Running to stay sane???

I am about to EXPLODE!!! We're moving this Saturday, and the packing.... well, let's just say "What packing?" because we have hardly started!! I've been down with the flu, and I'm about ready to sell our two year old son for a nickel!! I'm dying for a run... but where to find the time???

San Diego is less than 17 weeks away, which sounds so far away, but I clearly remember signing up for P.F. Chang's thinking I had all the time in the world to train -- and that was only a half! ARRRRGGGHHH!!!! 

So I think I have a plan: quick 4 mile tempo run tomorrow on the dreadmill (flu be damned), rest of the evening cleaning/packing, and let Daddy take care of the terrible two year old!

Oh - and tomorrow kicks of the first business day of a new month! Swell! For a sales manager, that means new quotas, new targets, and (hopefully) a strong start to the month!

Gonna need all the luck in the world tomorrow to make this all happen!! Fingers & laces crossed!!

Ugh! Why did I bother??

Grrrr!! I am down with the FLU!! *Expletive* *Expletive* *Expletive*

I even made sure to get my flu shot this year! At least my fever has finally broken, but yesterday I was knocked out! 104 temp, body aches, chills.. the works! I'm feeling better today thanks to that Oscillo stuff from CVS, but man do I still ache! I feel like this has totally taken me off my game, and I'm hoping I can be back on my "A" game in a couple of days... San Diego is only 17 weeks away!!

Luckily, little man is back to 100% thanks to some heavy antibiotics, but that does no good when mom is down for the count!!

Has anything ever taken you off your training schedule? How long were you down?

Momma said there'd be days like this...

Ugh!! Had to break my streak, and break my training schedule... My peanut has a double ear infection, so we spent the evening at Urgent Care, and then in line at Walgreen's. He'll be 2 next month, and this is the first time he's ever been sick! So, we're very blessed and I definitely cannot complain because I know there are moms out there whose kiddos are sick all the time.

So I guess tomorrow's rest day just happened a day early, and I'm running hills tomorrow! And hopefully Aiden is back to his "normal" self tomorrow (but is there really such a thing as a "normal" two year old?)!

I promise... I swear... I vow...

...To stick to my marathon training plan. I have to. I've enlisted the help of my fiancee, Paul, to be the enforcer. Posted the schedule right there on the fridge, and even though he has no clue what a tempo run is, he still makes me go out and do it. So I'm two days in, and so far so good. Did my weight training today like a good girl. Is it just me, or would you rather run 20 miles into the wind than lift weights? I HATE lifting. Ugh.

Now that my half is over with, I'm starting to get bummed. Honestly, I half-assed my training, and tried to cram it all in three weeks before the event. Now I look back and realize that had I trained, I could have made some serious time. Damn... My boss told me I'd never beat his time (1:49), but I only missed it by 14 minutes. 14 minutes!!! A little extra dedication to my training schedule, and I wouldn't have beat his time - I would have smoked it!! There's a slight running competition between my boss and me. He's 14 years older than me, and keeps telling me that I will never be faster than him - even when he's 80. Oh - and that it's impossible to qualify for Boston at your first marathon. I think I'd like to prove him wrong.

So here's my vow to myself: I will stick to the plan. I will not question it. And I will qualify for Boston.

I love running, I hate running...

So today was the first day of training for the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon... And while I managed to hit the 10 mile mark today, it wasn't everything I thought it would be.

Since this is the first run I've had since P.F. Chang's, I thought for sure it was going to be all sunshine and lollipops (or at least a little bit invigorating, right?)... First two miles I went out way too fast - 8:15 & 8:30! My normal pace is 9:30, so I was like WHOA!! Slow down legs!!! I knew I'd been getting antsy to get out and run, but this was ridiculous.

Around mile 3, the knee pain started up. EFF ME!!! I struggled through the rest of the run, 2 miles at a time. I had to stop every 2 miles to give my knees a stretch and a little massage to make it the next 2. Lucky for me, I can start/stop my Garmin and still get an accurate time. 10 miles, 1:35:42... Not exactly where I want to be.

Got home, and instantly popped the good ol' ice bags on for 20 minutes. Huge relief... Calling the Dr tomorrow to see what's up. Ugh!! I'm hoping it's nothing that a spiffy little brace can't fix!

What are you listening to?

So tomorrow starts my training for the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon.... The FULL... OMG...

Which means... It's time to update the iPod!! Long training runs call for some serious tunes.

So what is your must have song for running? When I was putting together my playlist for P.F. Chang's, I came across an oldie but a goodie... ABC by the Jackson 5!! Laugh now, but just try to not run with a big cheesy smile on your face for 3 minutes! Any song that makes me want to shake my booty makes my legs move fast!!

I also have Melissa Etheridge's "I Run for Life" when I need some serious get-your-ass-in-gear-because-you-can-do-this motivation.... Maybe someday I'll share what that song means to me and the whole journey, but for now I'm going to stick to running...

Gonna try for a 10 miler tomorrow! Fingers & laces crossed!!!

"You're so weird!" and Race Pics!!!

So after I finished my race yesterday and called friends and family, the one resounding thing I kept hearing (besides CONGRATS) was, "you're so weird!" Why?? Why is it so weird to run? Isn't it natural - dare I say it - HUMAN NATURE to run? Without running, would we even have survived as a species? How do those who don't run survive now? I know that without running, I wouldn't survive. I'd go crazy running in circles all day long. I'd feel like one of those hamsters on a wheel - and in short order, you'd have to put me in a padded room and lock the door. Running allows me to break free of my life, lay down all my daily titles (mom, manager, fiancee, etc), and just BE. There is no other part of my day that I find more spiritual, more relaxing, more EVERYTHING. It keeps me sane. There is something so meditating about letting my breathing and stride just fall together. Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way. But I'm pretty sure the 25,000+ people that joined me yesterday at P.F. Chang's would tell me that I'm not alone.

So... much anticipated RACE PICS!!! Yahoo!!! Here are a few of my favorites!

Here I am getting ready to go!! I love how the reflective tags on my iFitness belt make it look like I have headlights!!!

 So here I am finishing. This picture would have been SO. MUCH. BETTER. if the girl in front of me hadn't just decided to stop. Hello, race etiquette?? (Also, is it creepy that I searched her bib # to know if I beat her? I did beat her, by the way... 2 full minutes... )

Quite possibly, my FAVORITE race picture ever!! This was about 10 or so miles in. And that smile is genuine!

And here it is.... The one I worked so hard for!! I gotta say I'm pretty proud of my stats... So here they are:

Clock Time: 2:14:15
Chip Time: 2:03:53
Overall Place: 5213/19298
Gender Place: 2101/11886
Division Place: 382/1947
Pace: 9:27
5K: 30:35
10K: 59:36
8.5 Mile: 1:20:34
10 Mile: 1:35:33

Looking forward to my knees feeling normal again. Got a much deserved post-race massage today, and hopefully I'm back out on the road on Wednesday!!! Gotta keep the legs loose!! San Diego Rock 'n Roll is just around the corner! (Did I mention I'm doing a full in June?? Maybe I AM weird!!!)

There aren't words in the dictionary to describe this feeling!!

I just completed my FIRST 1/2 MARATHON!!! Whooo hoooo!!! Go me!! I ran P.F. Chang's Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in 2:03:53! Not bad for my first try!! And my most amazing feat? I RAN THE WHOLE WAY!!! Looking forward to seeing the race pics!! Bib #27575 - look me up!!!

There aren't even words to describe how I'm feeling right now - elated, inspired, cocky, proud... you name it, I'm feeling it!!! I'm even a little sad that it's over! Guess I'm going through "marathon withdrawals".... The only way to cure it? Sign up for another one!!

This coming Saturday, I'm signing up for Team in Training! Looking forward to completing the San Diego Rock 'n Roll... But this time, I'm doing the FULL!!! I have to do it - it's on my bucket list!! And if I feel like this afterwards, I just might become ADDICTED!!

My knees are KILLING me right now, but other than that, I feel great!! Looking forward to a much deserved day of vacation from work tomorrow, and that post-race massage!! Oh yeah, baby!!!

One more run... Or should I??

So this is my first attempt at a blog... I've never understood (until recently) what a great outlet this is. My fiancee - although I love him to pieces - just doesn't get why I run. Running does not equal fun to him. I try to explain to him that it's not for fun (in fact, sometimes I HATE running), but it's more of a necessity. It's the only time in the day I get to myself. I work full-time as a sales manager - taking care of my reps, their customers, and making sure I meet a sales quota every month (NO pressure!). I also have a 22 month old son, and as much as I love him, lately there are days that I'd sell him for $1!!! Can you say terrible twos?!? Oy!! And then there's the wedding planning. My fiancee and I are getting married in October of this year, and I never realized how much really goes into planning a wedding! All of a sudden, I have a whole new appreciation for the weddings I've been to in the past! So for me, running = sanity. There's a certain peace that enters my world when my breathing and my stride fall together.

So Sunday is my first BIG RACE... I'm competing (really? just trying to finish is more like it!!) in the PF Chang's half marathon here in Phoenix. I don't know why I'm so nervous! I haven't slept all week, and I feel like my few easy runs this week were a lot harder than they should be. So I'm contemplating running tomorrow - maybe just an easy 5 miler just to keep my legs loose, and my nerves settled? I don't know - maybe I should consult the Magic 8 Ball....

Magic 8 Ball says, "Without a doubt." Looks like I'm lacing up!