It's only been two days...

Since I'm taking a few days off from running to rest my hip I have found that my approach to the concept of time will have to change. It's only been two days, but normally my days are categorized based on whether or not I'm running. So a typical Tuesday would either be a "day that I run" or the "day before I run". But today was just like a plain old regular Tuesday. I tried to explain how annoying that was to a co-worker of mine and got this response...

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Taking days off also highlights the underlying void I've felt by not keeping an actual paper running journal. I have one that I'm waiting to use once I start my full marathon training plan in May. But until then I've just been tracking mileage on my Garmin and keeping an account of my cross training (or lack thereof) in my blog posts. It's not the same as having an actual journal that you can look at to compare weeks of training etc. Especially when you want to compare your cross training. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how empty or full you perceive the glass to be) I haven't done a lot of cross training since the beginning of the year so I don't have a whole bunch of stuff to compare.

Since I didn't have a journal to look at today, I kept myself busy on the Garmin website where I can see my routes and mileage accumulation summaries for various timeframes. It's because of this awesome feature that I had to face the realization that I was not going to achieve the goal I set to run #100miles in March. I've known for a while actually but the delusional OCD aspect of my personality wouldn't allow me to post that revelation until the LAST DAY of March (you know, just in case I was suddenly capable of running approximately 10+ miles a day for 4 days straight).

A Huge Mistake...

Back when I was doing physical therapy for my left knee injury/hamstring tendonitis the therapist told me that there was an issue with the alignment of my right femur in my hip socket and that my hips (in general) were weak. So in addition to focusing on my knee I was also given exercises to strengthen my hips. At the end of my physical therapy sessions (otherwise known as "when my insurance company decided to stop covering them"), I was given strict instructions to "continue to perform the exercises at home". I didn't listen. I should have listened...

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So this morning when I woke up and still had the same lingering hip pain that I've had since Thursday, I knew I could no longer ignore the warning my body was giving me. I wasn't very happy...

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When It's Hard To Run...

I decided to run close to home this morning. I went to bed a lot later than I wanted to last night and needed extra hours of sleep. So by the time I got up I didn't want to waste any more great running weather driving to the beach. 

The temperature was ideal for running...

...but 57 is still "chilly" for me so I pulled on a long sleeve top and gloves.

The goal for this morning was to run anywhere between 6-8 miles. Secretly I was hoping I would feel great and be up to running 8. That didn't quite work out...

The first mile was a struggle. I didn't warm up as much as I should have (or any at all) so it took a while for my body to stop resisting the early morning physical activity...

It's Spring Cleaning Time!!!!

I don't actually wait until it's Spring to clear the clutter out of my life (I hate hoarding stuff). But Spring has already started and today seemed like the right day to do another "clean house" activity (which surprisingly enough doesn't mean I'll actually clean; I just throw stuff away).

It's also the period in which I clean up other aspects of my life (including my social media pages). I can't speak for everyone but over time I find that my feeds are filled with a lot of great stuff, but also negative garbage as well. I know occasionally people feel the need to vent on their digital soap boxes for all the world to hear (see/read). And we all have bad days so the occasional rant doesn't bother me (much). But I'm a little over the negative/ profanity filled/ disparaging posts. So it's time to clean up my feed...

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Double Runs and Breaking News

My entire running schedule has been a bit off because of my recent trip home. I'm not complaining (just stating a fact) because I was home for my sister's wedding and I wouldn't miss that for anything in the world. I also refrain from complaints because I was able to run with friends in Jamaica and I have fallen in love with running at home. The camaraderie is great, the change in atmosphere enhances my training, and the hill work is as amazing as it is challenging & painful.

This morning (back in Florida) I ran a training 5K and tried to channel some of the energy and camaraderie that I felt during my JA training runs. I ended up with a pretty decent pace for my non-stop 5K run...

Post run pic...

The Weekend Recap & Monday's Maintenance Run

It's been a whirlwind of activity over the past few days, but after months and months of planning and preparation my baby sister's wedding was a huge success and my sister and new brother-in-law are off on their honeymoon & starting their Happily Ever After...

With the wedding done it was time to relax so yesterday was spent at the beach...

Family Time

I'm home!!!! Well, I'm "home" in Jamaica with my family for my baby sister's wedding! Wednesday was an early travel day (after only a few hours of sleep) so by the time I got to my parent's house I was exhausted...

On Thursday morning I had a great run with my adopted running "family" in Jamaica. One of my favorite things about my new running lifestyle is the fact that it has brought so many people into my life. And because (and I firmly believe this) runners are generally really nice people, is easy to feel comfortable and at home around them even if you've only run with the group a few times.

This morning we did a 5K route...

When the stars align...

When the stars align everything starts to fall into place and all your dreams come true (well most of them anyway). That's been the theme of the past few days. I was still enjoying the altitude on Cloud 9 after my PR at the Sarasota half marathon on Sunday when I got this notification yesterday afternoon...

I wanted to waste no time in paying for my registration (better safe than sorry), so I sat in Starbucks (which is where I was when I got the email) and paid for the race on my phone...

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Just in case there were any doubts... {Sarasota Half Marathon Race Recap}

The night before a race I'm always a bit nervous and Saturday night was no exception. I've come to accept it as part of the routine now (along with lack of sleep). But despite the nervousness and restlessness I woke up on Sunday morning (at 3am) feeling ok about the Sarasota Half Marathon. I'm sure a lot of my "feeling ok" had to do with the encouragement and "pep talks" I got from family and friends the night before and morning of the race...
"Have a good run"

"I'm proud of you already"

                                             "Happy Running!!!!"           

  "Good luck & have fun"

"This is your race, keep focused"

"Don't judge the race too early"

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Part of my pre-race pep talks also included a discussion about racing strategy. Normally I have an idea how a half marathon will shape up by mile 3. But I was encouraged not to judge the race too early; to make an assessment at mile 5 and then "go from there". That single piece of advice led to a significant change in my running strategy. And it worked. 

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"I'm not asking for perfection..."

I am convincing myself that my email is broken. Deep down I know it's not, I'm just getting emails from everyone else except the "powers that be" at the Chicago Marathon approval team...

It's the "not knowing" that is the hardest part :(

Trying something(s) new...

Today's run was hosted by my local Runner's Depot store...

It was my first time doing one of the group runs with Runner's Depot so I was kind of excited to check it out. Kai came with me and we met up with a friend of mine from work whose kids go to/went to the same school Kai attends now. 

When we got to the Runner's Depot a Saucony rep was there with different shoes for us to "test run"...

I've never done that before either so I decided to give it a try.

The Saucony and Brooks brands seem very similar in terms of their design/shoe shape...

(Saucony on the left; Brooks on the right)

Thursday's Things

One of the first things I do when I wake up is check out the Milepost quote of the day (after I snooze my alarm and determine that it is indeed time to get out of bed). Sometimes the quotes are not that relevant to me, or they are repeats. But when I get a new one that's perfect for me I absolutely love it! This morning's quote was one of those "love it" quotes...

I always tell people that running keeps me sane. The people that don't know me probably think "OMG this is sane?!". But my family and friends can tell the difference :) they probably wish I ran every single day of the year ;) (sorry guys, 3-4 times a week only). And while I don't necessarily think running is a way to get away from the stressors of life (or "run away" from them), it really does make me more patient... or maybe just too tired to be impatient...

Wait, What?!

I got an email from the lovely people at the Chicago Marathon with instructions on how to submit my application for guaranteed entry into this year's event {I was lucky enough to get chosen via the lottery for the 2014 event but had to defer due to an injury}. So I entered all the required info and then got this follow up...

Wait, What?! What does that mean??? Does that mean there is a possibility I won't get approved????

Double Whammy!!

It's Race Week!!!! and its Yoga Monday!!!!  

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I'm kidding. I'm not really sure that qualifies as a "drops the mic" moment. Oh well, I'm excited anyway!!!

The countdown has begun for the Sarasota Half Marathon! We are at T-minus 5 days (not including today and race day). There will be a lot of "countdowns" and "race weeks" this year because I'm still planning on running 15 races in 2015 (in addition to trying 15 new things). I'm excited about Sarasota but I also feel exhausted. The year has been pretty busy so far between races and work obligations and family obligations etc. So while I'm looking forward to the half this weekend and securing my Category 5 medal, I'm also glad this is the final race in the...

After Sarasota things will kind of slow down. Kind of. I will have to increase my swimming sessions in order to prepare for Swim Miami in April, but that's the only race I have that month. And then of course my full marathon training starts in May. Ok, so maybe things don't really slow down that much. But as long as I pace myself I think I will be fine. The goal is to stay injury-free and not get burnt out.

The "frenemy"...

Ahhhhh... Daylight Savings Time, a runner's "frenemy" (remember when that was a popular word?). The great thing about daylight savings for evening runners is they have more light for their running sessions, so it's much safer to run at that time. But, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Daylight savings makes running in the morning more challenging because now we morning runners have to wait until there is at least a glimpse of light in the early morning sky. So I waited for that this morning while monitoring the precipitation situation...

Eventually (about 21 minutes later) there was enough light for me to head out safely for my run. I decided to do a neighborhood route this morning (instead of my usual boardwalk-by-the-beach route). I got a mile into my run before I felt (what I will politely refer to as) "abdominal discomfort". Fortunately I was running a 3 mile loop that circled back to my car so I decided to break up my run into two parts.

The successful parts...

I actually got up and swam today. Nothing like a new swimsuit to get me motivated. Kai decided to join me for the pool workout. Last night when I told her that "pool time" was 3am she looked like she was going to pass out. But she agreed to wake up and not complain (shocking). It's funny, she is normally "sooooo not a morning person"... unless we are traveling or she is testing out a new swimsuit. When the alarm went off at 2:30am I felt kind of bad for her so I gave her an extra two hours of sleep and we got to the gym for 5am. The pool was still empty so it was perfect because I like to avoid this...

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The First Friday...

Today started off great with a morning run! I did mile repeats :). It sounds impressive until I reveal I only did it for two miles ;) But it felt great and challenging and exhilarating. It wasn't as humid this morning (compared to Wednesday) and the sky was overcast so that helped to keep it cool...

The first mile consisted of four 30s walk breaks...

And the second mile was a non-stop run...

The desires of my heart...

Today seemed as good a day as any to post the next segment of the 10 Day YOU challenge (which has taken me a ridiculous amount of time to finish). I think I have "TBS" (tangential blogging syndrome). Anyway, I'm finally at "2" so it's all about the two things that I want...

I'm going to make this completely materialistic. I could spend a lot of time talking about wanting to be a stronger, faster, injury-free runner etc etc, but I talk about that stuff often enough already. Instead I'm going to talk about the top two things on my running "wish list", which I update regularly in case my family or friends decide to buy me random gifts. Surprisingly that hardly ever happens, although my twin sister & brother-in-law did give me a random "I'm so proud of you for sticking with the running" Amazon gift card once. Sooooo just in case anyone else so inclined is reading this post, here goes....

March is off to a great start!!!

I'm still in "recovery mode". My legs reminded me of that when I ran this morning. I initially scheduled myself (on my training calendar) to do 3.1 miles today. But I tend to overestimate how many miles I will feel up to running on the days following my races. I didn't quite make it to the 5K mark but I figured a 30 minute session wasn't too bad...

The air is a lot more humid now. Not as suffocatingly humid as summer will be but it's getting there. Even though the temps were only in the low 70s I was drenched in sweat by the time I finished running (I'll spare you that picture). The back drop to my run was as scenic as it always is...

Redefining Impossible... {The Miami Beach Half Marathon Race Recap}

The great thing about waking up early and heading to a race is that 9 times out of 10 you're able to get there with enough time to get into "race mode". You can get close to the start, visualize yourself passing it in a few minutes, and focus on your finish. You get the opportunity to reflect on why you are doing this. To think about what or who is motivating you to wake up at 2am and get ready to drive to a different city, that's 45 minutes away, because you paid someone to run 13.1 miles...