New Shoes?

I'm seriously thinking about getting a better pair. I currently run in the New Balance 1063s but I keep thinking in the back of my mind that my feet and knees might thank me more if I had a better pair of shoes. It is not like I am running huge weekly numbers or anything, 20 miles is not that big of a deal, but I just keep pondering that maybe my legs and feet might feel better if I took the plunge and got a new pair. Before I ever really ran more than 2 miles at a time, I went and got fitted and they put me in this pair of Brooks. I don't even know the model because they were from like 2000, but they were seriously the best pair of sneakers I ever owned. I'm thinking about trying the Brooks Glycerin 7. I do know that I need a shoe made for neutral runners, and I have normal arches. I'm avoiding going to a running store because they don't have the same great deals as amazon does!
I'm going to mull it over some more. Any of you out there that use shoes made for neutral runners that might have a suggestion?

Talking myself into it

That is exactly what I did on Sunday for my long run, my first ever run of 8 miles at once. I was not feeling it when I woke up and even when I started out on my run, this nagging feeling of needing to quit kept creeping up on me all the way through mile 4. The entire 4 miles, I just kept telling myself, you don't need to do the full 8, you can do another 7 miler like you did on Monday, just keep plugging and don't worry about the pace, take it slow. Then on mile 5, I felt a need to complete the entire 8 miles. I started feeling better and was more determined to actually complete the 8. I basically talked myself into it and it worked. I find that I do this often. One of the reasons being, is that my training schedule has several weeks worth of padding built into it, meaning it is much longer than the timeframe it is meant to be because my half-marathon isn't until the first week in May. I don't know that it's a good thing to have extra weeks built in because it does allow me the chance to chicken out on some weeks. At any rate, I made it! I felt so much better after, knowing that I did it just by mentally giving myself that extra push.
One of my best friends who moved from California to Chicago about 6 months ago, was in town. We met up with her and her fiancee at BJ's and we all shared some good beer and good times. After drinks, we went to see Alice in Wonderland. I LOVED it!! I now want to go back and read the book because I never have before. Johnny Depp was awesome in it. I love Tim Burton's movies.
I found a 10K to run on March 28th that is local. It's the Morgan Hill Wildflower Run. My husband wants to do the 5K and I'm going to do the 10K. I'm excited that he is showing at least a little bit of interest in running 5Ks!! Nice bonus is that we get a free Jamba Juice smoothie after the race! And it's in the same town where my in-laws live, I think my mother-in-law is going to do the walk and then we will all go out for brunch afterward, should be a nice morning.
Have a great week everyone!!!

When Life Throws you Lemons!!!

Arghh, does anyone else feel this way lately!! Stressed out!!! I feel like this whole bad economy is affecting so many people around me, including me. I try to stay positive and remain hopeful and then something else happens to someone close to me and I get beat down again!! I'm still trying to squeeze my way into the health care industry, but dang it's so tough when you don't have direct work experience. I think I'm doing all the right things like working on a Masters degree in the field, volunteering at a hospice and looking and applying for jobs at least every day. But I feel like I'm head-butting a brick wall!!! And, the stress of it all caused an unnecessary fight with one of my best friends this week, who now could be potentially stuck jobless, due to a downsize.
Not to mention, I had a wicked cold this past week that interrupted my training schedule. I just couldn't bring myself to run the 7 miles that I was supposed to yesterday.
BUT, I woke up this morning refreshed that it was the start of the new week. And as I laid in bed this morning, I quietly went through in my mind all of the things that I am so very thankful for. I realize that my world and my problems PALE in comparison to what other people in this world are going through right now, such as the earthquake victims in Chile, or one of my classmates, who just lost her Dad to terminal cancer. In comparison, I am so blessed!! I'm thankful for my ability to use both of my arms and both of my legs, that I am in good health and I am surrounded by people who love and care for me.
After counting my blessings, I got myself out of bed and laced on my shoes and decided to tackle my 7 mile run today. I went incredibly slow and walked about a quarter of mile halfway through, but I made it!! I ran the other 6.75 miles and it felt good!! I felt my thoughts clear up and realized that I can make the best of my situation and I need to be strong and continue to push through, continue to visualize what my life will be and how I will eventually get that job that works out to be just right for me. It's a struggle sometimes, but I just need to focus on the positives in my life right now!!!
Wow! I feel so much better getting that out there!!!
Have a great week everyone!!!

My New Garmin 305!!!

My husband picked the best Valentine's gift for me, ever!!! I know I had mentioned in my blog after my first 5K that I needed a sports watch. I hadn't even mentioned it to my husband and the next thing I know, he had already bought me the Garmin for Valentine's Day! He's a techie nerd and was actually excited to do the research and find a good sports watch for me.
I'm still getting used to how to use it, but the basics, I've got down. I am most excited about the fact that I no longer need to drive in my car on Saturday nights to map out my long runs for the next day. I was also using Map My Run online, but learned from another fellow blogger that the distances are quite off on those maps.
Now, I can just hit start on the Garmin and go. I'm also excited to hopefully work on my pace and improve faster than I would without the Garmin. I have already begun to push my self a little harder when I can see how I'm doing with a quick glance during my runs. Another huge plus, is the fact that when I travel for vacation or whatever, it will be much easier to get a run in, knowing I can track my distance without guessing.
The only drawbacks are that you have to wait a while for it to find it's location sometimes and it is rather large and clunky. I think I'm already used to these two drawbacks and the pros really do outweigh the cons.
Training is going well, although, I've been a little sore in my glutes and hamstrings over the past few days. I think this is due to my recent interest in doing On Demand Jillian Michaels total body shred workouts. Those things totally kick my ass!! Especially the lunges!
I ran 6 miles on Sunday and it was pouring rain the entire time, oh well, at least it wasn't snow!! I was supposed to be at 7 miles according to Hal's half-marathon schedule, but like I said, my glutes and hamstrings were killing me on Sunday morning. Plus, I have plenty of extra time in my training before the half, so that I can double up on mileage weeks if needed.
Have a great week, everyone!!!

It's Really Official Now!!!

I learned that the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon is sold out now. I got a little nervous because I hadn't booked a hotel room for my husband and I for the weekend yet. I headed over to the website to check out the deals they had for marathon runners and to my dismay all of the special rates reserved at the list of recommended hotels for the runners were all sold out!!! I did a little more research and found a place called the Pea soup Anderson's Inn that was available for both nights. The outside looks a little tacky, but when I clicked on the pictures, it seems like a cozy little find. They claim that they offer Danish Style accommodations, which is fitting because Solvang, which is the race location, is supposed to be the Danish capital of America. And an extra bonus is the hot tub for me to relax in after the race!!! Should be a nice weekend. My Mother and Father-In-Law are going down with us on Friday morning and we are going to check out some wineries. Not too much for me the day before the race, though. I'm sure Ross (my husband) and I will be celebrating at the post-race wine tasting and party on Saturday afternoon. I'm really excited that I will have my mother and father-in law and Ross there to cheer me on!!!

I wanna be in Vancouver right now!!

Yay! The winter Olympics started tonight!!! I'm enjoying the opening ceremony celebration while I'm typing. I haven't seen Sarah Mclaughlin in forever! I don't think she has come out with a new album, other than a Christmas album in a long time. I used to love her and went to all of the Lilith Fairs just to see her play. I'm now inspired to pull her up on my i-pod collection and have a listen. And after quickly looking up Lilith Fair online, I just realized they are bringing it back for 2010!! Luck for me (my husband not so much), it is coming to San Francisco!! Yeah, come to think of it, I'll make it a girl's event!!
Seriously, as I'm watching the opening celebration, I'm totally amazed at all the work that they must put into this event. Everything is beautiful, precisely choreographed and downright entertaining.
Training is going well this week. I've logged in the 5K on Sunday, 4 miles on Wednesday, 2 miles on Thursday and another 4 miles today. I'm running the most I've ever one at one time, 6 miles on Sunday!! I'm ready!!!
Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays!! We are staying in this year. I'm making my husband a nice V-Day brunch of mimosas, waffles and eggs after my run. And then, I'm making a nice dinner (haven't decided what yet, any ideas?) with a good red wine.

And All the Little Ants are Marching....

Yesterday was great! I ran in my first ever 5K, The San Francisco Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon and 5K. There was supposed to be rain, but it was sunny and beautiful. My husband ran/walked in it also. Poor guy has what he thinks to be torn ligament in his knee, so he had to walk some of it when the pain was getting to be too much. Both of us were there at the start line with 10,000 other people. I mean, this race was WAY BIGGER than I expected when I registered for it.
So, we were waiting at the start line (err, well behind the start line because of the mass of people). They played Dave Matthews Under the Table and Dreaming and then did a count down from 10 to the start. After the gun sounded, we were off, or rather we were slowly walking to get to the start line. Once I passed the start line, I was ready to set my personal record, or maybe not. WTF! is all I can say about the mobs of people and strange lost people wandering around right after the start line, walking and getting in the way. I felt like I was bobbing and weaving for at least 5 minutes and I was annoyed. I mean, I don't mind if you want to walk halfway through b/c you need a rest, but the race was not a run/walk race, it was a running race. I believe these people were in the middle of the crowd, not because they were in the race, but because they had no idea what they were supposed to do and stepped somewhere they shouldn't with a pack of over 2,300 5K runners nipping at their heels. It was like once I felt like there was a clear pathway for me to get started, there stood someone else, blocking my way. I had a long and encouraging chat with my big sis after the race to talk about it, since she is my go-to source, she says that I better get used to this if I'm running in larger races. She ran the Chicago Marathon a while back and she said she was bobbing and weaving for like 5 miles into that race. That sucks!!!
At any rate, after the first couple of minutes, the crowd thinned out and I was able to get moving. I set my i-pod to AFI album, Crash Love and I was off. Golden Gate park is just beautiful! I spent a lot my running time, just taking in all of the scenery. There were actually a few hills, which I wasn't really prepared for. My calves are sore today, which is normally not the case after my much longer than 5K runs on Sundays. I think the downhills were what my muscles weren't used to. It was still fun to work my butt off, huffing up a hill and then to be able to almost glide downhill. I think I'm going to get a sports watch after this. I had no idea how I was tracking or anything the entire race and I wish I would have known, so that I could have maybe sped it up a little bit. I loved all of the people that we passed on the sidelines cheering, that was really fun!!
I finished with a chip time of 30:38 and a pace of 9:53. I was kind of irked. I would have liked to run it at a pace of 9:30. But those damn people in the beginning screwed me up a bit!! My overall place was 483 out of 2322, my gender place was 219 out of 1584 females and I finished 165 out of 911 in my age division, so not bad!
I'm glad I did the race, it was experience to help me move ahead in my journey as a new runner. I'm thinking of signing up for a 10K. It's recommended in Hal's training plan to run a 5K and a 10K. I think it is beneficial to get the experience before I run the half.

Veggies Rule!!

Ahh, it truly is amazing how willing I am to procrastinate doing my schoolwork just so I can write about my day on my blog!!! It is just so hard to motivate myself to work on Cash Flow problems for my Health Care Budget and Finance class.
So, I'm on a mission to eat more veggies. I love to cook and try new recipes so I did a search on AllRecipes.com for some veggie recipe options. I found a really good one for Farmer's Market Vegetarian Quesadillas and I tried it out today. Really tasty and relatively low calorie, but more important was the fact that I got my fill of great veggies while eating it!!! It's not that I don't enjoy vegetables because I really do, I just have the hardest time figuring out quick and easy ways to make them besides the boring way of steaming them which I do all the time. What about you? What are your favorite ways to get in your veggies??
Training has been going very well and I ran my two miles today the fastest I have ever run!!
Sunday- 5.2 miles at (what was on Sunday) my fastest pace EVER of 9:41!!
Monday--Ab Core training and some Yoga
Tuesday--TOUGH 4.3 mile run outside pace of 9:51, my ABS were killing me from the day before!!
Today--2 mile treadmill run, 9:35 pace
OK, OK! I'm signing off to do homework now.

I am Officially Registered!!!

It is official, I am registered to run in my first half, The Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon!!! I caught wind that the race fills up really quickly, so I decided that I better get on it and register. Sure enough, when I went to the site it stated that they are at 80% of capacity.

If all goes well, I really think that I'm going to do a full marathon in either September or October. I'm having a really hard time deciding which one that I want to go for. I have narrowed it down that it has to be within a reasonable distance of the Bay Area and I have a couple of options to choose from. I have been using the Running in the USA website and I love it!! The site basically lists out races by state, distance and month, however you want to find them and it offers links to the race sites. If you haven't checked it out when you are planning your upcoming races, you should. So, my choices are down to the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco or the Silicon Valley Marathon. For now, at least, unless another option pops up in the next month or two. So, have any of you run either or these or know someone who has? Any suggestions as to which one you would pick? I would love to hear your feedback.

Blister, where did YOU come from?

My first official running blister showed up this week on the inside of my left big toe. Not really too bothersome, but still a tad bit annoying. AND, I have been consistently running with synthetic socks.

My bib came in the mail this week for my first ever race! I'm doing a 5K with my husband in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on February 9th. It is the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon and 5K. I'm really looking forward to the experience of running in a race with others around me. I don't know how pretty the 5K portion is, but I heard that the route for the half is supposed to be one of the most scenic in the country. The shirt design is really cool and features the conservatory of flowers which is in Golden Gate park and a beautiful site, a greenhouse made of white glass and iron. It is so striking to see in the middle of the green park.

Training is going well, I ran 5 miles for the first time ever on Sunday morning and felt good the entire run. Not focusing on the pace just yet. I'm going to work on my times further into my training. I ran 3.5 on Tuesday and 2 miles today as per the Hal Higdon Novice Half Marathon Training schedule.

Ross Stores and TJ Maxx Rock!!

After reading up about necessary running equipment on many fellow bloggers pages, I decided to go check out the discount stores for some running gear. All I have to say is, WOW!!! I found some great stuff at CHEAP prices!!
After running in some cotton shirts a few times, I think I learned my lesson. NO MORE!! It is especially uncomfortable when I'm running inside on the mill. Not to be gross, but the sweat goes no where, it just hangs out right on my body. Disgusting!
Ross had the better selection, I got an Adidas white response tee for $12, a pair of Adidas lycra capri's, an Adidas running hat for only $6 and asics and new balance synthetic material running socks. The new balance running socks were only $2 a pair !!!!! Granted, they weren't red like the photo, they were lime green, but who cares!!! I got a new balance l/s tech tee and an Avia short sleeve tech tee at TJ's. TJ's had much better active selection for men, so I bought my husband a tech tee for $7. I was most excited about my running socks and hat find. You see, I have had all one length hair for the longest time and recently I got it layered and took the plunge with bangs. It has proven to be so annoying to run with bangs, without keeping them out of my face. I've tried the goodie elastic headbands and they fall right off my head the minute I start running. So, I have been wearing regular baseball hats. Problem with those is that they just end up getting drenched in sweat, again with the cotton thing. So, I'm super excited to try out my new running hat!!!!!
Needless to say, I will be returning to both of these treasure troves more often when I need to pick up more running gear. Thanks to all of you fellow bloggers who tipped me off to this great discovery!!
Today is cross-train day, I think I'm going to go for a walk, it's not raining in the bay area today!! First time all week. I know, I know, at least it hasn't been snowing :)

Marathon Quest 250

Canadian Martin Parnell is attempting a huge goal. 250 marathons in the year 2010!! The best thing about it is that he has raised and is still raising money to reach a goal of $250K to support the charity Right to Play for kids. His plan is to do 5 marathons a week! That is some serious determination! What a great story! A guy who is doing what he loves: running, all the while supporting a good charity that he believes in.

As I become more and more involved in my training and what exactly it means to become a part of the running community. The more I read, listen to podcasts and observe, the more inspiring stories and lives I come across. These types of stories are just what I need to keep on my schedule and work towards my own, small, but substantial for me, goals!!

3.5 miles on the mill came easy today. I played around with speedwork a little bit. Nothing too heavy, but it helped to make the time go faster.

Running in the rain

I did my weekly long run outside yesterday. I ran 4.3 miles and felt good throughout the run. Only problem was that it started drizzling before I even got finished warming up. It wasn't a heavy rain, so that was good. But, as I was running I came to the realization that the rainy season is about to begin here in Northern California and I need to get a rain jacket for my runs. I don't want to sacrifice running my long runs outside because of the rain.
I challenged myself to a Julia Child recipe last night out of the Art of French Cooking cookbook that my husband bought me after we watched the movie. I just haven't had the courage to take on the tedious and time-consuming project of making a recipe from the book before last night. I made the beef bourguignon. We didn't eat until 10:30, but boy was that a delicious meal. Plus I didn't feel as bad about eating it, after running yesterday. Kudos to Julia, the recipe was super easy and delicious.
Next week my training schedule bumps up to 14 miles and I think I'm ready to go for it.

111 Marathons in my life?

I am now listening to some interesting podcasts and this week I heard the Run Run Live podcast interview with famed runner Hal Higdon. Very interesting interview but as I was panting through mile number 2 on Monday, I couldn't believe what he stated. He has run 111 marathons in his lifetime. Granted he is an older fellow, I'm guessing in his 70's but still!!! Here I am 33 years old and have been in good health my whole life, which I'm totally thankful for, and am just now attempting not even a full, but the first HALF marathon of my life. That would be a lot of catching up to do!! My point being, that although, I can't see myself crossing 111 marathon finish lines in the life ahead of me, I was inspired!! My wheels began to turn and I'm thinking, why can't I attempt to train for a full marathon after I complete my first half?? I'm enjoying the training and I think I would enjoy accomplishing something that I have been toying with in my head for quite a few years. Now, I'm starting to seek out marathons in potentially September or October that would help to make 2010 a monumental year in personal achievements for me.
Training is going good. Sunday's 4 mile long run was a challenge to get used to. I've been training on the treadmill and running outside feels completely different to me. I thought I was going to pass out before I even hit the first mile, but after that, it seemed to roll by much faster. I like it outside much better, I'm not constantly looking at the miles to go and the clock. I can enjoy the fresh air and the scenery of the bay around me.

Rest Day and Yoga!!

I did another three miles yesterday on the treadmill and today is a rest day on the schedule. I'm using Hal Higdon's half marathon novice training schedule, by the way.
Rest days are perfect!!! I did a little yoga today for about a half an hour, hoping to stretch and loosen my muscles and back. I've been feeling a little pain in my lower back and my right hip. I'm hoping it will fade as I'm totally resting today. My finance class for my master's program starts tonight. We'll see how bad Friday night classes suck!!!
Tomorrow is cross-training day. I dvr'd a cardio program from fit TV, so I'm thinking I'll do that in the comfort of my own living room. I started listening to podcasts again on my ipod. I'm hoping these will help to pass the time more quickly during my long runs on Sundays.

BodyGlide???

Yeah, I've never heard of the stuff either, before reading about it in the book I mentioned in my previous blog. I decided to take a look online, it basically looks like a man's deodorant stick, but is supposed to do wonders for those long runs that are facing me later in my training. Haven't broken down yet to make the purchase, but I would really like to avoid blisters at all costs! Which brings me to the next thing on my running gear purchase list, a few good pairs of synthetic runner's socks. These are supposed to be another key to comfortable runs during training. According to most serious runners, cotton is the enemy when it comes to anything related to what you wear while running.
I have so much to learn, but I figure I need to read up now, so I won't be down for the count later on with blisters and chafing.
Did another 3 miles today and found some good stretches to do after my run. Apparently, stretching is only good when your muscles are warm.
So far so good for day two of training.

You've Got to Start Somewhere!!

Technically, I've began running in a serious way about 6 weeks ago. I wanted to get myself to a point that I didn't have to start training for the half with a run/walk mix. I wanted to start running from the beginning. Today was the official first day on the schedule, I logged in 3 miles and ran them on the treadmill in the gym. I'm still so new to this that I have yet to keep track of my runs with pace tracking. I just know that I ran at about 5.7 miles per hour on the treadmill. As I progress further into my training, I will make my pace a more important priority.
I'm fighting off the beginnings of a cold, so I'm keeping my fingers and shoelaces crossed that I can fight this thing off and it won't interrupt my training schedule.
i just finished the book, The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide For Women by Dawn Dais and enjoyed reading it. She adds great humor to the whole experience of training for a marathon.
I'm excited to train for this, knowing I won't be alone. My sister and my best friend will be training for other marathons around the same time as mine back in Ohio, we are going to e-mail and chat to each other about our experiences. A great way for us to hold each other accountable, and both of them have already done marathons so they will be able to share their expertise with me.
I'm excited to check off one of those to-do's on my life list that I've been wanting to do for a LONG time! Here's to a successful training week #1!!!