NEW YEAR!

It's the start of a new year... I am so excited and pumped to have great running in 2010. I felt that after the marathon it would be wise for me to take just a little time off. Well that little amount of time ended up being 2 whole months of time off!! I will sincerely re-think "time off" next year. So here I am treading my way back to the gym and all of the "New Year's Newbies" at the gym. The great thing is to see all the people who want to try to make a small or big change in their lives by hitting the gym. The only thing I feel bad ab0ut is that less than 20% of these "NYN" will stay on for more than 2 months. So as I fight my way to the gym and for a treadmill. I ask myself.. "what can I expect to accomplish this year in my running?" Here is a short list of what I myself would like to get out of my running this year: (1) Remember what it was like to run for "fun!" (2) Run in the Des Moines IMT Marathon/ Half Marathon. (3) Lose the all to undesirable Holiday pounds.

As the New Year starts off hot and heavy.... I will try to remind myself to go slow and enjoy!

Ahh...the Treadmill

So after Vitamin C and hot tea with honey I came to the conclusion I would be able to get my afternoon work out in. (even feeling a bit under the weather)... So I ran home to get myself ready and yes I am the type who likes to listen to my i-pod when I run and it is usually set at a high volume... So I pick my treadmill at the gym and start my 1/4 mile workout which is a nice steady power walk. I then pick it up to my mile pace and I' m on my way. As I'm running my happy pace I notice a guy in a sweatshirt come up next to me and check out how I was running ( not as in form.. I'm talking about the annoying competitive type that HAS to run faster and longer than you no matter what it takes) So as I'm in the zone I have Mr. Competitive to my left and here we go another dude walks up to the open treadmill on the right. Now don't get me wrong I don't mind people working out next to me but I tell ya it seems that I always get stuck with the people who are the most obnoxious... So as I'm running I glance over at the new guy running and what do I see.... The next ROCKY.... This guy is running and throwing boxing punches into the imaginary punching bag in front of him. I'm not even joking the only thing that would have made this sweeter would be if Eye Of the Tiger would have come on my i-pod play list (sadly it did not) . So here I am sandwiched between Mr. Competitive and Mr. Rocky... What is a girl to do??? Hopefully next time I hit the treadmill the distractions will be kept at a minimum

Fall Season

We have officially hit October and the cooler weather is here to stay. I am currently in training to run the half- marathon. This is my first time running anything more than a 10K. Well that's not entirely true. I have run that distance only as a cross-county runner where we were all packed on the lovely yellow school bus and dropped off on some dusty gravel road to run back to the high school. Did I mention this was usually in the month of August with all the lovely heat / humidyt that comes with the Iowa Summer. So yeah, I know what it feels like to be running that long and far. As we are getting closer to the Half Marathon I am secretly getting the pre-race nerves and jitters. I have full faith in my capabilities. I know I will finish. I know I will not give up until I have crossed that finish line and the medal has been placed around my neck. I know I should have put more effort into my training but I will leave that in the back of my head for next year. .... Who knows... next year may just be the year of the MARATHON!

The Icky Fall Effect

So today I am day # 2 into my first cold of the fall season. I thought I had been doing well with all of my Purell, Multi- Vitamin and 1000 mg of Vitamin C. Well I guess I was wrong. So now along with the cold I'm stuck with the dilemma (run 8 miles tonight as planned or calm it down and do the ever happy 6 miles?). When as a runner are you able to decide that with training you should just leave it to the body? So I guess I will do what Jaime ( my running buddy) suggests and do the 6 and see how my body feels. Wish me luck !!!