Not going to let the heat beat me!

Got my camelbak, should have ordered it sooner, but it is here now! I am super excited.

Second 6

So I completed another 6 mile run, this one didn't feel as good as the one last week. I think that maybe the speed runs this week made my muscles sore, along with getting a later start and running in heat. I tried drinking some gatorade on my run, but still felt the onset on heat exhaustion. Getting chills, and goosebumps when running then looking down at the ground that now has the appearance that it is breathing is not fun. I had to stop and walk.

I am supposed to run 2 miles tomorrow, but I may have to skip it. Tonight my son decided to blind side me with a sippy cup to the side of the face. I really thought/think that I may have a fracture, so running may not be possible due to the additional pain it would cause. We will see how I feel when I wake up.

I am really happy at my progress so far, I still have some bad days where I struggle the whole way through. I have been able to keep a steady pace for the most part, still need to work on maintaining a faster pace, I tend to over do it. I have been trying out a lot of different clothing brands and styles trying to find what works for me. I wish I had a 6 pack so I didn't have to worry and could wear a sports bra and go, or thinner thighs so that I could wear shorts and not have to worry. Maybe someday! As soon as this half marathon is over I need to get my hernia repaired, I feel like sometimes it is one of the factors against me.

Should be doing homework...

I haven't updated this thing in a few and I have made a lot of really big strides in the right directions. On Saturday the 17th I ran my first 6 miles! I finished in 66 mins, so I am very proud of the fact that I finished and also that last week it took me 63 mins to run 5 miles. Needless to say I am improving and it feels great.

This morning I am a little sore, my hip flexors or just my upper thigh muscles hurt I can't really tell where the pain is. Like I said though, it really is just a minor annoyance and I am sure there will be more to come. The part of the run that amazed me the most was just how easy it felt. I really didn't start to struggle until the last mile or so. I need to dig out my camelbak or store some coolers somewhere, going the whole 6 miles with no drinks was rough and probably most of the reason that I got so tired at the end.

I had my first tempo, it was rough, I have my first speed this week. I think I am going to try to do the speed out on a track to make it easier to measure out. I also have my first 7 on Sunday, I can't wait that will be over half way there!

What a week

So this week was a busy week and by far my most miles in a long time. I ran a 5k this week, on Wednesday, I was so flustered. I was running late to the whole thing which didn't help (something to do with deciding to run it 3o mins before it started!) Then when I got there the second I walked up to the start line the gun went off and I had my watch in hand and same with my phone and headphones. I ended up trying to put them on while beginning to jog and instead got wrapped up to the point where I had to stop because my headphones were COMPLETELY wrapped around my leg to the point where I almost fell down. After I unraveled myself I felt like I had to get back in with everyone which I found out were all avid runners with 7-8 min mile paces. Ha ha, so I ended up running very fast for a very little bit and then tried to get into a good pace.

I figured since this was a "race" I was going to try to run faster then I run at home, sounded easy which I could say the same for how it felt! At one point there was little 6 year old (maybe younger) boy running right by me, I told him he was doing great and he took off faster. I can't keep up with a 6 year old! That bruised the ego a little, but I kept going, leading from the back ;) I wasn't last, I think like 2 people finished behind me. I ended up finishing in 31 mins, which is not my best 5k time, but I was happy with it anyways, I finished, and I didn't walk (except for a water station) and it was SOOOO hot already. So when I first started I saw this women who looked a little familiar but I figured I must have seen her on base or something, after the race in the locker room I noticed she was a Major, I commented to her how I thought she was like 21 years old because she looked so young. She was in great shape so I am sure that is partially why I thought she was younger then me, or right around my age. We got to talking and I found out her husband was at school at Maxwell, which I then figured they lived in my neighborhood because it seems like all the students do. I asked her where she lived, and it turns out I was right, which is when the light bulb went off in my head. This is the chick in the pink sports bra! I told her that I thought I had seen her run the week before and she said most likely it was her because she runs quite a bit. I found out that she just recently really got into running and put a lot into it and had seen great results. She started with my type of running times and now she was like an 8 min mile which really gave me hope that I would be able to increase my times at some point.

I lifted some that day, and then ran again on Friday, an easy 3 with an 11:20 or a little less pace. I felt great, it seemed so much easier then my last run. I was really excited and then I ran today. Ugh my first five mile run since Ramstein probably, which I went exclusively by time and what my approx distance would be. I think there was maybe a couple times I actually ran on the track by the football fields. So I started my five off easy, and decided to take a little bit of a new route. Calves were really tight for about the first half mile or a little more, and then they loosened up. About mile three I felt so sore in my quads, its like they just didn't want to move. The wind was blowing against me so I had to fight to move forward even down hill. I was on the side of the road and I really hate to be an ageist, but the old men driving NEVER moved over for me. Its like they thought I was a dog on the side of the road and wanted to drive closer to the edge to force me over more. So frustrating, but then I finally got to mile four, and lets just say I met the wall. I was dying, my legs just did not want to keep going. I think this week was just a little too much, I increased my miles and added a day, so I know that is a big No no but I will keep the additions gradual from here on out.

I ended up calling my husband to pick me up when I hit my five, because I was still a half a mile from the house and I just couldn't take the heat anymore. I had goosebumps and I knew I was dehydrated. I am going to take the old military camelbak out from now on when I run more then three.

Overall I am proud of myself, I finished all my runs without walking and keeping my pace "somewhat" where it should be. Had a 13 mile week, and I am still able to walk so thank you again KT Tape, I know I would not be running if it wasn't for that stuff.

What is a "real"runner?

I was talking with my husband and we somehow stumbled into the whole conversation of what a "real" runner is. He joked with me and said that I have been running for two weeks and consider myself a runner already. I came back with his lack of concept of time, that I had started running "this" time over a month ago, and that I have always been a back and forth with running being a part of my life. I started running in elementary school, playing sports with all the boys, and participating well in gym class and loving the running games. From there I moved to middle school where I joined the track team, we were not in High School but because some of the schools we ran against included 7th and 8th grade, we got bused over to the High school for what they considered the JV team. Well I don't recall ever being JV. I lettered my first year in track, I was a hurdler but I also did the 200 and 400. I ran medleys, and I loved it. Now I will point out that I did not run with the distance runners, they were insane running long distances at paces I to this day will never meet. I wish I had ran with them more now that I am an adult and realize the benefits of being able to run distance.

I continued to run throughout High school, and maintained my letter every year. I had a scrap book I was making where I would collect my ribbons and my numbers sometimes. I still have my spikes that I wore my last season of track, I wish they fit me, but having high arches and the weight flux I have dealt with over the last 8 years of my life my size 6.5 or 7 spikes hardly fit half of my now size 8.5 or 9 monster feet. I miss petite feet, but I consider the size difference in my feet less of a concern then the size difference in my waist, or thighs.

After High school I enlisted in the Air Force, had to gain weight for basic training (wish I still had that problem!) and running was still easy for me. It is pretty easy logic though, carrying around 103lbs is going to be easier then carrying around 145 lbs. My weight jumps between 10 lbs and I have struggled to get it where I am. I could run 2 miles in basic in a little under 19 mins, which I was always proud of because I could finish with the boys. I always considered myself athletic, I never had problems getting out there and being active in sports. When I got to my first base and went from being at a job where I stood and walked and never sat down, to a desk all day along with my lack of continuing my running and sports I was doomed. I still got out there and played football with the guys and once I realized I was gaining a lot of weight I started running again, this time 25 lbs heavier it was not as easy and I never was able to maintain a good schedule or a consistent one for that matter. I would run when I had to, or when Eric deployed. I think I was at around the 5 mile run at some point.

Now here I am two children later, trying to get back to where it was easy, and trying to decide if I am a runner, well I am. It has been in my blood since I was little and even though I am a little rusty and out of step it is not something that just goes away. I am running again, therefore I am a runner, my break is over and this time I am going to try to remember how I was and get back to my youth and the ease along with it. Out of shape, or out of practice, I am a runner, a real one. I can say Fartlek and know what it is, not even laugh at the name of it, I ran them all the time, now I just need to tap into that youthful me that ran everyday because it felt weird not to.

This is why I run

Tuesday was a good run, I went a modified route and it ended up working perfectly as my 3 mile loop I was scheduled to run. I was about a third of the way through my run when this beautiful 5'9 slim, six packed and fit women running in a sports bra and shorts passed me going the other way. She smiled at me, we exchanged the generic half wave where you just kinda put your hand up as you pass, and that is when it clicked in my head, this is why I am here. She is why I am running, not her like that exact woman, but her like the way she was built and the strong strides she had.

I have two children, my body is no where close to were it was before I had children. Weight wise I am about where I want to be, but running in a sports bra is no where close to being in my plans. I remember in high school that I ran in sports bras, the only rule was it was not allowed to be white. I want to be at that place again, I want to be able to run in a sports bra and not be like the guy who really should not be running without a shirt on. I noticed there is a double standard though, you can be fat and run with your shirt off if you are a guy and people won't stare and get grossed out, but if you are a woman running in a sports bra you had better have a nice body.

When I got around the corner to the part of my run that was about to be my new addition I was excited. I rounded the corner and looked ahead, "oh shit" all up hill, I debated turning around and still getting my 3 miles because I was right around 1.5 at this point. I then thought about October, and how many hills there were going to be for the Montgomery Half, took a breath and kept moving. The hill was pretty steep, but I was able to keep a decent pace throughout the run, finished around 11:20 pace which is in between my race and training pace, so I am happy with it.

With my KT tape being on after waiting on it to be delivered I have had a lot less pain, and my foot is back in recovery mode. I love this tape. I have a four mile run Sunday, this will be my first four, I am ready.