My last post (which was in February...oops) talked about how I'd recently completed my first 10k.
Well, a crazy thing happened over the weekend.
I ran a half marathon. You read that correctly, I ran my first half marathon! It still doesn't seem like it's possible. There are no words to describe my feelings upon completing this race.
In October, when I begin the Ease into 5k program, running for 90 seconds was a challenge. And here I am, 8 months later, running 13.1 miles and feeling great the entire race. Seriously - it was FUN! And that shocked me, especially because the last two weeks of training hadn't gone super well.
But since it was fun, and because I'm a crazy person, I'm going to begin training for a full marathon. That's right - a freakin marathon!
Now, I'm only committing to beginning the training at this point. It's a lot more difficult to train for a marathon, not just because of the increased distance (which is obviously harder) but also because of the increased time commitment and the extent to which it cuts into your personal life.
But, what better time than now? I'm in the best shape of my life, my running base is already built up, and we don't yet have kids. There will never be a better time in my life to give this a shot.
So, with hard work and a little luck, I hope to say that I'm a marathon in just 20 weeks from now.
I'll keep you posted! Maybe - I'm not very good at blogging.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Running Adventures
In October, I was daunted by the idea of even running for 60 seconds. It was difficult. And just a few months later, I ran my first 10k.
That's right, on January 24th, one day after my 29th birthday, I ran my first 10k. My time was 01:13 - way faster than I thought I'd run, because I hadn't trained for that distance AT ALL.
I decided the day before the race (my 29th birthday) to register. My husband was running, and so I'd be there anyway - why not also run? I hadn't run any more than 3 miles at that point, but I thought I'd give it a shot and see how it went. My plan was to walk if needed, and just finish the race.
So, imagine my surprise (and elation) when I was able to run the entire distance! I didn't take any walking breaks. I was so pumped, so that I decided that same day to begin training for a half marathon.
And so, imagine my disappointment when I injured myself during my first run after completing the 10k, which was just 2 days after the race.
That's right, while I don't regret running the 10k, the lack of training caused me to develop an overuse injury - Achilles tendinitis. It was painful, and I limped for several days. In the 3ish weeks since the race, I have only ran a handful of times.
But - not to worry! My plans of running a half have not been derailed. Instead of training for half marathon on April 23rd, as originally planned, I am now training for a half that is on May 14th. That means that I don't technically begin my training until Monday, which gives me more time to prepare.
Back in October, I could have never imagined that running would take me on this journey, teaching me so many valuable lessons in just a few months. I've learned about hard work, preparation, and persistence.
In short, running is awesome and has done a lot more than just increase my physical fitness.
That's right, on January 24th, one day after my 29th birthday, I ran my first 10k. My time was 01:13 - way faster than I thought I'd run, because I hadn't trained for that distance AT ALL.
I decided the day before the race (my 29th birthday) to register. My husband was running, and so I'd be there anyway - why not also run? I hadn't run any more than 3 miles at that point, but I thought I'd give it a shot and see how it went. My plan was to walk if needed, and just finish the race.
So, imagine my surprise (and elation) when I was able to run the entire distance! I didn't take any walking breaks. I was so pumped, so that I decided that same day to begin training for a half marathon.
And so, imagine my disappointment when I injured myself during my first run after completing the 10k, which was just 2 days after the race.
That's right, while I don't regret running the 10k, the lack of training caused me to develop an overuse injury - Achilles tendinitis. It was painful, and I limped for several days. In the 3ish weeks since the race, I have only ran a handful of times.
But - not to worry! My plans of running a half have not been derailed. Instead of training for half marathon on April 23rd, as originally planned, I am now training for a half that is on May 14th. That means that I don't technically begin my training until Monday, which gives me more time to prepare.
Back in October, I could have never imagined that running would take me on this journey, teaching me so many valuable lessons in just a few months. I've learned about hard work, preparation, and persistence.
In short, running is awesome and has done a lot more than just increase my physical fitness.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Ease into 5k = COMPLETE!
I am so happy to report that I've finished all 8 weeks of the Ease into 5k program. As I've mentioned previously, I tried this program in the past, and didn't make it past the first few weeks. I just didn't have the motivation to continue.
When I decided that I wanted to RUN a 5k, and not just complete one via walking, I decided to give the training plan another try. But since I failed previously, it was clear that I needed to make some changes. So, what did I do differently?
When you're running outside, it's just more enjoyable - even when it's cold.
I finished the last training run with another 5k. I finished this one in almost the exact same time as my first 5k (38 minutes). But I still ran the entire time, and now I can focus on building endurance and increasing my speed.
I do have another 5k scheduled on January 16th. So, I have a few weeks to keep training and see if I can improve my time! And from there, I'm thinking about starting a 10k training plan.
Overall, I found the training plan to be quite doable, as long as I didn't worry about my pace. If I just focused on moving forward, it really wasn't too bad. I slowed down when I needed too, I just didn't let myself walk unless it was the portion of the plan that asked me to walk.
So if you're thinking about the Ease into 5k program - give it a try! If I can do it, then you can too!
When I decided that I wanted to RUN a 5k, and not just complete one via walking, I decided to give the training plan another try. But since I failed previously, it was clear that I needed to make some changes. So, what did I do differently?
- I completed the training plan outside. (Last time, I was completing the plan on an indoor track.)
- I didn't get discouraged at how slow I was running - it was all about building endurance, regardless of the (ridiculously) slow pace.
- I didn't want to fail/quit a 2nd time. Because I quite the first time around, I was more motivated to see it through this time around. When I was hesitating to go out for a scheduled run, I reminded myself that things needed to be different this time.
When you're running outside, it's just more enjoyable - even when it's cold.
I finished the last training run with another 5k. I finished this one in almost the exact same time as my first 5k (38 minutes). But I still ran the entire time, and now I can focus on building endurance and increasing my speed.
I do have another 5k scheduled on January 16th. So, I have a few weeks to keep training and see if I can improve my time! And from there, I'm thinking about starting a 10k training plan.
Overall, I found the training plan to be quite doable, as long as I didn't worry about my pace. If I just focused on moving forward, it really wasn't too bad. I slowed down when I needed too, I just didn't let myself walk unless it was the portion of the plan that asked me to walk.
So if you're thinking about the Ease into 5k program - give it a try! If I can do it, then you can too!
Monday, December 7, 2015
My 1st (official) 5K
Yesterday, I ran my first 5k.
While I have done several 5k races in the past, I have always walked the vast majority of the course. So, I consider this my first 5k because it is the first race in which I ran THE ENTIRE TIME.
And that was my only goal for the race. I just wanted to be able to run the entire time, without slowing down to a walk at any point. I'm happy to say that I did accomplish that goal in 38 minutes. So, it wasn't a fast pace by any stretch, but I didn't walk.. and that's what I was focusing on since it was my first race.
According to my watch, my 5k time was 37 minutes, and my overall distances for the race for 3.22 miles. Since I ran on the outside edge of the course, I got a little extra distance over the route. I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy. There were multiple points along the route that I thought I might want to stop and walk for a bit. There were multiple hills, and while the temperature was actually quite nice, we had cold wind blowing right into our faces the entire race. It probably wasn't the best route for someone that had never ran 3 miles in their entire life.. but I managed to make it work - and I had my husband supporting me all along the way. You can see him in the photo, telling me a story to keep my spirits up. It was also really nice of the organizers to take the race photos toward the start of the route, while I was still excited and energized.
I ran this race a little earlier than scheduled. I actually still have a week left of my 5k training plan (Ease into 5k - which I recommend). Yesterday, I was scheduled to complete Week 7, Day 3 of that plan, which is a 27 minute run (plus a 5 minute warm up + 5 minute cool down). Basically, I counted the race as my scheduled training run, but ran during the warm up and cool down portions instead of walking them.
I wasn't sure if I should sign up for this race because I wasn't fully done with the training plan. And, I was already registered for another race next weekend. But we decided to register just a few days before the race and go for it anyway! And I'm glad that I did, because I've proved to myself that I can run for 3 miles and not die. I hope that will give me some added confidence going into the 5k race that we are registered for on Sunday (Dec 13th).
So, even though I've proved to myself that I can run the 5k distance, I'm still going to finish out the training plan. I'm in the last week at this point, it would be silliness not to just finish it up! And then next week, I want to continue running with the idea of building up my distance and endurance to the 10k distance. In addition, I want to work toward running a faster 5k.
For most, it's not a big deal to run 3 miles. But for me, it was a huge accomplishment. And now, I'm ready to move forward!
While I have done several 5k races in the past, I have always walked the vast majority of the course. So, I consider this my first 5k because it is the first race in which I ran THE ENTIRE TIME.
And that was my only goal for the race. I just wanted to be able to run the entire time, without slowing down to a walk at any point. I'm happy to say that I did accomplish that goal in 38 minutes. So, it wasn't a fast pace by any stretch, but I didn't walk.. and that's what I was focusing on since it was my first race.
According to my watch, my 5k time was 37 minutes, and my overall distances for the race for 3.22 miles. Since I ran on the outside edge of the course, I got a little extra distance over the route. I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy. There were multiple points along the route that I thought I might want to stop and walk for a bit. There were multiple hills, and while the temperature was actually quite nice, we had cold wind blowing right into our faces the entire race. It probably wasn't the best route for someone that had never ran 3 miles in their entire life.. but I managed to make it work - and I had my husband supporting me all along the way. You can see him in the photo, telling me a story to keep my spirits up. It was also really nice of the organizers to take the race photos toward the start of the route, while I was still excited and energized.
 |
I ran this race a little earlier than scheduled. I actually still have a week left of my 5k training plan (Ease into 5k - which I recommend). Yesterday, I was scheduled to complete Week 7, Day 3 of that plan, which is a 27 minute run (plus a 5 minute warm up + 5 minute cool down). Basically, I counted the race as my scheduled training run, but ran during the warm up and cool down portions instead of walking them.
I wasn't sure if I should sign up for this race because I wasn't fully done with the training plan. And, I was already registered for another race next weekend. But we decided to register just a few days before the race and go for it anyway! And I'm glad that I did, because I've proved to myself that I can run for 3 miles and not die. I hope that will give me some added confidence going into the 5k race that we are registered for on Sunday (Dec 13th).
So, even though I've proved to myself that I can run the 5k distance, I'm still going to finish out the training plan. I'm in the last week at this point, it would be silliness not to just finish it up! And then next week, I want to continue running with the idea of building up my distance and endurance to the 10k distance. In addition, I want to work toward running a faster 5k.
For most, it's not a big deal to run 3 miles. But for me, it was a huge accomplishment. And now, I'm ready to move forward!
Monday, November 23, 2015
Health Philosophy
One of the goals that I had outlined for myself was to develop my health philosophy.
What does that mean? Well, everyone has their own idea of what it means to be healthy and to have healthy habits. To some, it means eating a specific diet and participating in a specific workout regimen. The point is that the notion of what it means to be healthy can vary from person to person.
So, what do I think it means to be healthy? What specific principles or habits are most important to me when living a healthy lifestyle?
You might be thinking: that's not that difficult - why on Earth did she set a goal to address a question that only takes a few minutes to answer? Well, because I really wanted to give it some thought. I wanted to think about my past experiences and come up with a legitimate answer that both makes sense and that I can strive to achieve every day.
- The majority of my diet needs to come from fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.
- Sometimes, it's okay to have beer and pizza. But it should be the exception to the rule.
- Take a walk, every day. Even if it has to be a short one.
- Practice deep breathing.
- An exercise routine is key.
- Sleep is important, and quality sleep should be made a priority.
- Spending time on hobbies or relaxation is absolutely necessary.
- It's okay to make adjustments to decisions and priorities as circumstances change.
Now, let's talk more about eating healthy for a minute. From my perspective, healthy means eating REAL food. And by real food, I mean food that isn't overly processed. For example: To me, eating full-fat yogurt is healthier than eating low-fat (HELLO, added sugars) yogurt. I understand that not everyone has this same viewpoint. If you are calorie counting, you might go for the lowest calorie version, and that's understandable.
But to me, making healthy food choices is more than just the caloric content of a food. It's about the fat content (not just amount, but type), sodium content, sugar content, and the number of artificial ingredients. It's a bigger picture than just one or two items on the nutrition label.
In addition to food choices, exercise is also important FOR ME. I know individuals that have lost weight and created healthy lifestyles for themselves without exercise. But I need exercise to stay energized and motivated.
And of course, things like rest and relaxation are important too.
Lastly, flexibility is key for me. For example, when I first started losing weight, I didn't worry about exercise. I wanted to get my eating under control. As I started to accomplish that goal, I added exercise to my list of priorities. As I started to exercise more, I switched from walking to running. As I progressed, I made changes that allowed for continued growth. And still have a lot of accomplish in that arena.
It's necessary for me to revisit my health philosophy and make changes along the way.
To summarize, my health philosophy is that health is holistic. It's not just about diet and exercise. Of course, that's a big part of the picture. But it's also about things like sleeping well, taking time to relax, spending time on hobbies, and living a more simple life.
What does that mean? Well, everyone has their own idea of what it means to be healthy and to have healthy habits. To some, it means eating a specific diet and participating in a specific workout regimen. The point is that the notion of what it means to be healthy can vary from person to person.
So, what do I think it means to be healthy? What specific principles or habits are most important to me when living a healthy lifestyle?
You might be thinking: that's not that difficult - why on Earth did she set a goal to address a question that only takes a few minutes to answer? Well, because I really wanted to give it some thought. I wanted to think about my past experiences and come up with a legitimate answer that both makes sense and that I can strive to achieve every day.
- The majority of my diet needs to come from fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.
- Sometimes, it's okay to have beer and pizza. But it should be the exception to the rule.
- Take a walk, every day. Even if it has to be a short one.
- Practice deep breathing.
- An exercise routine is key.
- Sleep is important, and quality sleep should be made a priority.
- Spending time on hobbies or relaxation is absolutely necessary.
- It's okay to make adjustments to decisions and priorities as circumstances change.
Now, let's talk more about eating healthy for a minute. From my perspective, healthy means eating REAL food. And by real food, I mean food that isn't overly processed. For example: To me, eating full-fat yogurt is healthier than eating low-fat (HELLO, added sugars) yogurt. I understand that not everyone has this same viewpoint. If you are calorie counting, you might go for the lowest calorie version, and that's understandable.
But to me, making healthy food choices is more than just the caloric content of a food. It's about the fat content (not just amount, but type), sodium content, sugar content, and the number of artificial ingredients. It's a bigger picture than just one or two items on the nutrition label.
In addition to food choices, exercise is also important FOR ME. I know individuals that have lost weight and created healthy lifestyles for themselves without exercise. But I need exercise to stay energized and motivated.
And of course, things like rest and relaxation are important too.
Lastly, flexibility is key for me. For example, when I first started losing weight, I didn't worry about exercise. I wanted to get my eating under control. As I started to accomplish that goal, I added exercise to my list of priorities. As I started to exercise more, I switched from walking to running. As I progressed, I made changes that allowed for continued growth. And still have a lot of accomplish in that arena.
It's necessary for me to revisit my health philosophy and make changes along the way.
To summarize, my health philosophy is that health is holistic. It's not just about diet and exercise. Of course, that's a big part of the picture. But it's also about things like sleeping well, taking time to relax, spending time on hobbies, and living a more simple life.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Clutter.
Do you ever feel that your life is full of clutter?
I'm not just talking about physical clutter here. I'm also talking about electronic clutter and mental clutter.
Of course, I have plenty of physical clutter. There are many things in my home that aren't used and could be donated or thrown away. The items that I do use and need to keep could be much better organized.
But I also have a lot of mental clutter - there always seems to be a million thoughts running through my head at any given moment. I'm always thinking about things that need to be done, ideas for future projects, fun things to do on the weekends, etc. It can be difficult to focus when my mind is full of so much clutter!
And then, there's electronic clutter. I have documents saved in many different places, often times without any thought or organization. I have more social media profiles than I could possibly monitor: Blogger (obviously), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, Goodreads, Pinterest... oh my! There are likely even more profiles out there that I've totally forgotten. In addition, my phone is filled with applications, music, and other content that I almost never access.
Why do we fill our daily lives with so much clutter? Would it make a difference if I were to skim things down a little bit? And if I were to do so, where in the world should I even start?
I think that another social media break might be on the horizon. I think that would be a good starting point, as well as allow me to think about which platforms I really use on a regular basis, and which I could stand to delete.
I'm not just talking about physical clutter here. I'm also talking about electronic clutter and mental clutter.
Of course, I have plenty of physical clutter. There are many things in my home that aren't used and could be donated or thrown away. The items that I do use and need to keep could be much better organized.
But I also have a lot of mental clutter - there always seems to be a million thoughts running through my head at any given moment. I'm always thinking about things that need to be done, ideas for future projects, fun things to do on the weekends, etc. It can be difficult to focus when my mind is full of so much clutter!
And then, there's electronic clutter. I have documents saved in many different places, often times without any thought or organization. I have more social media profiles than I could possibly monitor: Blogger (obviously), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, Goodreads, Pinterest... oh my! There are likely even more profiles out there that I've totally forgotten. In addition, my phone is filled with applications, music, and other content that I almost never access.
Why do we fill our daily lives with so much clutter? Would it make a difference if I were to skim things down a little bit? And if I were to do so, where in the world should I even start?
I think that another social media break might be on the horizon. I think that would be a good starting point, as well as allow me to think about which platforms I really use on a regular basis, and which I could stand to delete.
Thinking and Stuff
For someone that enjoys writing, I really tend to fall behind on this blogging thing.
Sometimes, it seems that there's really not too much for me to say - and then there's the fact that I don't have any readers. But for some reason, I still feel compelled to keep this thing going.
It doesn't make any sense - but it's the truth.
I'm thinking about making some changes, reinventing the blog. I'd like to start talking about a little more than just my list of goals (which are still important).
So, I'm going to do something thinking on that - write a few new posts, and make some changes soon.
Sometimes, it seems that there's really not too much for me to say - and then there's the fact that I don't have any readers. But for some reason, I still feel compelled to keep this thing going.
It doesn't make any sense - but it's the truth.
I'm thinking about making some changes, reinventing the blog. I'd like to start talking about a little more than just my list of goals (which are still important).
So, I'm going to do something thinking on that - write a few new posts, and make some changes soon.
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