Running Rut

I have been staying at a house without Internet access (How is that possible in today's society?) :) I still have another week and a half to go, so my posts and comments will most likely be few and far between.

As far as the running goes... I have fallen into a rut. Every since the half marathon I have been lacking motivation. Before the race I ran with dedication and passion. I was always trying to improve. I was always looking toward the future. I would change my entire daily schedule in order to make sure I had time for a run.

I have only had one really good run in the past two weeks. I find myself listing excuses of why I can't go running. I feel like me fitness level is already declining, which is discouraging. I didn't want October 9th to be the end of a great "season" and I am afraid that if I don't get my act together soon, I'll never make it through the long, cold winter.

I know that I will always have a passion for running, but I feel like it's slipping away. I feel guilty if I miss a run but at the same time, I don't feel like running anymore. Even today, I was about to push myself out the door for a run when I started thinking, "I skipped Wednesdays' run so why not skip another one today?" With that in mind, I untied my laces and grabbed the cheese and crackers.

I plan on meeting my running partners over the weekend, so maybe their passion and encouragement will carry me through this rut.

"Running isn't about looking backwards. It's not about that missed run, it's about that next step. It's not about the last race, it's about the next one. Always look forward to the future, and enjoy it." A great quote by Sean, but it's not sinking in right now. sigh...

The Rainy Run

10/15 ~ 7 miles, 57.13 minutes
The sky didn't look very promising, with dark gloomy clouds lurking about, but I was determined to meet Amy for a run. As fate would have it, as I pulled into the parking lot it started to rain. We still decided to venture out, but we took a route along a few back roads instead of hitting the trails.

It was my first long run since last Saturdays race. I expected to be in great condition, but instead I was really challenged. Ironically, the first half was more difficult. I felt like a turtle pushing it to the max, trying to keep up and unsuccessfully attempting to carry on a conversation. Even though we were not able to talk a lot, it made a huge difference just having some one there. Running partners are the best.

10/14 ~ rest

10/13 ~ 3 miles in the woods, 28.16 minutes

Race Pic.

October 9, 2004 Race Pic.

Tamieka, Kristen, David, Dianna's Mom, Annalisa, Dianna, Jason, Michelle
~ wearing our orange "Team Dianna" t-shirts after Dianna crossed the marathon finish line ~

Back On the Roads

Tuesday ~ 4 miles-ish, 39.37 minutes
What a beautiful day and a beautiful run. The weather was perfect and the scenery was amazing. I love autumn in my little town. Nearly all the trees along the route were full of bright red, yellow and orange leaves. People had pumpkins sitting on their doorsteps and cornstalks tied to their sidewalk posts. I even spotted a wild turkey in one of the nearby fields. (Which reminded me that Thanksgiving is almost here, my absolute favorite day of the year!)

Monday ~ unknown time and distance
I woke up with out any pains or soreness, so I decided to head out for a run or shall I say “shuffle”. :) I left my stopwatch behind and took an unfamiliar route. It was great being able to go for a run for the mere joy of running, not having to worry about pace, time, or distance.

“It’s time to enjoy running for the sake of running for a while. To just embrace my passion for running” Thanks for the great quote Mark!

Sunday ~ rest day (still sore)

1/2 Marathon Race Report

I did it! I reached my goal, and completed the race. Horray!
...And now for the race report

~ Friday night I met the the running chicks (Dianna and Michelle) along with their husbands, for an evening of relaxing and pasta! Dianna was so sweet, and gave Michelle and I a bouquet of beautiful "Good Luck" flowers. Dianna's husband also gave us customed designed (Orange!) "Team Dianna" t-shirts. :)
~ The next day, I met them all again at the doughnut shop in town and we headed to Hartford. Along the way, I was skipping though the radio stations and I heard my favorite running song, It's a Beautiful Life, by Ace of Base. Whenever I hear that song while I'm running, it always motivates me to run faster. (thus the name for my running blog and because I feel like I have a beautiful life. I have been so blessed.)
~ After we arrived, I found my race number and I bumped into a guy from my high school that I hadn't seen in years. It was nice to chat for a bit, because it pre-occupied my mind from being so nervous. Before I knew, it was time to line up. Michelle and I started together, packed together shoulder to shoulder, with thousands of other runners. It was a perfect day for running! (cloudy and in the low 60's)
~ The first mile was slow, as every one tried to break out of the crowd and find their pace. Overall, the course was primarily flat with a few slight inclines/declines along the way. I quickly tried to find a steady pace, and settle into a running groove. Everything was great until mile seven.
~ I arrived at the mile seven marker and then it hit me - "Gosh..I have to go the bathroom. How is this possible, I just went an hour ago?"
Mile eight & nine - "I can hold it. I can hold it. Keep running. Don't stop!"
Mile ten - "I'm not going to make it!" I spot a port-o-let...there is no line...I jump in and out in less then 30 seconds, and I'm back on the roads, picking up the pace.
(sorry for the details....but I couldn't not mention it, because I have never had to stop before. I'm wondering if I was just really nervous. Hmm.....)
~ Along the way, it was great to be cheered on by Michelle's family and Dianna's friends. I did my best to finish strong, with a tiny kick left in me, and I fished with a chip time of 1:47.14
~ About an hour later I found Dianna at mile 20 of her race and I hoped in for a little while. She was doing great and I was so excited for her!
~ After the race, my legs were sore and I thought that after a hot shower and nap, I would wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed. I thought wrong. All the muscles from the bottom of my feet, to the top of my hips are sore, but I'm sure I'll survive. :)

* I am so proud of Dianna and Michelle! Michelle beat her arch-rival, and Dianna finished the MARATHON! Way to go girls! You have inspired me to running longer and faster than I ever thought possible. Thanks for all the support along the way! ~ And, thank you to the RBF for all the comments and advice you have posted on my blog since I started training for this crazy race. :)

The Count Down

Two more days!! The race is almost here and I am so excited. As of now, my body feels really good and I feel prepared, but come Saturday morning I'm sure I'll be incredibly nervous and being to question if I'm prepared to run for 13 miles. ~ This Friday, I'm going out to dinner with Dianna and a few other people, which will be a great way to fill up on "healthy" carbs and relax before the big day. This past week has been stressful, so I haven't had time to prepare healthy meals. For dinner last night I had my favorite "triscuts and salsa dinner" and for tonight, a "cheese and crackers dinner". I really need to start eating healthy again......maybe after the race.
(side note from my last post - the race director e-mailed me back, and it was his error. i'm glad i wasn't dreaming) :)

Tuesday
36.14 minutes fast, miles - ? (trails)

Wednesday
45.10 minutes slow, miles - ? (roads around campus)

Was it a dream?

~ I just went online to check out the official times from yesterdays race. As I was scanning though the list, I noticed that according to the online results, there was another woman named Jane Lee, who finished way before me, with a time of 26.48. Oh my gosh, was yesterday just a dream? Did I only imagine myself crossing the line as the first female runner? I am so confused. I will have to e-mail the race director tonight.
~ I almost forgot to mention, I finally bought a new pair of sneakers. Of course, they are still sitting in their box, because I have been afraid of getting them smelly/dirty, but tomorrow may be the day that I break them in. I will give a full sneaker report later on in the week.

30 min. on the elliptical fitness cross trainer– 3.7 miles

The Race of a Lifetime

October 3rd
What a day! I woke up before my alarm went off, with the sun shining in my window (the absolute best way to wake up). I had enough time to slowly get ready and relax before heading off to the Coventry Fall Classic 4 Mile Race. When I arrived at the race, I felt really good. Ironically, the day before I was on the road all day, so I had fast food for lunch and dinner....not the best way to prepare for a race. :) The weather was perfect. It was clear and sunny, in the mid 60's. The race started on time, with the sound of a cannon boom. I was completely unsure how to pace myself for a 4 mile run, so I started off a little too fast and tried to quickly settle into a steady pace. The course went around a quaint, country neighborhood, in the midst of fall foliage. It was a beautiful route, and in the future, I would definitely consider moving to Coventry to raise my family. The course was ideal, primarily flat besides mile three which had a gradual hill. I was actually able to pass another girl in my division on the hill. (All those hill work-outs finally paid off!). I felt really good the entire time, and I had a small kick left at the end. When I heard a guy from the loud speaker announce, "Here comes our first female runner" I was in complete shock. Was he really talking about me? Or was there another girl in front of me? Before I knew it, I arrived at the finish line, and they had a ribbon for me to run through-I really was the first girl to finish. It was an experience I will never forget, which may never happen again. After I finished, I could not stop smiling. Even though it was only a small country race, with maybe 50 runners, I felt like I had climbed Mt. Everest. :) Later on, I received a pottery canister and a gift certificate for a massage. Oh my....I can't wait to use that certificate! :) What a wonderful day! :)

October 2nd
Rest

October 1st
Miles - 10.1, Time - 1:31.18