Feeling discouraged

As I sit here typing on my new iPad, I am feeling a bit grouchy! But, my blog is about honesty so here is what you get!

Despite a lot of great runs, I am feeling very nervous about this marathon. My longest run has been an 18 miler which I completed two weeks ago. However last week's long run was a 12 miler and I felt horrible. In fact, I still don't feel recovered and a new pain has started out of my butt. (I know, right.) I have always said that running is hard for me. It is not natural for me. But now those little voices of "I can't" are creeping in. Hopefully other marathoners have had this too. Hopefully they were still successful.

Only 10 more weeks of training!

3rd times a charm!

As I wrote yesterday, I told you I was VERY discouraged about my training because I had twice attempted my long run and it was foiled by either extreme heat or torrential rain.  Last night I went to bed knowing that today was my last shot for this week to get this run in.  I tried to have a positive attitude.  I had my smoothie, I set out my clothes, I set my alarm for an ungodly early hour.  And I hoped for the best....

And today.....I DID IT.  It wasn't pretty.  There was a lot of sweat and even some blood involved in the process.  I did stop 3 times for various reasons.  The first time, about 10 minutes in I thought it looked like rain was immanent.  So I stopped at my parents house to check the radar.  After analyzing that for a few minutes, I continued on.  I stopped again at the Y for a potty break and water refill.  I stopped again at my house for another potty break, water refill, and Gatorade sip.  (I never was a fan of Gatorade, but I may now be IN LOVE.)  But week 4 of training is in the books and next week I will increase my long run by a mile.

Goals for next week:
-Run 15 miles.
-Get stops/water breaks in the under 5 minute range....right now I am dawdling and it's like 8-10 minutes.  You can ask most people I know....being on time is never my priority.
-Get my "getting ready for a run" to be quicker.  I just purchased some new sunscreen which is spray on instead of rub on so I am hoping that goes faster.  (Being very Irish and German, I am extremely pale.  I don't believe I have ever had a tan.  I just burn.  So I am always on the sunscreen train!  I use Neutrogena brand and love it!)

Just a little blood and sweat...
This was taken AFTER my cool-down walk and AFTER I had to
drive to my parents' house to shower because my bathroom had 2 construction
workers in it.  I didn't think it was appropriate to shower with them there! :)  The reason for
that LONG story was I look extremely sweaty after a run and in this picture I don't look THAT terrible!

Thanks for reading friends!

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

6/27/13	Week 4
Greatest Moment…A real girl’s great moments	Uhhhhh…feeling super discouraged about the greatest moments this week.  Greatest moment??  I  just typed this WHOLE thing and am really can’t think of anything…
Worst Moment…A real girl’s worst moments…let’s be REAL	I have TWICE attempted my 14 mile long run this week.  The first was ended at 8 because it was hot-dog-HOT.  The second ended at 6 because it was RAINING.  And not just a little rain, like “Let’s go build an ark” rain.
Training Schedule…A real girl only has 24 hours and 7 days a week	I have made my rigid schedule more flexible.  The rain and hot have made me a mini-meteorologist and I am planning my runs around it.  I am putting my long run during the week at any point where the humidity is not at 100% and it’s not raining.  I will attempt my long run AGAIN tomorrow.  Third time is a charm right?
Injury…A real girl gets injured sometimes…	My toenail will eventually fall off….please invite me over to your home for a pedicure session.  It won’t be gross at all.
Nutrition…A girl has gotta eat…	I am incorporating a late night (10PM for this girl!) protein snack like a smoothie, yogurt, or cheese and crackers.  This is helping
Problems…A girl has always got problems…	-Staying hydrated on a run—I am now running with my water bottle.  I look SO cool. -Heat—I am still a wimp here.
Insightful Moments…Somewhere on that road a girl has got to have some great ideas	My house is getting a new roof, so I have spent the last few runs analyzing all the roofs in the local area.  Let me know if you want me to come and give you my expert opinion on your roof! J
Fashion…A real girl loves to look good while running	I want to invent a shirt that changes colors with the more you sweat.  Or maybe the color intensifies?  Just an idea…

Like my chart indicates, I am feeling really discouraged and doubtful that this marathon is possible.  It is SO hard to get a good run in when the humidity is making the 85* temperature seem like 92*.  It's also making it really difficult to plan a long run when you know it might start pouring at ANY given point.  I don't mind a light rain.  I do mind a monsoon.  I'll try for my 14 miles again tomorrow.  If it doesn't work, then next week is a new week.  I hope.  I can do this, right?  

13.1 X 2 =26.2

I'm baaaaack....

I know, it's been nearly 4 months since I posted last!  Life has been super busy!  The school year ended at full speed.  I think spring and summer time just makes you realize how dirty and unkempt your house is so my house has a million projects going all at once.  More about those things later....

Anyway, remember that New Year's Resolution of running a half marathon?  Well, I DID IT!  It was definitely one of the biggest accomplishments of my life.  Though I run quite often...  Though I truly love running...  Though I think about running all the time...I still don't see myself as a runner.  I never thought in a million years that I could run 13.1 miles.  But, I did.  

Me, running the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in Indianapolis.

That feeling of accomplishment, of doing something I never thought I could do, was extraordinary.  I loved knowing that all my hard work and God's giving me the ability to do this was the reason I crossed that finish line!  And did I mention I did it in 2:03:41?  Not bad for an IT band issue that plagued me since February 13th!!  

Well.....now I need a new goal....a new challenge.  26.2.  It's only double the 13.1.  I felt like death at mile 12.  I injured myself training for 13.1.  But what the heck?  26.2, why not?  

So new goal:  run a marathon.  I have been doing TONS of research on training plans, proper nutrition, stretches, injury prevention, etc.  I found a lot of great blogs with tons of info and inspiration.  But NONE of these bloggers are like me.  They all seem semi-professional.  They all seem like running comes so easily to them.  They all must have tons of time in the world to live, think, eat, breath running.  So I plan to document my non-professional marathon training and experience.  It won't be pretty.  It won't be easy.  It will just be real.  

I adapted my training plan from a friend's training plan for her marathon.  She worked with people at a local running store to develop this plan and one of her major goals was to run it injury free.  My major adaptations included:  1)  Starting at a higher mileage long run, because I was already running 10 miles once a week 

2)  Changing the longest run to 23 miles.  Most training plans that I saw only got to 19.  I just don't think that's enough for me.  I know that I mentally need to get closer to 26.2 than 19.  My boyfriend (a real runner) and I brainstormed and came up with weeks 11-17 based loosely off of other plans.  

Week	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Total
1 6/2	12 mi L	Off	5 mi N Weights	3 mi E Core	Off	4 mi P Weights	5K Race	24.1
2 6/9	14 mi L	Off	6 mi N Weights	3 mi E Core	Off	5 mi P Weights	Swim Core	28
3 6/16	12 mi L	Off	6 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	Off	6 mi P Weights	Swim Core	28
4 6/23	14 mi L	Off	6 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	5K Race	34.1
5 6/30	15 mi L	Off	7 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	Off	7 mi T Weights	Napoleon Tri?/Off	33
6 7/7	16-18 mi L	Off	7 mi N Weights	4 mi E Core	7 mi N Weights	Swim Weights	5K/10K?	40.2-42.2
7 7/14	12-14 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	26-28
8 7/21	18 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi N Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	5K?	33/36.1
9 7/28	12-14 L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off B2TB	28-30
10 8/4	19 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off Aaron’s 5K	35
11 8/11	14 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off	30
12 8/18	21 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	8 mi N Weights	Off	37
13 8/25	15 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	8 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	30
14 9/1	22 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	36
15 9/8	16 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off	30
16 9/15	23 mi L	Off	Swim Weights	7 mi P Core	Off	7 mi N Weights	Off Tri?	37
17 9/22	23? mi L	Off	Swim	4 mi N	Swim/Off	Off	Fort 4 Fitness ½ Marathon	40.1
18 9/29	Off	3 mi E	Swim	7 mi P Core	Swim/Off	6 mi N Weights	Off	16
19 10/6	15 mi L	Swim	Off	6 mi P Core	Off	5 mi N Weights	Off	26
20 10/13	10 mi L	6 mi Core	Off	3 mi E	2 mi E	Swim?	Off	21
21 10/20	Columbus Marathon

Looks pretty, right?  We will see how it goes....I am on week 2.  

Here's another way I plan to simply update on my real-person marathon training, I will fill in this chart each time I post as a quick reference of how this training is actually going!  

6/12/13	Week 2
Greatest Moment…A real girl’s great moments	This week my long run was 14 miles!!!  That’s the farthest this body has ever run.  Oh, at mile 13 I was starting to get bored.  I do believe I began to sing OUT LOUD.  Your welcome world.
Worst Moment…A real girl’s worst moments…let’s be REAL	HOLY HOTNESS.  I have never run more than 6 miles in temps above 75.  This is new to me.  This stinks.  On my attempted long run on Sunday, I only completed 8 miles before nearly DYING.
Training Schedule…A real girl only has 24 hours and 7 days a week	I am not good with being on time, schedules, rigid-ness.  The schedule is kind of stressing me out.
Injury…A real girl gets injured sometimes…	My right pointer-finger toe (does that make sense?) is bruised under the toenail after my 14 miles.  Step on my feet and I feel as if I am going to die.  Right now, my knees (not just the right, the left too) are feeling a bit stiff….eek.
Nutrition…A girl has gotta eat…	In an attempt to beat the heat, I am trying to wake up early to run.  How on earth do people make it through a long run?  I don’t have enough calories or water in my system…even after eating breakfast!
Problems…A girl has always got problems…	-Staying hydrated on a run -Heat
Insightful Moments…Somewhere on that road a girl has got to have some great ideas	I break up my course into “sections.”  My 14 mile run had 4 sections.  It makes it seem so much easier than 14 miles.
Fashion…A real girl loves to look good while running	Still loving my Brooks Ravenna 4 blue and neon yellow shoes!

Like I said, this is training for a marathon for REAL people. I am not a pro.  I am making this up as I go along.  The goal is to finish the marathon.  I don't need a certain time.  I don't need to PR.  (I just found out what PR means like 2 months ago.)  Just finish.  And maybe find something out about myself along the way.