Category: Motivation

2017|The Good The Bad The Ugly

Here it is. My 2017 recap with a few highlights, new experiences, and accomplishments…

What I Learned…

A week off of running every now and then won’t kill me. I took a full week off in July before a 20 week build up to the marathon and another full week off a couple weeks ago when I had the flu. Training and resting smarter this year has helped keep me injury free and healthier overall.

Kicking off my shoes mid race is a bad idea. For more on this see The Hottest Half Race Recap.

The marathon is a complicated race.

Crazy things can happen to anyone on a morning run. In 2017, I got hit in the face by a pecan, I unknowingly ran in the middle of a standoff between SWAT and a murder suspect, and just the other day, a stray Great Dane ran up on me and wouldn’t leave me alone which left me wondering if carrying some sort of protection would be a good idea.

Getting enough sleep is vital with high mileage training. I know this sounds like an obvious point, but I didn’t understand how true this was until this year. I noticed how my body had to work harder when I was sleep deprived. My heart rate was higher, my breathing faster. An hour less each night for a week had a negative effect. Now, if I have a few late nights, I make sure to catch up so I can continue to push myself in training.

It is important to enjoy training. I went through a period of time this year where I had a somewhat negative view of training. Sometimes this negativity came out in a blog post. Other times, it came out in a conversation after a workout. Was I being too hard on myself? Pushing myself too hard? Was stress affecting my attitude? I became aware of this when I heard that people were worrying about me. This was not something I wanted at all, so I quickly turned my thinking around which made all the difference. Sometimes all we have to change is our mindset.

What I accomplished…

I ran over 3,100 miles,

Climbed over 38,419ft,

Competed in 15 races,

Set 2 PRs

And

Ran my first Marathon!

Some 2017 Favorites

Favorite Racing Flat – Mizuno Wave Universe 5

Favorite Trainer – Altra Escalante

Favorite Watch – My new Garmin 735XT (A surprise Christmas present!)

Favorite Hydration Supplement – Tailwind

Favorite 5k – St. Paddy’s Day Dash Down Greenville 5k

Favorite Half Marathon – Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon

Favorite Destination Race – San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

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Happy New Year!

Inspiration

Don’t stop dreaming just because you think you have to. 

I started running long distance five years ago.  My cardio was next to nothing and my asthma affected me daily.   Once I made the decision to run, I dove head first into distance running in minimalist shoes.  I bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers and made my calves burn.  I added miles cautiously each week and after a few months, my body adapted to the new toe shoes.  

Running became my stress relief, my escape, my extra cup of morning coffee. (Ironically, two cups of coffee can help stop an asthma attack.). I have severe allergic/airborne asthma, same as Galen Rupp.  I quickly discovered that running helped open up my lungs, and after a run, breathing felt so much easier.  I began to have more energy throughout the day.  The better shape I was in, the better I could breath (for the most part).  Running quickly became a part of my daily routine. 

My only training plan was to run more.  I ran by myself either on the treadmill listening to music or from my house to no where in particular.  I had no training partner.  No coach.  

After a few months of running consistantly, I decided that I wanted to run a half marathon.  I built up my miles over the summer and ran the 2012 Allstate 13.1 in Vibram Five Finger minimalist shoes.  My finish time?  1:56:08.   

The day after the race, I saw Dawn Grunnagle’s picture in the Dallas Morning News.  She was the Overall Female Winner with a time of 1:17:10.  I didn’t understand.  With a winning time of WHAT?  I had no idea that was even possible.  Her time on top of the fact that she took several years off of running after college to focus on her career and the fact that she was 34 blew me away.  A winning time of WHAT?  

Before that moment, I believed that my shot at having a running career had died, because I didn’t run in high school or college and because I thought I was no longer at an age to consider running at an elite or professional level.  Before that moment, I had quit on my dream, because I thought I had too.  

Realizing I was wrong changed everything.  

2012-2016 Half Marathon Times 

2012 Allstate 13.1 – 1:56:08

2013 Allstate 13.1 – 1:46:17

2014 Michelob Ultra 13.1 – 1:33:29

2015 Dallas Half Marathon – 1:29:56

2016 Cowtown Half Marathon – 1:29:17

2017-  Still on my way!

Thank you, Dawn, for inspiring me!

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Workout Complete, Time to Post?

Running jokes constantly pop up on my social media news feeds, and I see the one about runners posting their workouts frequently.  I love running jokes.  I can relate to several of them, and I find most of them funny.

The other day, I thought about how many runners, including myself, post their workouts, routes, mileage, pace, etc. on social media, and I wondered how that is perceived, what the purpose is behind it, and whether or not anything is gained from it.   Continue reading “Workout Complete, Time to Post?”

A Runner’s Satisfaction

This week’s Daily Post Topic on WordPress…Satisfaction.  Something that satisfies me…Satisfies me as a runner.  As a competitive runner, I constantly work towards my goals.  If I meet a goal, I raise the bar. Continue reading “A Runner’s Satisfaction”