoors for the last 4 months) built up my confidence for the race.

I ran this race last year and the weather was just awful. Rain, hail, sleet, snow...every type of precipitation you can think of, we had it during those 2 hours! This year was 1000x better. A bit windy and chilly, but the sun was out, the sky was clear, and the ground was dry. I'll take it!

The course starts and ends just outside of a baseball stadium and it's an out and back course. The only problem is you're out in the middle of nowhere (or at least it feels like it!) and the road seems to go on for forever. Finally you turn the corner and see the tent marking the turnaround. It's a beautiful thing!

I started out with the 10:00 min/mile pacer and my first 2 miles were my fastest. It was too fast for me so I had to slow down a bit. I wanted to wait until I made it to the turnaround before kicking it up. The course consists of rolling hills, with 2 bigger hills as you near the finish, and I needed to save some energy for this last mile.

My splits were 10:37/mile for the first half and 10:38/mile for the second half. Finish time was 1:46:06, my second fastest 10 miler! And I beat last year's time by 4 1/2 minutes! But really, how could I not with the drastic differences in the weather? Still, I'll take it!

See that squint? Gotta love that sun!

Thanks to the hills and me pushing it (and after a 3 week running hiatus), my quads are still sore 3 days later. Am I crazy for loving it? I guess that's why I continue to run! :)

Here are a few things I love about this race and why I plan on doing it every year that I'm able to:

• It's local and takes less than 30 minutes for me to get there
• The race fee doesn't break the bank and even if it did, it goes to a good cause (see below)
• It's a 2pm start time on a Sunday. They want everyone to have the chance to go to church in the morning before the race. How great is that? And I love that I don't have to get up super early!
• It's called "A Race for Recovery" because they support a local Rescue Mission which provides long-term residential recovery programs to the chemically addicted, food to the hungry, and clothing and furniture to the needy. This year they raised $25,000! 
• You get a nice running shirt and medal
• They have same-day packet pickup so no having to go out of my way the day before. And did I mention the race is at 2pm? Packet pickup goes until 1:30. Again, no getting out of bed super early or going out of your way!
• A great selection of post-race food and drink
• Amazing volunteers who had smiles on their faces. One even thanked me for being out there running. 

To sum it up, this is the perfect race (at least to me) and I can't wait to do it again next year! If you live in the area, definitely check it out. Maybe I'll see you out there. :)

What do you look for when signing up for a race? What's important to you? 

The biggest race of my life

If you're a runner and you haven't read "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner" by Dean Karnazes, then stop what you're doing and get the book now. Yes, right now. It's very motivating. 

I bought the audio book last year and after listening, I knew I wanted to push my body to the limits. And I did, sorta. I went on a 14-mile run just for the heck of it. I wasn't training for anything, I just wanted to run more than I ever had. I didn't want my longest run to be the half marathon. 

I rediscovered the book and listened to it in July. I was once again inspired to do something bigger than I've ever done. I've been toying with the idea of ultramarathons. It's very fascinating, but I've never even run a marathon before. I started researching races in the area and found quite a few. There's a 50-miler right in my county in December. And a 100-miler in the spring. And a bunch of other races at varying distances. I know a 50-miler in 4 months would be pushing it. So I signed up to volunteer at an aid station so I can still be there to witness the awesomeness. 

And then I found a 50K happening in November. I played around with the idea of 31 miles in 3 months. There's another 50K in March of next year, but I'm hoping to be pregnant by then. ;)

I did what any sane person would do. I registered for the 50K that's in 3 months. 

Say what??!! That's right! It's scary and exciting all at the same time, and I can't wait! I know it'll be hard but I also know that 3 months will be enough time for me to mentally and physically prepare myself, as long as I use this time wisely. The fact that I'm already signed up and have announced it to anyone and everyone will be the motivation I need to stick to my training plan.   

I plan on running 15 miles by the end of this month and then I'm running Ragnar Relay. My 3 legs will add up to just over 20 miles. After I'm recovered from that, I'll do a straight 20-miler. I'd like to run 20 miles twice before the 50K. I'm not sure I'll go above that or not. I'd like to do 1 interval run, 1 easier, shorter run, and 1 long run each week. That combined with my cross training should get me where I need to me. 

Does anyone have any advice for me? I have a Camelbak I'll be trying out on my next long run. I also need to test out different foods. I can't survive off of protein bars and gels for 6-8 hours. All suggestions are welcome and appreciated! :)

My 50K training officially began today, with a great interval run on the treadmill this morning. I ran 5 miles in 38 minutes. 

Play time is over. Bring it on the hard work! :)

Memorial 4-Miler and Super Long Run!

I'm way behind...again! I'm going to make this super quick. May 25th I went out for a run and was feeling good so I decided to go longer than I ever had before. The longest distance I've done on my own is 12 miles and then of course I've run a few half marathons (13.1 miles for anyone who doesn't know!). I ended up doing 14!

I felt good for the first 10 miles and was really feeling some aches during the last 2. But I did it and it felt awesome!!

I ran my 8th race of the year on Memorial Day- a 4 miler. I've run this race before, back in 2006. My time back then was 40:04. This time around I just wanted to finish in under 42 minutes and ended up finishing in 39:43! I continue to surprise myself as I blast through my goals. I really think I need to start giving myself more credit and expecting more because I know I can do more.

Near the start:

Smiling despite the uphill finish!

This 4 miler was my 45th race overall and I'm so excited to hit 50 this year!

Speed

I had every intention of writing this post last week. Obviously that didn't happen! What can I say? I've been busy working out, preparing and eating clean meals, taking care of a 3 year old, and working a full time job. Oh and of course there's a lovely thing called sleep, which I get 8 hours of. :) If you say you don't have the time, then you need to adjust your priorities.

Okay, back to the topic at hand! I've always considered myself a slow runner. I don't think it makes me any less of a runner though. I can run for 3 hours straight without stopping once, just as long as I'm doing a 12-13 minute per mile pace. Slow and steady!

This year I started doing speed workouts again, something I hadn't done since 2009. I actually love doing sprints. I hate doing anything longer than a 400 (quarter mile or once around a track), but I still do it when it's on the schedule. Last Tuesdays workout called for 4x1600 which is 4 fast miles with a recovery lap in between each one. Holy moly!

I got to the track a little early and decided not to waste any time. It was still light out and I knew it wasn't going to last long. I ran 2 laps and still didn't see anyone so I kept going. I ended up running a full mile then going in to use the restroom. When I came back out still no one had showed! 2nd week in a row!

The weather wasn't bad but the sun had gone down by this point and the track was dark. I started sprinting 200's on the side closest to my car. Another runner showed up and he looked harmless (and I figured with him on the track it would be less likely someone would come after me), so I went back to doing full laps.

We caught up to each other and got to talking. Turns out he works nights and runs on his break. We ended up running together for a mile at a good pace and it went by really fast! He finished warming up and went on to do his thing.

I kept going for another 2 miles or so. I wasn't really following the schedule but I was running at a faster pace than normal. When I finished, I had gone 5 miles in under 49 minutes!! I was completely blown away! And I felt like I could've continued. It's one thing to run a fast mile but 5? And the first mile had been a warm-up!

I have 2 main goals- run a 5k in under 30 minutes and a 10k in under 60. For the first time I really feel like
it could happen. Eating clean, strength training, and speed work is making me a better runner!

Saturday I ran 10 miles in 2 hours and 2 minutes. My last long run before the Rock 'n' Roll Half this Saturday! I can't wait and I'm actually looking forward to it (except for the whole waking up before 5am part). I hope the weather is as nice as it was this weekend. It was gorgeous!

I'm also looking forward to begin running with this little guy again. If not this week then probably next!

Have a great week!!

February Recap

February was a fantastic month!! I wasn't even trying, but it turned out to be my second best month in terms of miles- I logged just over 62! Now I'm determined to hit 70 in either March or April. I also amped up my non-running workouts, waking up early to do a Jillian Michaels workout almost every weekday. I just bought a 4-pack DVD set of Bob Harper workouts and will focus on those this month. I love Jillian, but I need something fresh and different!

Last week I also started a Jamie Eason's 12 week Live Fit Trainer. If you're not familiar with her or the program, please go and watch the introduction video. The program is set up to be done in a gym and I'm modifying it so I can do it at home with just my dumbbells. Gotta work with what you have! I'm also somewhat following her meal plan. I say somewhat because it's difficult for me to eat as often (and as much) as she recommends.

I've really cleaned up my eating though and I feel great! For example for lunch today I'm eating lean ground turkey breast, brown rice, asparagus, and broccoli. It's not fancy but it's filling and delicious! I have a terrible sweet tooth but I've been doing surprisingly well. I've been chewing a ton of gum, drinking buckets of water, and I'm focused on my goals. The only problem is I may have developed a peanut butter addiction. I now crave it instead of chocolate! I usually have a rice cake with some pb as my morning snack. I didn't have that today and all I can think about is getting out the jar and a spoon and digging in! Haha! I'm going to post more about the foods I've been eating in a separate post so stay tuned for that!

Last week I finished week 1 of the trainer and today I'm starting week 2. In the first 4 weeks she doesn't have you doing any cardio whatsoever. Well I love me some cardio (hello, this is Adventures in Running!) and I'm not going to give it up. I like having a set plan already laid out for me though. It makes it so much easier and much more likely that I'll actually do it. And hopefully I'll build some lean muscle in the process!

Speaking of cardio, last Tuesday I was all set to meet my group for our weekly track workout but the weather was awful- rain combined with some serious wind. I sat in my car at the track and no one showed. I considered running a few laps on my own but it was dark, I didn't have any lights, and the wind was ridiculous! I was really bummed because I was physically and mentally prepared for this workout. So I drove across the street to the gym to inquire about a one-day guest pass. I figured it couldn't hurt to ask and you know what? They let me workout and I didn't even have to pay the normal $15 fee! I turned what could've been a crappy night into a great one. I spent 45 minutes on the treadmill doing intervals and I even got up to 8.0mph! After that I spent 20 minutes on an elliptical for something different. It was awesome!

This is my after sweaty gym session pic:

I got my new shoes last week and love them!!

Aren't they pretty?? They're the same model as my previous pair- Nike Vomero, but they're way prettier! I wore them to work on Friday just to break them in a little (and to show them off!) and then took them on an 8 mile run on Saturday.  After the run I wore my new marathon compression socks from Pro Compression for the rest of the day and I felt so good!

And now the countdown to this year's first big race begins- 12 days until the Rock 'n' Roll Half!!

Quality not Quantity

I'm still running every Tuesday night, doing speed work with a great group of women. This past Tuesday we did 5 1/2 miles total and it felt great! It's crazy that at this time last year I wasn't running at all and when I started again in March, my long run was 3 miles. Now I'm running over 5 miles on a random week night!

When it warms up I plan to take Jack with me to run with them on Thursdays for an easy run. Back in October I was running no less than 3 times a week and most weeks got in 4, sometimes 5 runs. Now I'm only running twice a week but they're quality runs that I know are making me stronger. And I crave them. I can't wait for the next run. My legs are itching to get out there. In fact, it's not terribly cold today (in the high 40's) and I considered taking Jack tonight. But we have special dinner plans for Valentine's Day and I'm not going to disappoint him (or take him out in what is sure to be colder than anticipated weather!).

I seriously can't wait until I can add a Thursday night run and make it 3 runs a week, but I think running less often is making me a better runner. I look forward to it more. Before, my runs were about quantity not quality. I don't plan on taking Jack for little 1, 2, or 3 mile runs during the week just because "I have to get in a run". I'd rather take him to the park and chase him, push him on the swing, and go down the slides. All of which won't be tracked, logged, or trying to figure out how many calories were burned.

Don't get me wrong...I love burning calories. But getting in 3 good runs a week and doing a workout at home in the mornings, is plenty of calorie burning for this busy mama! On Tuesdays run alone I burned over 600 calories! And last Saturday I ran an extremely hard 10 miles for a burn of over 1100 calories!! Plus every morning this week I've gotten up to do a Jillian Michaels workout (mostly Ripped in 30), burning over 200 calories with each workout.

Now if all you have time for (or if you're just getting started) is a 1 mile run, then please do it! As long as your moving, you're doing great! When I first started running I always ran 1 mile and nothing more. Then I started running the 1.25 mile loop around the lake that I still run at today. I can remember the day I ran over 2 miles on a treadmill and I thought it was so cool. And it was. I'm just at a different level now. And you will be too.

Running still isn't easy for me. I always need to warm-up some before I find my stride. And at times I make noises that aren't pretty! On Saturdays run I was one of six female runners. For the majority of those 10 miles I was looking at their backs. It was hilly and hard. 3 of them looked like they were trotting along like it was no big deal. And they were doing 13 miles! But you know what? As hard as it was and as much as it sucked (and it did!), I enjoyed those 10 miles. I don't run because it's easy; I run because I can. And I love (almost) every minute of it.

You don't have to be fast and you don't have to go far. Just go out and run. You won't be sorry!

Speedwork and January recap

I'm so happy with how this month has gone. I've been consistently running twice a week (missed 1 Tuesday because Jack was sick) and haven't missed a long run. Occasionally things come up on the weekends and before I know it, it's Sunday afternoon and I haven't done my long run. I'm trying to make it more of a priority and getting it done on Saturday.

This past Saturday we were pretty busy. Jack and I had an awesome 3 hour lunch with a friend and Sidney and I had our first night out together in over 3 years! Can you believe it? Jack spent the night with some friends who have a daughter the same age. I was worried because it would be my first night away from him, but I knew he'd be fine and we were really looking forward to (and needed) a night out! He did great, falling asleep in 10 minutes and sleeping until 8:15 the next morning. Woohoo!!

Sidney and I enjoyed dinner and a comedy show and a solo breakfast at IHOP the next morning. We ended up spending the morning with Jack at our friend's house and left around 12:30. Sidney put Jack down for a nap while I did my run. My goal was to run 6 for the second week in a row and move to 7 this week. I finished with 6.6! 

Slow and steady, right? I'm always so proud of myself for running the entire distance and not stopping to walk any. If I needed to walk I definitely would. There are times I WANT to walk but I switch to a song that pumps me up or I say motivational things to keep me going. It's not easy to keep going when you want to stop. But you might find you can do amazing things if you just break past those barriers!

Last night I met a group for a 5 mile speed workout. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. We ran at a park I had never been to before that has a 1/2 mile loop. I was thinking it might get boring running the same loop for 5 miles. We did a 1 mile warm-up, then the plan was to do 5 800's with a 400 recovery. So basically run a fast half mile, recover for a quarter mile, and repeat. The first one was definitely the hardest. By the third I was feeling really good. We stopped for a water break and everyone agreed we didn't need the quarter mile recovery. I had been in the back for the first 2 but now I was leading the group and feeling strong. I even finished doing an all out sprint. I did a solo cool-down lap and all in all had a really great run! I'm always amazed at what I can do and running with others definitely pushes me. I'm glad I have this group to run with on Tuesdays!

Last January I ran a total of 6.35 miles between 2 runs. Nothing to write home about. I'm going to finish this January with 40.25 miles!! A big difference! I'm only running twice a week right now and being that it's cold, dark, and I can't run with Jack...I'm super proud of those 40 miles!

8 Mile Run & Upcoming Races

I've fallen off track with Ripped in 30 the last week. I got a little sick, then I was home with a sick 2 year old who was throwing up all night and day. Not fun! I plan on getting back on track tomorrow! I'll start week 4 next week and then I might start the whole thing again or go back to the 30 Day Shred. We'll see!

I did run as much as possible, even when I wasn't feeling too hot. I knew last week would be the last week I could take Jack out for runs after work so I took advantage of it. Saturday I went to a baby shower in the morning so I planned my long run for that afternoon. I wasn't looking forward to it but knew I'd feel worse if I skipped it. I was planning on doing a route that takes me about 6.5 miles. I did 7 a couple weeks ago and something in me wanted to push for 8. I decided I'd see how I felt.

On long runs it always takes me a couple miles to warm up and settle in. At first I was tired and feeling like it would be a struggle to even do 6. Then I got more into it and I let my legs take over. I listened to an audiobook and I think that helped. Instead of focusing on the run I was focused on the book. It was great! I hit 7 and kept going for 8. When I get into the zone like that I feel like I could run for hours. It makes me wonder just how many miles could I run if I didn't have a goal? Running is just as much of a mental sport as it is physical and I think if I had someone to run with or had an audiobook to distract me, I could run for over 3 hours. Maybe running a full marathon wouldn't be as scary as it sounds! But that's years down the line!

For now I need to focus on training for my upcoming races! I'm registered to run a 10K this Sunday and it'll actually be my 35th official race. Crazy! I'm looking forward to it and again, I'm not going into it with any time goals. Although I have run this race in the past and I'm curious to see how my times will compare.

I'm also officially registered for the Rock 'n' Roll half marathon in D.C. next March! It'll be my 2nd half and I can't wait! I'm not sure how training will go since I won't be running during the week very much, if at all. I'll still run long runs on the weekends but I love the shorter weekday runs and I think they're important. I might run with a group 1 night a week but with Sidney working nights, I'd have to find someone to watch Jack. Hopefully I can work something out! Maybe I'll run sprints up and down the stairs. You gotta do what you gotta do, right?!

Oh, and my total mileage for October? 64.84! My best month yet! :) 

What upcoming races are you looking forward to?

Germantown 5-Miler

This past Saturday I ran a 5 miler that was less than 2 miles from my house. I was dropped off at the race, ran the 5 miles and enjoyed a snack afterwards, then ran home. Because I was running home and I was using this as a training run, I didn't go all out. I still finished with a decent time and I sprinted hard at the finish. I just don't know any other way! My official race time is 56:29, which is about an 11:26 pace.

I used the MapMyRun app on my phone and when I paused it at the finish, it said I had gone 5.24 miles. So either the race course was a little longer or the app is a little off. Or maybe both. I'm not too worried about it!

Here are a couple pictures from the run, both near the finish:

I felt good during the race and after. The run home was slower and I was sore, but I made it. I had some good runs last week and hope to have a repeat this week. I'm going to run at least 10 miles this weekend and I'm going for 11. It'll be my last long run before the half! It's so hard to believe that it's only 12 days away!

Here's my log for the last week:

May 15, 6:18pm:
3.34 miles
36:37 minutes
10:56 pace

May 16, 6:14pm:
2.41 miles
26:15 minutes
10:49 pace

May 17, 6:37pm:
3.40 miles
37:33 minutes
10:57 pace

May 19, 8:30am:
7.76 miles
1:27:38
11:16 pace

I finally got an updated pic of Jack cruising in the BOB, covered in veggie sticks :)

Happy trails!

Born This Way

I kept meaning to write an update last week and that obviously didn't happen. So I need to backtrack a little. The week after the 10K I was feeling great. On May 5 I ran 8 miles and it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. My RunKeeper app had been acting up so I downloaded MapMyRun which has been awesome!

I ran 3 nights last week and this past Sunday ran 10.18 miles!!!! I've run 2 ten-milers, the last one in April 2009, but the longest training run I did beforehand was 9. So not only is this my longest ever training run, but the longest run I've ever done period. I am extremely happy with the pace I kept and my overall time as well.

I ran 4.5 miles, stopped at 7-Eleven to use the bathroom and eat some Clif Shot Blocks, then ran the remaining 5.5 miles. I only stopped the one time. The first 6 miles were a breeze. Sometime in mile 7 I was thinking how nice it would be if this run was almost over. But stopping was never an option for me. I really believe that running is as much a mental sport as it is a physical one. I also got very hungry towards the end and if you've never experienced a growling stomach while running, let me tell you that it does not feel good! I ended up starting out later than I wanted and too much time had passed since I'd eaten breakfast. Now I know better!!

During mile 8, "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga came on my iPod. It was very motivating and inspiring and both the beat and lyrics helped me finish strong.

"Don't hide yourself in regret, Just love yourself and you're set; I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way. Ooh, there ain't no other way, baby I was born this way; I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way."

That and "Lose Yourself" by Eminem were my 2 favorite running songs of the day. I don't usually run with music, but I knew it would be a lot easier to complete 10 miles if I had music to listen to. I still have an iPod mini and an armband from 8 years ago that I pulled out and, to my amazement, they're still in great condition!

This Saturday I'm running a 5-miler and then running 2 miles home, maybe more. Memorial Day weekend I plan to run 10 again, if not more. Then the next weekend it's the half. I definitely feel good about it and I know that no matter my pace, I'll finish strong. I'm actually getting excited for it, which I never thought would be possible!

Here's my log for the last week or so:

Saturday May 5, 4:06pm
8.03 Miles
1 hour, 42 minutes
12:44 avg. pace

May 7, 6:05pm: (gps was acting up)
3.55 miles
42:25 minutes

May 10,6:30pm
3.35 miles
38:20 minutes
11:16 pace

May 11, 6:40pm
3.55 miles
40:25 minutes
11:21 pace

May 13, 9:25am
10.18 miles
2:05:55
12:21 pace


I hope to get another 3 nights of running in this week and then the long run on Saturday. I've continued going to a Thursday night fun run at my local Fleet Feet store. I met a woman there who runs slower than I do, but it's nice to take it easy. And it's extra nice to have a change of scenery and someone to talk even if it is only once a week.

I'm feeling great and getting stronger and faster. I hope to make both a 5K and 10K PR this year. I don't see anything stopping me from achieving these goals!

Long Run- March 17

The following is a post I started a few weeks ago and just never published!

On Saturday I ran my first "long" run in almost 2 months. I put it in quotations because I have a hard time thinking 3.14 miles qualifies as a long run. My last long run was 3.34 miles on January 29. I definitely have some catching up to do and need to get my butt in gear for this half marathon! I plan to run 3.5 miles this weekend and then go up to 4 next week. I don't want to do too much too soon but I also don't have a lot of time. My goal is to run at least one 10-mile run before the half. I think it's doable!

Jack was not too interested in napping and since it was a nice day, I decided to just take him out for a run. He enjoyed a nice outdoor nap while I got my run in!

March 17, 2012, 2:24pm:
3.14 miles
40:22 minutes
12:50 avg. pace

Kentlands 5K

I'm only 10 days late in posting, but better late than never! The Kentlands 5K was Saturday, September 3 and it was a perfect morning for a race. Cloudy, cool, and dry. I started out slow and kept a nice, steady pace. My final time was 34:29 and my average pace was 11:06. I know I could've been faster, but my goal was to finish in under 35 minutes and I accomplished that! Overall, I'm very happy with the outcome!

As we were driving home, a huge storm hit us. I was happy it started after the race was over! It rained the rest of the weekend and well into the next week. We got 13 inches of rain in less than a week! Needless to say, I didn't run all week. I ran last night for the first time since the race, and that was just a short run with Jack. Now I'm feeling sick and having bad stomach cramps, so I'm not sure when my next run will be. Hopefully I can get in a long run this weekend! It won't be long before it starts getting too cold and dark to take Jack out and I want to take advantage of the cooler weather we're about to get. And I definitely don't want to lose momentum!

Here's my log for the last few runs I did since the last post:

August 31, 6:07pm
2.21 miles
25:39 minutes
11:36 avg. pace

September 1, 6:19pm
1.43 miles
16:26 minutes
11:32 avg. pace

Sept. 3, 8:30am
Kentlands 5K
34:29 minutes
11:06 avg. pace

Sept. 12, 6:07pm
1.35 miles
16:32 minutes
12:16 avg. pace

I really hope I feel better by the end of the week so I can get in some more runs!