Today was my 2nd group training run. I didn't read the schedule and thought we were doing 2 miles today and would be done in like less than 30 minutes. Nope, today was the timed run, 50 minutes. I walked 1 minute and then ran 1 minute. At first it was cool. By the end, I was ready to walk the whole rest of the way, but just as I turned the corner, there I was, where I started! I was SO happy to be finished.
I had a GREAT time, though! It's true what they say, you really do meet some awesome people. I went pretty slow today. I'm trying to find my happy medium to start out at. Since I'm just starting, I figure I can start off slow. After I shared with a guy I was running with (Bob) how I did my intervals last time and how I was doing them today, he said on average, today I'm doing better. Last time I did a 3/5 (run/walk) split and today I did a 1/1. So I actually ran more today (half the time) than I did before (37.5% of the time). Tomorrow I'm going to go outside and do my 2 miles with a 1/1 split and see how long it takes me. And I'm going to just up my pace until I can run 4 minutes and walk 1. That's my goal for the marathon, walking 80% of the time.
Bob was HILARIOUS!!!! OMG he made the run today so much fun. He's run in over 100 marathons, at least one in each of the 50 states and 1 on each of the 7 continents (yes, Antartica, too)!! Amazing! But the highlight of his tales today come from the Pig a couple weeks ago. He said he was just miserable, so at mile 15.5, he stopped at Graeter's for an ice cream cone. OMG, I thought that was the funniest thing ever. What did I like best about Bob? He's the best motivator ever. He's a little overweight and says he's out of shape (I can't tell, he runs ALL the time), so he's at my pace. What does that tell me? I'm crossing that finish line!!!!!
I bought a watch today! Before I went to training, I stopped at The Running Spot to look at HR monitor/watches. WAY too complicated and that made them WAY too expensive. So I resigned myself to buying one online and just having to wait for it to come in the mail. While I was in the store, I saw a lady with a TNT shirt on and we started talking and decided I'd follow her to the training site. So after I decided I wasn't buying a HRM-watch, I sat while she got fitted for her shoes (Fleet Feet is better, in my opinion, cuz TRS didn't watch her run in her shoes). We started talking about the dude that died right after crossing the finish line at the Pig. Turns out, dude had heart disease. So I made the comment that here was a man who exercised regulary and still had heart disease. I mentioned it was the reason I wanted a HRM, to ensure I wouldn't keel over (I said it only kinda jokingly). The man in the store said I'm not going to die if I don't have heart disease NOW. He said I only have to worry about having a heart attack (yes, I have considered the possibility of this happening) if I have heart disease. He mentioned that most people buy the HRM they sell for the bells and whistles other than the HRM (like keeping track of your distance). I asked him if he thought it was absolutely necessary to have a HRM and he said no. So I bought a watch instead. I'll look for a cheap HRM at Dick's or something like that. I need to learn how to work the interval timer on the watch. While I'm doing 1/1's, it'll be easy, but once I get to doing 2/1's and more, I'ma need to know how to change it.
One of the women I met (I guess we're becoming friends) said she was an insomniac and this is making it worse. Not me. This is definitely helping me sleep. I'm so exhausted. Like now, it's 11:03pm, and normally, I'm UP. Not tonight, I'm ready to hurry up and finish this entry so I can go get in the bed. I just wanted to make sure I documented how I fee, which is damn good. No, I'm not going to want to get up in the morning. I'm not. But I WILL. And I'm taking music. I'm only training without music when I'm on my group runs. Or when our runs get a little longer.
Ok, I'm tired and I need to lay down. My next goal is to get my fundraising email out. I need to get some money raised.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Treadmills
I think I might hate them. Ok, so this morning I get up and decide the treadmill is the best way to go. Why? Because I still don't have a watch to split my time, so I could use the clock on the treadmill. I was determined to get it to work. My friend said it had something to do with the HR monitor thingie. So I got it to work! And I completed half of my workout (1 mile, 5/3 split) when the little thingie came out. I put it back in, finish running, and just as I finish running the rest of that split, the little thingie was about to come out again, so I pushed it back in. And the machine stopped. When the little thing came out and I put it back in, it started back up, but not the second time. Can you believe I couldn't get it started again? I need a Treadmill Tutor. So I'll have to start that workout all over again, because it's not like I can just do another mile later; I have to do both miles together to build endurance. *sigh* I guess I'll be working out after work after all.
Yesterday, I was supposed to cross-train or (and?) do some weights. My plan was to go to Pilates and then do the bike in the work-out room. Didn't happen. I wonder if I can find a Spinning class I could go to on Sundays and Tuesdays? I really plan to stick to my training schedule. I hope I do well!
Yesterday, I was supposed to cross-train or (and?) do some weights. My plan was to go to Pilates and then do the bike in the work-out room. Didn't happen. I wonder if I can find a Spinning class I could go to on Sundays and Tuesdays? I really plan to stick to my training schedule. I hope I do well!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Training Day 1
And I survived! YAY!!! Ok, let's start with yesterday. I go to Fleet Feet to buy my shoes. My mentor told me to expect to spend about $80-$125. So I get to Fleet Feet and I'm so nervous because honestly, I just felt silly. Why? Because I don't run. So I didn't have the slightest idea what to say or what to ask for or anything. I don't even shop in athletic stores; I buy all my shoes from places like Famous Footwear or DSW. I guess I'm uncomfortable when in a situation where I don't feel completely confident on the subject matter. I'm a nerd; I like to know stuff. And I guess when I don't, it makes me nervous. Like I feel like people think I should already know something. I have some anxiety issues; I'm hoping running will help me with those. Anyway, I get in the store and tell the lady (Meri, pronounced like Mary) I'm training with TNT, I've never run before, and I need shoes. Let me just say, the entire experience was beyond positive. First, I took off my shoes and socks so she could look at my feet. Then she had me walk barefoot in the store. She said she was watching the flexibility in my arch. She also wanted to see what type of shoe I would need based on how my feet hit the floor as I walked. She even looked at the bottom of my shoes to look at the wear on them. So we sat back down and she asked me what sized shoe I wore. The anxiety returned. Why? Because I don't know what size shoe I wear anymore. Since I lost weight, my foot has shrunk, most of my shoes are too big, but some fit just fine. So I was embarrassed to tell her I didn't know, but knew what my last size was, a 9. Meri measured my feet. My left foot measures a 9 and my right a 9.5 (my arch an 8). So she brings out a 10, but says I should have at least a half a fingernail's space at the tip of my shoe, and I didn't, so she went for the 10.5's. Can you even believe that? No wonder my toe would hurt sometimes after walking for a long time, not enough space. I never really had this problem in my Adidas; but with these shoes I have now (Avia), I do. Now, imagine my embarrassment to have on a size 9 shoe when she brings me out a 10.5. I've never bought my tennis shoes so much larger than my regular shoes. Who knew?
Anyway, she goes and gets out some Asics for me to try on (size 10.5). She said it was their "tester shoe." She told me that when I walk, my feet leaned in. She wanted to make sure it wasn't my ankles, so she chose the Asics with support. Then she took me outside so that she could watch me run in them. Mind you, when I got to the store, I had over 11,000 steps; keep that in mind. I run about two stores ahead (in a strip mall), then turn around and run back. She says it's not my ankles, it's definitely my feet (arch?). So we go back in the store, and she brings out three different pairs of shoes for me to try on: a pair of Mizuno, a pair of Fila, and I forget the third pair, which Meri had me try on first. Then she took me out to watch me run in them. Then we switched. I put on one Fila and one Mizuno. I absolutely did not like the Fila. It felt WAY too airy and open and just not right. But the Mizuno, I liked. Meri liked those the best, too, so she felt like we were on the same page. She she took me back in and took off the Fila, and put the other Mizuno on. And took me back out to watch me run. I liked them. I was concerned they would all be too big (a 10.5?!) and slip off my foot, but they didn't. My foot didn't move around in the shoe at all! Including the sock! OH! THE SOCKS!!!
Ok, when I took my socks off, Meri said that it looked as though my socks were wet (they were stuck to my feet). I told her that they were damp. She asked if they were cotton and I told her yes. Now, in my head I was thinking, they're not dress socks, of course they're cotton! Also in the back of my mind is what we were told during the Kick Off Celebration: only non-cotton items. They meant socks, too?? Apparently, they did. Meri tells me that I should wear non-cotton socks to run it because they whisk the sweat away from the foot. So I'm thinking, I know I don't have ANY socks that weren't cotton or trouser socks. Well, they have a little Rubbermaid thingie with three drawers, and each drawer has a different size sock in it (S, M, L/XL). She got me a pair out of the medium drawer and had me put them on. Then she went in the back of the store to get the shoes, I looked at the wall with all the socks and found the pair I had on to see what the price was. $9.99!!!!! TEN DOLLARS?! For a pair of socks??? A pair. I thought to myself, no way. But then at one point (when Meri had gone in the back the 2nd time), I looked at the shoe thingie next to me (where they ask you to put your foot on the front while they sit on the top) and read what it said. It was talking about why you should wear only non-cotton socks. It talked mostly about sweat, and the thing that stood out to me most is that in a given day, your foot (or feet?) sweats enough to fill an 8-ounce glass. How gross is that?? Another one said that 55% of the sweat evaporates out the top of the shoe, but the rest is absorbed in the sock and the footbed. Still gross, regardless of the sock. But that's a lot more moisture down there than I thought. And I don't want to get any type of fungus cuz that's GROSS.
Ok, so back to the Mizuno. After we decided that we liked them best, she wanted me to try another pair of Mizuno. This pair she said had more cushioning and wanted me to see if I could tell the difference. She said if I could not tell the difference, to not get them because of the price difference ($40 more expensive). So I put a different Mizuno (the original orange, and the more cushion was blue) on each foot. I immediately didn't like the blue one; it felt too tight across the top of my foot. She told me to take them out and run in them, by myself, and to go a little further this time and pay attention to how they felt. So I did. And you know what? I liked the blue pair better, and it didn't have anything to do with the cushion. It was how they fit across the top; remember how I didn't like that? Well, I felt like it would keep my toe from hurting, like it gave my whole foot more support. So I get back in and I tell her what I thought. She said we could try lacing up the blue ones differently to make it more comfortable and keep them from hurting the top of my foot. So I took them off, watched her lace them up, put them back on, and walked around the store. PERFECT!!! I wanted to be mad about the price ($135), I really did, but I couldn't be. I knew how much running I'd be doing, and I knew I needed the best equipment for my feet. It just so happens those (the blue Mizuno) were the most expensive. I asked her how many miles I would get out of the shoes and she said about 300 miles or about 6 months. The marathon is in October, so that's perfect. I'll buy a new pair of shoes when I start to train for another marathon.
When I got in the store the last time, I was sweating, and Meri said to me, "You didn't think you'd be doing so much running, did you?" I was like, "NO, I didn't!!!" I checked my pedometer after I'd left the store and it was over 13,000 steps. I had gotten over 2,000 steps since I'd gotten to the store!!! But before I left, I took off my new running shoes and the "loaner" socks... they came right off! Even after all that running, and I was sweating, and they came right off. So I decided to try one pair, the Balega Lady Enduro. A pair of running shoes, a pair of socks, and a 10% TNT discount brought me to $132. I know now, without a doubt, I will be crossing that finish line in San Francisco. I don't spend that type of money. Those shoes will get wear and tear, and it will be from training for this marathon!!!
So that takes me to training. I get there at around 6:50am. I see all the TNT training shirts, and feel a little at ease, but still nervous. Then I think, if I can't run at all, I can pace myself with the walkers for the day, and build up running each session. I see my mentor and we speak. We get warmed up as a group, then we're off. We walked for about five minutes (I guess, I was following a different mentor who was walking 5 minutes, running for 3) then we started running. I ran! And I kept running until we stopped. Then we walked. Then we started running again. Then the worst thing happened: the mentor fell! She was Ok except for her hand was pretty busted up (she used it to break her fall). I faltered a bit because I thought, if she could fall and she's a mentor, anything could happen to you, too! I stayed with her for a little bit, but there was nothing I could do (and I felt completely invisible), so I kept on with my run. It sucked because I didn't have a watch, so I couldn't time how long I ran. So I decided to run until I was past tired of running. And that took me to the halfway mark! That felt about right. So I turned around and walked about 360 steps and figured that was about 3 minutes, then I started running again. I ran as long as I could,then ran a little longer, then I started walking. Started running again for the last stretch, and couldn't make it as far as I thought, so I stopped, walked past about 3 telephone poles, and started running again. I made it to the light (where we started running on the way out), and started walking and cooling down since I knew I was about 5 minutes from the end. I didn't think I could run for 90 seconds, and here I ran for 3 minutes at a time!!! I signed back in, got some water, then got some Gatorade, and then I did some stretches, alone. It was, I dunno, relaxing. Then I got in my car and come home.
I still can't believe I'm doing this. I really can't. Now, I have to get started on my fundraising. And I still have lots of reading to do.
Anyway, she goes and gets out some Asics for me to try on (size 10.5). She said it was their "tester shoe." She told me that when I walk, my feet leaned in. She wanted to make sure it wasn't my ankles, so she chose the Asics with support. Then she took me outside so that she could watch me run in them. Mind you, when I got to the store, I had over 11,000 steps; keep that in mind. I run about two stores ahead (in a strip mall), then turn around and run back. She says it's not my ankles, it's definitely my feet (arch?). So we go back in the store, and she brings out three different pairs of shoes for me to try on: a pair of Mizuno, a pair of Fila, and I forget the third pair, which Meri had me try on first. Then she took me out to watch me run in them. Then we switched. I put on one Fila and one Mizuno. I absolutely did not like the Fila. It felt WAY too airy and open and just not right. But the Mizuno, I liked. Meri liked those the best, too, so she felt like we were on the same page. She she took me back in and took off the Fila, and put the other Mizuno on. And took me back out to watch me run. I liked them. I was concerned they would all be too big (a 10.5?!) and slip off my foot, but they didn't. My foot didn't move around in the shoe at all! Including the sock! OH! THE SOCKS!!!
Ok, when I took my socks off, Meri said that it looked as though my socks were wet (they were stuck to my feet). I told her that they were damp. She asked if they were cotton and I told her yes. Now, in my head I was thinking, they're not dress socks, of course they're cotton! Also in the back of my mind is what we were told during the Kick Off Celebration: only non-cotton items. They meant socks, too?? Apparently, they did. Meri tells me that I should wear non-cotton socks to run it because they whisk the sweat away from the foot. So I'm thinking, I know I don't have ANY socks that weren't cotton or trouser socks. Well, they have a little Rubbermaid thingie with three drawers, and each drawer has a different size sock in it (S, M, L/XL). She got me a pair out of the medium drawer and had me put them on. Then she went in the back of the store to get the shoes, I looked at the wall with all the socks and found the pair I had on to see what the price was. $9.99!!!!! TEN DOLLARS?! For a pair of socks??? A pair. I thought to myself, no way. But then at one point (when Meri had gone in the back the 2nd time), I looked at the shoe thingie next to me (where they ask you to put your foot on the front while they sit on the top) and read what it said. It was talking about why you should wear only non-cotton socks. It talked mostly about sweat, and the thing that stood out to me most is that in a given day, your foot (or feet?) sweats enough to fill an 8-ounce glass. How gross is that?? Another one said that 55% of the sweat evaporates out the top of the shoe, but the rest is absorbed in the sock and the footbed. Still gross, regardless of the sock. But that's a lot more moisture down there than I thought. And I don't want to get any type of fungus cuz that's GROSS.
Ok, so back to the Mizuno. After we decided that we liked them best, she wanted me to try another pair of Mizuno. This pair she said had more cushioning and wanted me to see if I could tell the difference. She said if I could not tell the difference, to not get them because of the price difference ($40 more expensive). So I put a different Mizuno (the original orange, and the more cushion was blue) on each foot. I immediately didn't like the blue one; it felt too tight across the top of my foot. She told me to take them out and run in them, by myself, and to go a little further this time and pay attention to how they felt. So I did. And you know what? I liked the blue pair better, and it didn't have anything to do with the cushion. It was how they fit across the top; remember how I didn't like that? Well, I felt like it would keep my toe from hurting, like it gave my whole foot more support. So I get back in and I tell her what I thought. She said we could try lacing up the blue ones differently to make it more comfortable and keep them from hurting the top of my foot. So I took them off, watched her lace them up, put them back on, and walked around the store. PERFECT!!! I wanted to be mad about the price ($135), I really did, but I couldn't be. I knew how much running I'd be doing, and I knew I needed the best equipment for my feet. It just so happens those (the blue Mizuno) were the most expensive. I asked her how many miles I would get out of the shoes and she said about 300 miles or about 6 months. The marathon is in October, so that's perfect. I'll buy a new pair of shoes when I start to train for another marathon.
When I got in the store the last time, I was sweating, and Meri said to me, "You didn't think you'd be doing so much running, did you?" I was like, "NO, I didn't!!!" I checked my pedometer after I'd left the store and it was over 13,000 steps. I had gotten over 2,000 steps since I'd gotten to the store!!! But before I left, I took off my new running shoes and the "loaner" socks... they came right off! Even after all that running, and I was sweating, and they came right off. So I decided to try one pair, the Balega Lady Enduro. A pair of running shoes, a pair of socks, and a 10% TNT discount brought me to $132. I know now, without a doubt, I will be crossing that finish line in San Francisco. I don't spend that type of money. Those shoes will get wear and tear, and it will be from training for this marathon!!!
So that takes me to training. I get there at around 6:50am. I see all the TNT training shirts, and feel a little at ease, but still nervous. Then I think, if I can't run at all, I can pace myself with the walkers for the day, and build up running each session. I see my mentor and we speak. We get warmed up as a group, then we're off. We walked for about five minutes (I guess, I was following a different mentor who was walking 5 minutes, running for 3) then we started running. I ran! And I kept running until we stopped. Then we walked. Then we started running again. Then the worst thing happened: the mentor fell! She was Ok except for her hand was pretty busted up (she used it to break her fall). I faltered a bit because I thought, if she could fall and she's a mentor, anything could happen to you, too! I stayed with her for a little bit, but there was nothing I could do (and I felt completely invisible), so I kept on with my run. It sucked because I didn't have a watch, so I couldn't time how long I ran. So I decided to run until I was past tired of running. And that took me to the halfway mark! That felt about right. So I turned around and walked about 360 steps and figured that was about 3 minutes, then I started running again. I ran as long as I could,then ran a little longer, then I started walking. Started running again for the last stretch, and couldn't make it as far as I thought, so I stopped, walked past about 3 telephone poles, and started running again. I made it to the light (where we started running on the way out), and started walking and cooling down since I knew I was about 5 minutes from the end. I didn't think I could run for 90 seconds, and here I ran for 3 minutes at a time!!! I signed back in, got some water, then got some Gatorade, and then I did some stretches, alone. It was, I dunno, relaxing. Then I got in my car and come home.
I still can't believe I'm doing this. I really can't. Now, I have to get started on my fundraising. And I still have lots of reading to do.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Team In Training
TNT . . . I love it already. I set up my fundraising site today. I've already gotten two emails from my mentor, and I just talked to her on the phone for the first time yesterday. So already, I'm loving the support I'm receiving. I'd also been in touch with one of the coaches (we bonded because we share the same last name and it's not very common) by email. Everyone is so encouraging. I love it. Don't know if I'm ready for training yet, lol, but I'm lovin' it. This is a fairly big undertaking to do alone. But I'm up for the challenge!! Tonight was our Kick-Off Celebration. I got my training schedule and a whole bunch of other stuff! After looking at that, I don't feel bad about that pizza at all (see My Fantastic Voyage). I'm so excited and I want to talk about so much stuff. Let's see...
Shoes. So our first run is this Saturday, but our shoe clinic isn't until next Saturday. Well, since I'm not a runner, I need my shoes before this weekend. So I'm going to go to Fleet Feet. Three people at the Kick Off recommended it, and I love what I see on the website. I'm prepared to spend an amount of money I've never spent on athletic shoes before. I'm going to get my heart-rate monitor watch at the same time. May as well.
Training. Ok, so I found out how training will go. We start out with 3 miles this Saturday. I'm going to to because until I can figure out a way to run on Sundays instead, I can't afford to miss these trainings. I'm still going to go to Bible class, and I'm just going to pray really really hard that there is someone who can run with me on Sundays. I'm going to see if my manfriend will run with me. I won't run the whole 3 miles, I'll start out trying to run for 5 minutes and then walk for 3. This is why I want to have my HR monitor/watch before Saturday; I want to be able to set it to go off so I know when to walk and when to run. I also want to see if my heart rate is too high or low while I'm running so I know if I need to cut back or step it up. I'm nervous because I know I haven't been exercising like I should and it's gonna show come Saturday. But oh well, I'll just have to stay on schedule. I'm going to post it on my refrigerator. NO EXCUSES. I think I'm just going to knock it out every morning.
More later on
My scroll idea...
Fundraising ideas...
Shoes. So our first run is this Saturday, but our shoe clinic isn't until next Saturday. Well, since I'm not a runner, I need my shoes before this weekend. So I'm going to go to Fleet Feet. Three people at the Kick Off recommended it, and I love what I see on the website. I'm prepared to spend an amount of money I've never spent on athletic shoes before. I'm going to get my heart-rate monitor watch at the same time. May as well.
Training. Ok, so I found out how training will go. We start out with 3 miles this Saturday. I'm going to to because until I can figure out a way to run on Sundays instead, I can't afford to miss these trainings. I'm still going to go to Bible class, and I'm just going to pray really really hard that there is someone who can run with me on Sundays. I'm going to see if my manfriend will run with me. I won't run the whole 3 miles, I'll start out trying to run for 5 minutes and then walk for 3. This is why I want to have my HR monitor/watch before Saturday; I want to be able to set it to go off so I know when to walk and when to run. I also want to see if my heart rate is too high or low while I'm running so I know if I need to cut back or step it up. I'm nervous because I know I haven't been exercising like I should and it's gonna show come Saturday. But oh well, I'll just have to stay on schedule. I'm going to post it on my refrigerator. NO EXCUSES. I think I'm just going to knock it out every morning.
More later on
My scroll idea...
Fundraising ideas...
Monday, May 7, 2007
It's a done deal!!!
I turned in my TNT registration today. I'm. So. Excited!!!! Our kick-off party is this Thursday. Training starts Saturday. I have to talk to my mentor about how my training will work since I can't be with the group on Saturdays (it's the Sabbath). I'M TOO EXCITED!!!! I'm training for the NIKE Women's Marathon in San Francisco. I'm going to work my TAIL off to fundraise. I will include a link soon enough to my fundraising page.
So that's it; I'm officially in training for a marathon. :-D
More details later.
So that's it; I'm officially in training for a marathon. :-D
More details later.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
In the beginning
there was a lazy girl who wanted to run a marathon. This is she; she is me. I went walking yesterday morning at 6am, but only for 30 minutes and I only ran about 500 feet. I also did 23 measly sit-ups. I think I can do better. So today, I'm going to play on the treadmill after work. My abs are starting to hurt, so maybe they did get a little work-out. I wanna go to Pilates today, but I also want to walk, but I'm having dinner with a friend. Can't do it all, can I? Probably Pilates, since that's away from home. I do want to do some resistance exercises on my ball, though. Push-ups specifically.
Seriously, where is the real Monique? Cuz she doesn't do push-ups. This new chick is trippin' me out. Her thighs don't touch all the way from the top to the knees anymore, so now I guess she think she somethin'.
I'm still trippin' off of her.
Seriously, where is the real Monique? Cuz she doesn't do push-ups. This new chick is trippin' me out. Her thighs don't touch all the way from the top to the knees anymore, so now I guess she think she somethin'.
I'm still trippin' off of her.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Running with Angels
OK, so I know I said in my other blog I wasn't going to read about running. But this doesn't count because it's a woman's story about running and that's different. Her name is Pamela H. Hansen and the name of her book is Running with Angels: The Inspiring Journey of a Woman Who Turned Personal Tragedy into Triumph Over Obesity. I just came across something I need to write down for Marathon Motivation (I think I'll call these M&M's). Oh, and I remember another one from earlier in the book. The first M&M is
I'm ready.
There had been days when I just did not feel like running, when I would have given almost anything for someone else to go on my run for me. I came to realize that in training to run a race, there is no one who can do the work for the runner. Physically, I alone had to complete the often-grueling training. But doing so helped me to more fully realize the simple yet difficult truth--that as nice as it would be to avoid life's tough situations, . . . I came to better understand that no one else can undergo those struggles for us. The wheelchair athletes certainly understood that concept. They also realized what I now more fully comprehend, that although plenty of help is available, we need to be willing to face our trials and find the strength to deal with them effectively. And it can be done!I've hated a lot of the things I've had to go thru in life, but I definitely wouldn't be who I am today if I hadn't gone thru them. And I know the same will be true for training for and completing this marathon. And if I can do that, I can get thru most anything.
I'm ready.
It's been a long time
I shouldn't've left you, without a dope blog to run to...
Ok, enough of my corniness. :) I went to the TNT meeting on 4/18 and I'm committed to training with TNT. I haven't decided yet which race I'll train for this time, but I'm leaning towards San Francisco. I didn't have the money to register at that time (I just got done moving and am currently on the No Money Diet; see My Fantastic Voyage for details) so I'm going to register when I get paid. Our Kick-off party is May 10th, I think, and our first clinic/training is May 12th. That's only two weeks away. And we start out at 2-3 miles. I'm not sure how all that's gonna go. I mean, I don't know how much of that I'll be able to run. My friend from college has decided to train with me as well, first walking then jogging. So we're gonna start that this weekend. Ok, let me start at the beginning.
Ok, enough of my corniness. :) I went to the TNT meeting on 4/18 and I'm committed to training with TNT. I haven't decided yet which race I'll train for this time, but I'm leaning towards San Francisco. I didn't have the money to register at that time (I just got done moving and am currently on the No Money Diet; see My Fantastic Voyage for details) so I'm going to register when I get paid. Our Kick-off party is May 10th, I think, and our first clinic/training is May 12th. That's only two weeks away. And we start out at 2-3 miles. I'm not sure how all that's gonna go. I mean, I don't know how much of that I'll be able to run. My friend from college has decided to train with me as well, first walking then jogging. So we're gonna start that this weekend. Ok, let me start at the beginning.
The Race. At first, I was going to do the Columbus Half Marathon on October 21st, but after going to the TNT meeting, I started getting interested in the Nike Women's Marathon out in San Fran. What's cool about that is
- I've never been to Cali, so that would be a "free" trip to a new place. I use quotes because even though I won't pay money for the trip, I will earn it through my fundraising efforts.
- Instead of a traditional medal, you get a Tiffany's necklace at the finish line. I think that's cute. And a nice gift for completing a marathon. I mean, I can wear that whenever. Can't wear a medal.
- I get to visit with my sister's best friend who just moved out to LA. She said she'd fly up to see me. My sister has never been on a plane and I want to fly her out to Cali to see her BF and to see me complete the marathon. I want her there with me. Plus, after she goes out there, she might like it so much she decides to move. That gets her out of Cleveland and accomplishes another of my goals.
The thing is, I have a training buddy, NuDiva. We started this together, so I feel like we should run the same races. I mean, I guess she could run in Columbus while I run in San Fran (the races are the same day). I feel like I've already made my decision; I'm going to San Francisco.
Training starts with TNT on May 12. We have six days of training, one day off. There are 4 running days, two of them with the group (weds & sats) and 2 cross training days (that's why I got the Cross Training for Dummies book). Our first distance run is 2-3 miles. That's a friggin' 5K!!! I'm not going to be ready to run that until June. So I have a lot of questions about our first run.
So that's the update. I still need to read up on runner's nutrition. I'm definitely starting the Fat Smash diet (FS) next week, so between walking to work and re-training myself to eat right, I should be able to drop some weight and make my running a little easier. I know I need to go back to Pilates because my hips hurt after walking; I can tell I'm losing flexibility in my core. And stuff is already gon' be hurting from running; I need to be able to prevent whatever I can.
I'll update more as I read more.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
So I've decided to run a marathon
And it's amazing, really. First off, I'm a good 20lbs overweight. I don't exercise regularly. I have never ran for exercise. I don't run, period. Unless I'm being chased. I don't even jog. But I've decided to run a marathon. When I did exercise regularly, I walked 4 miles (in 60mins or less) at least 3x a week. So at first, I thought about walking the marathon. I'm still thinking about it. I need to make a doctor's appointment to make sure my knees are ok for running. They're kinda rickety to be so young. So I wanna make sure they're ok; I don't want any preventable injuries.
So let's start at the beginning, how did all this come about? Well, I was talkin' to my friend, another Marathon Virgin (MV) and my training buddy, we'll call her NuDiva. NuDiva was talkin' about doin' the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. So I ask, how long is it? And this is when I knew I was totally ignorant so far as marathons go. Her response? "It's a marathon. (insert silent DUH here) 26 miles." So I calculate real quick... 4 miles, 1 hour... 26 miles, 6.5 hours... WALKING. I wonder if I could walk for that long. Then I think about the fact that people RUN that distance. It struck me as totally absurd. I mean, why would you do that? THEN I started thinking about how I've been unmotivated to exercise. And I thought about setting some goals. And I thought about how much more weight I want to lose. And I thought about how I want to TONE my body. And I thought about how in order to stay on task, I need to have something to work towards. And then I thought about running. I thought about the endorphin high you're supposed to get. You don't get that from walking. Or maybe I've never walked long enough or fast enough. Dunno. But I'd like to know what that feels like. I thought about how awesome it must be to set a goal like that and accomplish it. I thought about surprising myself by actually following through with something like this. I thought about how it was completely out of character for me (seriously, I don't run, I don't even have a sense of urgency about much of anything). I thought about reaching goal (weight), keeping it off, and running this marathon as proof to myself that I really did get fit. I thought about how good I'd feel about myself if I did something like this. I found myself surfing running sites online while I was thinking. Then I felt myself getting excited. It started to sound like something I was capable of doing. And I then I started thinking of a plan.
The Flying Pig Marathon (FPM) is over a year away (we of course are not running in this year's marathon; it's in May!). On the site it has a 17-week training schedule. I figured that's for people who are actually in shape, and my name's not on that list. So first I have to actually start running. Then I remembered a conversation I had with my friend PJ about the Couch-to-5K (C-5K) training program and decided to take a look at that. So that gives you 2 months to run 30 minutes straight (about 3 miles). So I figure a year is a good amount of time to train forreal-forreal. Then I remembered something I'd gotten in the mail. It was for Team In Training (TNT) and I remembered I wonder what made them send that to me. But I was interested. So I put it with my tax stuff to remind me to go to an information session. I forgot where I put it until today. Anyway, I got look at the site and decide to attend an informational session on 4/18. I'll update more on that after that first meeting.
So I get excited, right? I mean, I'm gonna run a marathon! ME!!! LOL! It's kinda funny, lol. I get online and look for little races. I'm learning so much. Ok, so I know a marathon is 26.2mi, so that means a half-marathon is 13.1mi. Easy. But I had to Ask Jeeves about 5K (~3.1mi) and 10K (~6.2mi). I came up with a plan. I move into my new apartment on 4/20 (*grin*). My new complex has a fitness center. So my official training start date is Sunday, April 22, 2007. If I am disciplined with the C-5K, I'll be able to run 3 miles by June 17th. There are two 5K runs in Columbus, June 9th and July 4th. It's a part of the Columbus Grand Prix. And I'm tryna be down!!! These smaller races will simply be a part of my training and to also help keep me motivated and on task for the FPM next year. And I'm sure they'll boost my ego like, Ooh, Monique, look at what you can do!! NuDiva and I are gonna talk about trying to complete the Columbus Half-Marathon in October (27th week of training). We may not be able to run the whole thing, but we can do our best. The real marathon is next year's FPM. And it's so perfect for me, lol, because I would have said, Hmph, I'll run a marathon when pigs fly. And now look at me, LOL!!! I can't wait to do it if for nothing more than the t-shirt! :)
But see, once I'm able to run 3 miles, I'll keep adding on to increase my distance. I don't know how long it will take me to increase once I start running regularly. So y'all know what I did, right? Yup, I went to the library. I mean, the little bit I read online showed me I have A LOT to learn before I start training. I need to make doctors appointments. I need to research runners' nutrition. I just need to absorb all I can about running before I attempt it. I haven't counted out walking the races. I'm going to contact the lady again about racewalking. Maybe she has a small group together. Or maybe I'll be able to get one together now. I haven't made any hardcore decisions on how I'm going to complete the marathon, only that I'm going to complete it.
Right now I'm finally tired (sleep habits are off because I was up late last night researching running) and going to bed. I'll up tomorrow reading about running and updating this blog as I learn and feel the need to journal.
So let's start at the beginning, how did all this come about? Well, I was talkin' to my friend, another Marathon Virgin (MV) and my training buddy, we'll call her NuDiva. NuDiva was talkin' about doin' the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. So I ask, how long is it? And this is when I knew I was totally ignorant so far as marathons go. Her response? "It's a marathon. (insert silent DUH here) 26 miles." So I calculate real quick... 4 miles, 1 hour... 26 miles, 6.5 hours... WALKING. I wonder if I could walk for that long. Then I think about the fact that people RUN that distance. It struck me as totally absurd. I mean, why would you do that? THEN I started thinking about how I've been unmotivated to exercise. And I thought about setting some goals. And I thought about how much more weight I want to lose. And I thought about how I want to TONE my body. And I thought about how in order to stay on task, I need to have something to work towards. And then I thought about running. I thought about the endorphin high you're supposed to get. You don't get that from walking. Or maybe I've never walked long enough or fast enough. Dunno. But I'd like to know what that feels like. I thought about how awesome it must be to set a goal like that and accomplish it. I thought about surprising myself by actually following through with something like this. I thought about how it was completely out of character for me (seriously, I don't run, I don't even have a sense of urgency about much of anything). I thought about reaching goal (weight), keeping it off, and running this marathon as proof to myself that I really did get fit. I thought about how good I'd feel about myself if I did something like this. I found myself surfing running sites online while I was thinking. Then I felt myself getting excited. It started to sound like something I was capable of doing. And I then I started thinking of a plan.
The Flying Pig Marathon (FPM) is over a year away (we of course are not running in this year's marathon; it's in May!). On the site it has a 17-week training schedule. I figured that's for people who are actually in shape, and my name's not on that list. So first I have to actually start running. Then I remembered a conversation I had with my friend PJ about the Couch-to-5K (C-5K) training program and decided to take a look at that. So that gives you 2 months to run 30 minutes straight (about 3 miles). So I figure a year is a good amount of time to train forreal-forreal. Then I remembered something I'd gotten in the mail. It was for Team In Training (TNT) and I remembered I wonder what made them send that to me. But I was interested. So I put it with my tax stuff to remind me to go to an information session. I forgot where I put it until today. Anyway, I got look at the site and decide to attend an informational session on 4/18. I'll update more on that after that first meeting.
So I get excited, right? I mean, I'm gonna run a marathon! ME!!! LOL! It's kinda funny, lol. I get online and look for little races. I'm learning so much. Ok, so I know a marathon is 26.2mi, so that means a half-marathon is 13.1mi. Easy. But I had to Ask Jeeves about 5K (~3.1mi) and 10K (~6.2mi). I came up with a plan. I move into my new apartment on 4/20 (*grin*). My new complex has a fitness center. So my official training start date is Sunday, April 22, 2007. If I am disciplined with the C-5K, I'll be able to run 3 miles by June 17th. There are two 5K runs in Columbus, June 9th and July 4th. It's a part of the Columbus Grand Prix. And I'm tryna be down!!! These smaller races will simply be a part of my training and to also help keep me motivated and on task for the FPM next year. And I'm sure they'll boost my ego like, Ooh, Monique, look at what you can do!! NuDiva and I are gonna talk about trying to complete the Columbus Half-Marathon in October (27th week of training). We may not be able to run the whole thing, but we can do our best. The real marathon is next year's FPM. And it's so perfect for me, lol, because I would have said, Hmph, I'll run a marathon when pigs fly. And now look at me, LOL!!! I can't wait to do it if for nothing more than the t-shirt! :)
But see, once I'm able to run 3 miles, I'll keep adding on to increase my distance. I don't know how long it will take me to increase once I start running regularly. So y'all know what I did, right? Yup, I went to the library. I mean, the little bit I read online showed me I have A LOT to learn before I start training. I need to make doctors appointments. I need to research runners' nutrition. I just need to absorb all I can about running before I attempt it. I haven't counted out walking the races. I'm going to contact the lady again about racewalking. Maybe she has a small group together. Or maybe I'll be able to get one together now. I haven't made any hardcore decisions on how I'm going to complete the marathon, only that I'm going to complete it.
Right now I'm finally tired (sleep habits are off because I was up late last night researching running) and going to bed. I'll up tomorrow reading about running and updating this blog as I learn and feel the need to journal.
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