Week 7 long distance day

Today was my 12 mile run. I knew it was going to be a rough one because I was running it in my mother in laws neighborhood. Her neighborhood is pretty much one big hill. Actually it is a million hills. There isn’t really one flat road. I knew it was going to be a challenge…but I am pretty much always up for a challenge. So, I took it on. I never realized how big of a mental challenge this run would be. The first 5 miles weren’t too bad. It was breezy and overcast so it felt great. But, once I hit my 6 mile mark my mind was ready to shut down and be done with the run. My legs felt like they were ready to give out from right under me. I was half way done and completely ready to call it a day. Those hills were kicking my booty left and right. I thought to myself I really couldn’t give in and let the stupid hills get the best of me. I tried my hardest to not focus on how much I had left. I tried to just relax and let my legs carry me through. At mile 7.50 it started to rain. It rained and rained and rained some more. It wasn’t a heavy rain but more of a sprinkling. I didn’t mind it because it cooled me off. At mile 10.50ish it started to POUR down rain! I couldn’t see anything because the rain was so heavy. It helped me to push through those last few miles a little faster. My legs were so exhausted after my 12 miles today…and my mind is just(if not more) exhausted. I had to constantly tell myself I was almost done. I also told myself I had a lot of energy. It worked for a little while until my legs would start getting extremely tired up a dang hill. I feel so great now that I conquered all those hills. It’s a great feeling knowing you got through it even though there were challenges and struggles. Getting through the struggles makes it so worth it. I guess that’s what most call “the runners high”. So, great run and great accomplishment defeated those hills as well as my own mind!!! My mind told me to give it up…I told my mind to kiss my butt!!!! I’m so glad I finished.

Thanks for reading,
Lex

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Long time no talk…week 7 day 2.

Hey bloggers.
I’m sorry it’s been so long since I posted. I have been so thrown off and slammed busy since I started my full time job and moved. It’s been crazy and very emotional. I have been running all my weekday runs with my 25 pound daughter in the jogging stroller…running after being on my feet all day is really tiring in itself…then adding an extra 30ish pounds between my daughter and the jogging stroller. It’s mentally challenging as well as physical. Almost 98% of the time I really want to give it all up and just fall back into my old ways. But, I am a dedicated athlete and runner and I am determined to give this training all I can and get it done. This is something I’ve wanted for months now. I won’t stop until I’ve achieved it. It’s been a blessing to be able to come this far in my running. I was thinking tonight though, whoever thought up running was crazy…I mean come on..I’m going to make my lungs feel like they are going to explode and I’m going to slam all my body weight onto my ankles all at one time!!! Haha! I know half the time during runs I wonder why the heck I even do it…then it’s times like tonight when I got my second wind and felt as if I were able to fly. It was a moment in time where I was just gliding by so easily. I was relaxed and calm. My mind was in it and my body was in sync with my breath. It was great. It’s times like that I remember why I fell so in love with running in the first place. 🙂 I didn’t keep the worlds best pace. And lately my pace has been not where I want it to be…but again, I am doing it. And I’m enjoying myself most of the time.

Thanks for reading,
Lex

Week 5 day 3

There really isn’t too much to say about this run. It was run in frustration. Which are some of the best runs ever. It was a great run. Refreshing and great! And not to mention I’m almost on week 6?!?! So awesome! This training is flying by! I’m Loving it and enjoying every second of my training!

Thanks for reading,
Lex

Week 5 day 2

Today’s run was okay. Being in a new place to run is a change. I wouldn’t call it bad but I wouldn’t call it my favorite either. I was use to my comfortable military base. I could run where I wanted and when I wanted and I felt pretty confident and safe…but out in the “real world” is a little different feeling. A feeling of not being safe running wherever my feet take me. So, because I don’t feel comfortable around here yet, I ran the neighborhood 4 times this morning to get in my 4 miles. I got bored and felt like I was running in circles…which I kind of was. Ha ha. But I am glad I got it done. The humidity got to me again. I even got out around 8am to run and it was STILL hot that early. I got a nice sweat in. That is for sure. More miles done and more experience as a runner. I love it. As miserable as I feel sometimes when I’m doing it, I really do adore running. It makes me crazy and it sometimes makes my head feel like it wants to explode…but again I’m so addicted and get pure joy from it as well. I am dedicated to the run. And I love it. Now it’s time for me to get to bed and get my rest. It’s another 3 miles at some point tomorrow then 10 miles on Saturday. I need to mentally prepare for my long distance run. It will be my longest run since my half marathon. I’m extremely excited and nervous about it.

Thanks for reading,
Lex

Week 4 long distance day and week 5 day 1

Hello all!

Sorry I did not do a blog on my long distance day. It’s been a crazy weekend and past few days. I’ll get into details on why it’s been crazy in a few. First, about my long distance day. It was pretty good. Overcast and windy. It was pretty hot though. My foot was cramping and so were my legs. The first 4 miles weren’t too bad. I was in the run. My legs felt great and my body was so in tune with the run. After mile four though it was a little bit uncomfortable. I was honestly just ready to be done after mile 4. Between 4 and 5 it was awful. I ran on a road that had creepy abandoned buildings and there was no one around. It felt like that mile took me an hour in itself to do. But, once I finished the nine miles I had THE BEST runner’s high. I loved most of the route I ran. Some bothered me like I previously said.

Alright, now onto the details of why it has been a crazy weekend and past few days. I last minute drove down to Georgia for a job interview. I drove down Monday and interviewed Tuesday. I start training on Friday. It is going to be a struggle and adjustment to work a 8-5 job and keep up my fitness schedule plus my marathon training. But I’m GOING to make it work. There is no way I am going to back down on ANY of my training. With that being said, here is week 5, day 1 of marathon training.

It was my first run in Georgia. I forgot how HOT and how HUMID it gets down here! Wow! My training said three miles but my legs took me two miles. My lungs are going to have to get use to this Georgia air again. My pace was pretty decent for the way I felt! It may not have been the amount of miles I wanted to go but those two miles were MY miles! I got out there when I didn’t exactly want to and I got it done. Hopefully I’ll be use to this heat and humidity in no time!

Thanks for reading,
Lex

Week 4 day 3 of marathon training

today’s training was a tad different then normal. After Tuesday’s horrific run I was a little nervous to head out and take my daughter again. For those of you who didn’t read about Tuesday’s run..well, to give you a recap…it was awful. Everything seemed to go wrong and my head wasn’t there at all. So, I was a little nervous this morning. Once I got out there and got going I felt great. Although my mind wasn’t 100% in the game…it was a much much better run. 🙂 What was different about today’s training was I did my 3 mile run followed immediately by a 7 mile bike ride pulling my daughter in the bike trailer behind me. I have never done running and biking together like that before. It wore me out but, it really felt great! I did it because of two of my friends. They completed the ironman distance INSIDE yesterday. Yes, you read that right. Inside. That would be 2.4 miles in the pool, 112 miles on the spin bike, and 26.2 miles on the treadmill! Pretty awesome stuff. They were the first females to do the ironman distance inside. They made history. One of them even set a world record! Pretty amazing stuff going on. They had a dream and they went after it and made it happen! I am so proud of the both of them! They are the reason I gave running and biking a chance together today. They inspired me to get a small tiny little taste of what they endured yesterday. I am just amazed. So, that was my training. Tomorrow is the big 9 miles! Longest distance I have run since my half marathon. I am mentally prepared and will get well rested tonight and take off early tomorrow morning! Can’t wait to let you all know how it goes! 

 

Thanks for reading,

Lex

 

 

Week 3 long distance day

Today was week 3’s long distance day. It was a 5 mile run. It was great! My schedule was a little thrown off this week because of weather and my lack of motivation the last half of the week. But, I got it done. It was suppose to be rain and thunderstorms today. There weren’t any thank goodness! It was sunny and breezy when I went out this morning. I ate a nice healthy breakfast and headed out on my way. I took water along with me. It made a huge difference! It wasn’t too bad holding the bottle in my hand. I got use to it and got into a good pace pretty fast. It didn’t take me long at all to get warmed up. I kept my pace around 9 20ish through the run. A nice steady pace for my longer runs. I did my 5 miles in 47:03. I would LIKE to get my 5 miles under 45 mins. I will add suicides to my sprinting days to up the ante a tad bit. It was a fantastic run! There were lots of other folks out running/walking as well. I always enjoy seeing other people being active as well. It always puts a smile on my face! Always! Today those people thought I was crazy I’m sure. The reason why? I had a spray tan done 3 days ago. Lets just say my tan was running down my face, arms, legs and every other visible part of my body. I looked like I was sweating mud. Haha! Made me laugh when I realized WHY I was getting those odd looks! 🙂 I will not be getting a spray tan again during my training. 😉 I am enjoying my longer runs a little more since I found some fun new routes and gravel trails to run on. A change of scenery is always nice and can make the runs much more enjoyable for sure! Another thing, my flyknits are officially broken in fully. They are a part of me now when I run! I love it! I can say for sure my mind was in this run today. I enjoyed myself. A lot. Do y’all remember me talking about how I’m not too excited or thrilled about not being able to listen to my music? Well, during my runs now I am pausing my music for a couple minutes at a time. I am actually starting to like running without my music. I can focus on breathing and I like hearing the noise of my feet hitting the ground. It’s actually really peaceful. I now have to keep my music volume pretty low to be comfortable on my runs. I use to have to have it turned up pretty loud to get my head in the game. It’s funny how your body adjusts through time. It’s pretty neat actually. So, all in all it was a great run today. I paced myself nicely and got it done in a decent time in my opinion.

Thanks for reading,
Lex