Final weeks

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I've posted something, so here goes. We'll have to catch up. Two weekends ago I ran my first 20 miles as painful as it was I was very proud of myself especially because I sprinted the last mile. I am going to Chicago with confidence but not arrogance. 26 miles can really make a person humble. So I am proceeding with caution. Last week I started cutting back on the long runs and ran 16 miles. Yesterday, I ran 5.5 miles. It is amazing how now 5 or 6 or even 7 miles is a piece of cake. My goal for this week is to run 5 miles three days and on Saturday maybe 6 0r 7 miles. I am going to the Orthopedic specialist just to check out my knees. I feel good and everyone says I look good but I'd like to lose another 10 pounds. I've lost 15 pounds already.

I have to say that running has become a passion and a love for me. I feel great out there with my I-pod and me. I am definitely going to stick with this. It won't be easy during the winter months but I have to stay motivated. I only pray that I can do this for a very long time.

Staying the course

I haven't updated in a couple of weeks but I'm back. Today I ran 14 miles and last Saturday I ran 18 miles. The 18 miles was very very painful. We ran up some steep hills and I felt good. By the 12th mile, I had no more liquids so we went to the store to buy water. Then the back of my legs were cramping something fierce. I had never cramped like that before. We walked a little on the last 6 miles. When I got home I was exhausted. Today it was as bad. I didn't get enough sleep and had every intention of running another 18 but my body said no. I have been suffering with pain in the knees both last week and today. I started taking glucomasine to help. I've lost a total of 15 pounds and I feel great. I ran 14 miles instead. The marathon is in 5 weeks.

I feel the need for speed!

Yesterday I did some speed work on the treadmill. Total time was 35 minutes with 10 minutes of warm-up 11:32 pace, one mile at 10:30 pace, 2 minutes at 9:30 pace with another 5 minutes at 11:32 pace then cool down for 5 minutes. The pace averaged was 10:27 pace. Later that day I went to the park for a 6 mile run. I had a blister on my foot so it was a little painful but I finished in 1h 22m at 13:40 pace. My goal in the coming weeks is to run comfortably at 11:oo pace. My other goal is to get some blister free socks.

A new milestone

Okay, So I was feeling frustrated and had low energy this week. I didn't know what was wrong with me. So I went to the discussion board at runnersworld.com to seek some advice. A few people thought that I was over training, going to the gym twice a day 5 days sometimes 6 days a week was a bit much. So on Thursday I didn't go to the gym. I did think about it but I didn't go, instead I hung out with my kids in the pool. Later that evening my family and I went for a walk and I did run, but only 1.5 miles then I walked another 1.5 with a girlfriend after my family left.
So Friday roles around and I'm thinking about the gym again. Should I go shouldn't I go? I decided not to go and again hung out with my kids in the pool, I played game cube with them and air hockey. It was just what I needed because this morning I ran 14 miles. I ran with a group of people who were going at a pace I couldn't keep up with but I hung in there for about 4 miles then finished my run alone at my pace. I ran a new course and going down hill was a piece of cake, however, what goes down must come up and the steep hill almost killed me. So I walked it after a slow and steady pace but this hill went on forever so I had to walk it. After my 11th mile it started to rain it was just a drizzle and it kept me cool so I was okay. All of a sudden it started to thunder and the rain came pouring down. I still had a little over 2 miles to finish. It rained and rained and it got dark. I kept going. I was soaked but determined to finish my 14 miles. My time isn't very accurate because I bumped into some people I knew and we talked for maybe about 2 minutes, then I bumped into one of the other runners and we talked another minute, then I really had to go to the bathroom, and I walked up that steep hill, all of that in 3 hours and 30 minutes. I think if the course was flat and I didn't stop to talk to people and no bathroom run I could have finished in about 3 h or 3h 15min. I was hurting at the end. I was soaked and my legs felt so heavy. They started to cramp, so I quickly stretched and ate a chocolate bar(snickers). I came home, took a shower and a nap for 2 hours.

feeling a little frustrated

Yesterday my intentions were to run 5 miles on the treadmill in 60 minutes. Well that did not happen. I didn't feel that well. My 3 mile run was off and I had to force myself to continue. I ran 4.5 miles in 57 minutes. Not good at all. I've been taking this new liquid vitamin and have been feeling awkward, I can't explain it. Anyway, I was upset with myself. Today I am going to try again this time 6 miles on the treadmill. I also need to concentrate on my abdominal area.

Step up my game

Monday was a slow day for me. It took about 24 hours after yesterday's long run for me to fully recover. I went to the gym in the evening and worked on upper body with weights. I felt some pain in the knee area and was worried. I was feeling frustrated once I got on the scale and I gained two pounds. Alright, I need to step up my game. I need to increase my mileage per week. Everything that I have read from the pros say mileage increase helps you to finish 26 miles. I should be running 20-30 miles per week. I am going to include stretches that prevent injuries to the knees, calves and ankles. This week I am going to pass out flyers to businesses to gain support toward fund raising.

Milestone

Yesterday was a milestone for me. I ran 12 miles in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Wow, I hurt all over but it's a good hurt. I am definitely new at this, but boy am I growing and learning about myself and my body. There's no turning back for me. Sometimes when I'm out there running, I am so at peace and feeling good about what I am doing. I want to continue to make this a part of my life even after October's marathon.

All or nothing

I have to admit, I am an all or nothing person. I wake up thinking about ways I can raise money for World Vision, then I think about my workout and my running. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I think about the wall that all marathoners face during the run. Is it going to be for me at the 20th mile or the 18th mile when I hit that wall? The wall of exhaustion where my body says no way am I going to continue. Can I give it my all? Can I leave everything I have in me on that course? Can I meet my goal to finish in six hours? I don't know, but I am hopeful and I know that God doesn't take you somewhere to leave you hanging. God always provides. I truly understand that there comes a time when you must do something, something that is bigger than yourself. Something that will forever change your life, mentally, physically and spiritually, for me that time is now. I am stepping out on faith and I want to make a difference for God. That's why I never give up and I continue to workout and run and improve.
Yesterday's workout:
Spinning class 45 minutes.

Finally some results I can live with.

I can finally see the pounds shedding and some real definition. I have been going to the gym twice a day. Yeah, I know I'm a real nut. I can now run 3 miles comfortably. I ran 3 miles in 34 minutes. Wow, I've come a long way. It used to take me 45 minutes to run 3 miles and huffing and puffing the whole time. So this week I have been at the gym everyday. Yesterday, I took a double step class for 45 minutes, thenI ran 3 miles and then hit the weights. I worked on the chest & pec fly, abdominals with weights. I spent 2 hours in the morning. That evening I took a body sculpting class from 5:00-6:00. I was done. I didn't want to hang around after class. I was sick of being in the gym.

You can never over do your workout

Today I was feeling energetic enough to workout at the gym for two hours and go running in the evening 4 miles. I took a step class in the morning which lasted 1 hour, then I hit the weights for another 45 minutes. I worked on the upper body, shoulders, biceps and back. Then in the evening I ran.