Where did the time go.....

Are we really at the end of January?  Has it really been a week since my last post?  Where did the time go...

I have started my new training schedule this past Sunday along with trying to meet a deadline at work.  Yikes, this week has overwhelmed me.  Focus, Focus, Focus!  I have had the hardest time staying focused.  It must just be winter, well that's what I keep telling myself. 

                            What do you do to keep focused?


The weather was pretty tolerable, I feel for you runners North East of Texas.  I did not have to run on the mill at all this week.  My runs this week were all to be done nice and easy.  I am building up mileage on my legs and trying to set training paces.  So, I ran 2 miles  22.03 on Tuesday, 3 miles  32.02 on Wed and 2 miles 22.02 on Thurs. Friday was hecktic so NO run.  I did 6 miles 64.05 on Saturday.  All my runs felt pretty good.

 Coach Kelly is working on my training schedule for next month.  I have been doing self coaching since I came back to running.  And I think I am doing a pretty good job.  But you know it is so easy to get confused with everything you read.  Especially when you are ready to step up your game and not really sure how to do it.  So I am thrilled to have someone else telling me what I need to be running and at what pace.  Thank you Coach Kelly!

How many of you Self Coach?

How is working for you?

Would you ever consider a Running Coach?

It Begins with a Long Slow Run

I woke up excited to start my new training schedule.  It begins with a long slow run.  I was hoping to be out in the fresh air getting me some good ol vitamin D. But I wanted to get my run in before the football games started.  So I had to hit the Mill, the temp outside was 32 with 20mph wind, felt like 20.  Yikes!  That is what I get for living in the Texas Panhandle.  Wonder if the Hubs would consider moving to a runner friendly cliamte that lasted year round?  Hmmmm   Note to self, ask Hubs...

I set up my laptop on a chair in front of the mill.  Sorry forgot to take a pic.  Remember I am a Newbie.  Put in Secondhand Lions,  I knew I would need something to keep me entertained and this movie makes me laugh.  I ran 5 miles @ 12:00 pace.  60 minutes...  I was nervous about the pace being slow, well actually it wasn't to bad.  I had a good run. 

Usually when I run outside a 12:00 pace feels like a fast walk.  I usually do start a little slow but always pick up the pace once I get in a rhythm.

    Do you ever notice that you run a faster pace outside then on the treadmill?

Tomorrow is a REST day.  I have never taken Monday off during training.  This should be interesting.

I hope you all had a Fabulous Sunday!  The Hubs cooked so I am off to clean the kitchen....



Energizer Bunny

I have been CRAZY busy at work that I have had no life this week, well not really, but that's what it felt like.  I did run 4 miles yesterday and walked 5 with the BFF. 

After I got home I don't know what came over me but I started to rearrange all the furniture and deep clean my bedroom.  The poor Hubs came home and could not even get into the room.... It took me until this morning to get it all done.  I did sleep a little.  And then I started on the 2nd borns room (she no longer lives here but we still call it her room), which in turn led me to the 1st born room (same thing), which led me to the living room.  It is now 7:00pm and I am officially done.  I was like the Energizer Bunny and did not want to stop until everything was done.

SSHHH I'll let you in on a little secret.... I'm still in my pajamas!

 I am a little werid, I keep going into each room and looking at it.  And then smiling :) 

How often do you deep clean?  I am lucky to get it done twice a year... And that's if  I'm Lucky.

I'm Ready Coach

Happy Saturday Evening Bloggers.... I am so excited to tell you that I have received my training schedule Friday from Coach Kelly.   I start Sunday with a long slow run of 5 miles @ 12:00 pace.  I am a little nervous about this pace because it is so slow... The last week of January is set up to get me back into a regular running routine since my break in December and  to help Coach Kelly establish training paces.  I will be Running 3 days and Cross Training 2.  My Cross Training will consist of swimming 30 min.  Did I tell you I Love, Love, Love to swim.  Well I do!!!  I just need to learn that flip turn thing....   Wish me Luck!

Whine Wednesday

Have you ever just had the worst day ever?  Welcome to my week and it's just Wednesday.  Work has taken control of my life, I have been pulled in so many directions that I have no idea which way is up, literally. And then I helped move the 2nd born back into the college dorm. I just cannot seem to get caught up.   You want some Cheese with that Whine? 

But I have been running!  Pinky Swear....

 I am officially signed up for the 2 halfs that I will run this year... YEA!   I will be running the TX/NM Challenge Half Marathon in Hobbs New Mexico on Sat April 23rd.  This is their first race ever.  And I could not beat the entry fee of $15.00 which includes a pasta dinner Friday night. All finishers will get a medal.  Gotta have the BLING!  I'm also registered for The Womens Half Marathon in Arizona on November 6th.  I don't know about you but until I am registered for a race it is hard for me to focus on my training.

Is anyone else like that?

I got an email from  Coach Kelly  Which is so cool to say!  She will have my training schedule ready for me this week.  I will be starting it on Sunday.  I can honestly say that I am excited and nervous about a new training regiment. 

Let's keep our fingers crossed for a better tomorrow and I do believe I will have that glass of Wine!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I never win anything in my life, but I love to buy raffle tickets and enter my name into free drawings.  I am new to the blogging world.  But as I stalk all the blogs out there, they have give aways for cool running gear and lots of other great stuff.  I'm in!

Sercrets of a Running Mom was having a give-away for 3 months of free coaching.  WooHoo... I had just been talking about needing someone to help me take my running to the next level so I entered.  And I won!!! Time to do the Happy Dance...  I am looking foward to getting started and can't wait to blog all about it.   Stay tuned for the journey.

The Need For Speed

Who loves Speed Training?  Pick me, Pick me, I do, I do! 

Winter has set in and let me tell ya, I am not liking the 20 degree temps.  The treadmill and I are not very good friends.  As I said in my last post I started speed training last year and yes I do love it.  But I have never attempted it with the treadmill.  I figured I better have a plan of attack so I can stay focused.  Lucky for me I had just read an article in Runners World about training on the mill, and it included speedwork.  Wahoo!   

Running clothes (did not include long tights, gloves or a winter hat),  Check.  Water bottle, Check.  Sony MP3 with tunes, Check.  Article to keep me focused or distracted, you pick  Check.   Towel, Check. Stretch, Check.  I am all set.

I started with a 3 minute walk at 4 mph and then bumped it up to 5.5 mph and ran for another 3 minutes to make sure I was nice and warm.  The plan was to increase speed for 400 yds then jog 400 yds and repeat.  Increasing speed each time.  First 400 ran at 6 mph jogged 5.5 mph.  I was able to get up to 7.5 mph with a jog at 6 mph.  On my last 400 I maxed out at a speed of 8.0 mph.  I really had to push myself, but it felt great.  Sweating like crazy, where's the towel... I walked out a half mile to cool down.  I ended up running 3.5 miles not including warm-up or cool-down.  Not to shabby for first speed training of the year.  Next time I will shoot for 4.5 miles.

The Need For Speed was conqured on the treadmill!  I do prefer to run outside but I have to say that maybe the treadmill and I can be friends once in a while. It's going to be a long winter.

Do you like Speed Training? Why or Why not?

How do you speed train?

A Look Back

Hello World!  It is now 11 days into January 2011, that makes it 1-11-11, just in case you didn't know.  January always seems like the month that we look back on the past year to see what we have accomplished and how we have grown as a person/runner.  It's also a time to set new goals for ourselves for the new year.  I have many things I need to work on, serioulsy. But I will not beat myself up because I am human.

In the 2010 Running World I completed 3 half marathons in 3 different states, 1 10k and 2 5k's.  The Half Marathons are my favorite.  Each experience this year has helped me to grow as a runner and a person.  I ran my first 1st half in 2010 with my BFF/Running Buddy, the 2nd with my daughter and the 3rd all by myself.  I have to say running with someone by my side in a race really helps me mentally.  Note to self, work on mental game when racing alone.  I hate (is hate to strong a word) to run 5k's, those first 3-4 miles really kill me.  At the start of a long run I dread the first few miles.  So in honor of hating 5k's I am going to run more of them.  May not make much sense but I figure I need to embrace the first 3-4 miles to be a better runner.

As I get further into my running I noticed that my training is different from when I first started in 2008.  I used to just run 4 days a week.  2010 involved training with hills, speed work and swimming as cross training.  Love speed work, maybe that comes from being a sprinter in high school.  Hills not so much.  I wasn't sure I would like swimming, but I do.  Of course, I am not a fast swimmer, I like to look pretty when I swim. (that's what my husband says) I just need to learn how to do that flip thing when its time to turn.  By stepping outside the box and trying some different training my running has improved and so has my outlook on life.  I am evolving one step at a time.  I will never be that elite runner, But I can train like one. 

Training Goals for 2011:
* Embrace the 5k
* Work on mentally racing alone
* Tempo Runs
* Learn to flip turn
* Run a 2 hour half marathon

Any advice would be appreciated!

Virtual Freezing My Thorns Off 5k

Just finished my first virtual 5k with the blogging world. Can I get a Woo Hoo!  Thank you I am Boring  http://www.theboringrunner.com/  for putting this on.  I had a hard time getting motivated this morning. I kept looking at the temperature and the wind.  Here in Texas it was a whopping 35.6 degrees with 15mph wind, felt like 26. Or maybe it was the half bottle of chocolate wine I drank last night.  Yes, they do make chocolate wine and it is delish.  I put the running gear on and out the door I went.   Really wasn't too bad, even when I had to run into the wind.   Finished in 30.43!

1st Run of 2011

I have had really good intentions this week and I even set my alarm clock for 5 am Monday.  I love early morning runs and I couldn't wait to try-out my new Night Beams Running Hat that I bought in Vegas.  How cool was I going to look running down the street with a light on my hat.  I imagined all the other runners that I may or may not see wanting my hat. The alarm went off and I looked at the temperature outside, 15 degrees. Well, needless to say I crawled back under the warm covers and told myself, "I will run after work."  My 2nd born showed up unexpectedly and there went my run. Ugh!  Happy to see the 2nd born though.  Okay, there is always tomorrow.  Tuesday came and went with no run or cross training.  What the heck!  It has only been 4 weeks since my last run.  So easy to take a break and so hard to get started again.  Why is that?  I decided an early morning run this week was not going to happen unless the temps where above 30 degrees.  After work it will be.  All day I was thinking about my run that was going to happen. I love that feeling!  Got home and changed into my running gear, time to get into the zone!  Did a warm up walk, stretched and then off I went.  I figured 3 miles was the goal.  The weather was perfect 52 degrees and no wind.  I had a great run, 3 miles in 29.25.  I even wore my new hat without the light on.   Happy Running!

I Run

I RUN...for the love of it, for sanity, for ice cream, to keep up with my kids, to be fast, for my health, to eat, to hurt, to find myself, to be happy, to be fit, to look darn good in my jeans, for wine, to stay young, because I can, for chocolate, to be outdoors, to sweat, for inspiration, so my butt does not grow, to rant, to get places, to feel the wind on my face, to feel skinny, to be a role model, to appreciate life...FOR MYSELF!

Road Test

Today was a road test to get my mind and body ready for the cold weather(40 degrees today) and the idea of running again.  I donned my winter leggings, shoes, long sleeve under armour shirt, hoodie, gloves and hat.  I headed to a friend's house so she could  test the road with me. I walked 5 miles. Yes, I said it, I walked.  You know, the road felt really good, just like I remembered.  I even had to take the hat and gloves off.  The smells and the sounds really cleared my head and the cold was actually perfect.  I am now ready to hit the Road Running.

Here We Go!

Here we go with a new adventure for 2011. Blogging!  For someone who has never even journaled before I am feeling excited, nervous, and scared all at the same time.  Kind of like going into labor for the first time.  Well I have just birthed Running Half Crazy and let me tell ya it took about 8 hours to set up. I am exhausted!   I am hoping that by writing down my progress as I train it will keep me motivated to push myself to the next level and hold me accountable and possibly inspire anyone who reads this. I will be running 2 half marathons this year along with some 5k's and 10k's.  I have been on the couch since my last half, The Las Vegas Rock n Roll Half  on 12-5-2010. This was the first race that I ran my 5k and 10k faster then usual and I was feeling strong. Thought for sure a PR was in the works and then at mile 8.5 I hit a wall and really had to push myself to finish.  Thankfully I did. I came home and did some sole searching and found that running is a part of me that I don't want to lose. Now it's time to get my butt off the couch and get back to running.  Boy I have missed it.  Well I say that now.  I will let you know tomorrow when I actually venture out.  Remember to always be training for some race; somewhere, someday... Happy New Year!