On our road to Disney Half Marathon Princess Training

17 weeks to go and we upped it to a 2:2 today. We are jogging 2 minutes and walking 2 minutes. Our average pace is about a 15:00 mile. That should go down as we get stronger and change our walk:run ratio. We are having a great time daydreaming of our big day so far away. 

I added more mileage to my run and decided to go for 8 miles. I finished it and felt great. The longest run I have ever done. In a few weeks, I'm going for 10 miles. Is that crazy or what? I could barely do a few miles just a few months ago and 10 is not that long to me now. 

The Color Run 5K

Today we went to our first Color Run 5K. What a blast and what a great event to take your children to. I took my daughter and left the baby with the grandparents. We ran, we walked, we laughed and we got hit with color, lots of it! Every so often, they had volunteers waiting to spray you with different color powder. Word to the wise, take a handkerchief for your face so you don't get stuck breathing, or eating, the powder. They handed some out there as well and we took cover every time we had to go through the color bombings. All in all, a really fun family/friends day!

Damn scale, damn weight...

I've never been the woman with an issue to lose the weight... until now. How completely irritating and frustrating. I've been working out 5-6 days a week now and doing the long runs on Sunday with my Princesses in Training running group. That's our nickname. I began a running group on facebook so we can all train together and schedule runs, etc. That is going great and we are all enjoying it. We met up yesterday for our Sunday run and accomplished 4.12 miles at a 15:40 pace. To complete the Disney Princess Half Marathon, our pace must be under 16:00/mile meaning we are running miles at 15 minutes and 59 seconds or less. Even if we walk a lot, we should be able to do it. My goal is to be down to intervals of 4 minutes jogging and 1 minute walking or 3 minutes jogging and 1 minute walking. My dream goal would be to do it at a 12:30 pace. It's a lot faster than where I am at for long distances but a girl has to dream.

Just as I dream about speed, I dream about fitting into all my old jeans. Damn this baby weight!

Another Sunday run.

Today we completed 4.07 miles at a 15:38 pace. We sped up a bit. Everyone is doing their weekly runs and we are all excited at the prospect of doing our first half marathon. Now to keep it up! 

Training begins.

After signing up for the Princess Half Marathon, a few friends have joined in and there are now 6 of us that have registered and have begun training together. We meet on Sundays for our long run and we began a 20 week training plan that leads us straight into February. Today was our first run together and we did a total of 4.16 miles at a 17:10 pace. We began with jogging for 1 minute and walking for 2 minutes. This is called doing intervals or a run/walk pace and it is easier for beginners. I am doing it with the group so we can all train together then I go off afterwards and run a bit longer to continue what I started a few months ago. It feels really great to have a goal to works towards to.  

Commit to a goal.

So I was on the phone with a friend of mine. We start talking Disney Princess Half Marathon. Next thing I know, I go online, I check if you can still register. You can. I go to my purse, grab my wallet and click, click, click. I'm registered a few minutes later to run a half marathon on February 24th, 2013. WHAT?!?! Yes, me, half marathon, February 24, 2013. I had originally wanted to do this towards the end of this year but February 2013 is a good month. It's a great month in fact. It's going to be the month that this mommy runs her first half marathon!

 

My first receipt for a half marathon... Let the training begin!

I am a horrible blogger!!!

It's now September 20th. I am the world's worst blogger as it has been over 2 months since my last post. Let me try to catch up as best as I can. The triathlon came and went and just as I suspected, the swimming beat me. It was a rainy day and the ocean was upset and wavy. My nerves got the best of me. I panicked thinking I would not make it and I kept looking up and checking how far off I was instead of just concentrating on making it slow and steady till the end. The JAWS marathon I told you about didn't help. It's funny how the mind succumbs to ridiculous things when you panic. I honestly thought that I was going to be swept away by some sea monster in the midst of drowning and not being able to complete the swim. I laugh now sitting here writing this. But that day, I was not laughing. I was freaking out. I ended up walking out of the water, mid way, defeated and feeling quite the loser. Then I thought, there's nothing keeping me from trying again and preparing for the swim. Next time, the ocean won't beat me. So I stared out at the vast ocean that defeated me this time. I'd be back next year and this time, I'd be ready for waves and I was going to put forth a strong swim. It was okay. Another lesson learned in this long road.

Fast forward to August. The end of summer, a two week vacation and the beginning of school came in a flurry and working out fell low on my list of to do's. I can blame the lack of time but I also have to blame myself for not making the time which is something most moms suffer from. Everything and everyone else goes first. I put in a run here and there but I won't lie, I slacked. I SLACKED!!! There, I said it, I own it. So, let's get over that and move on. Here I am in September and triathlon season is behind me so I need a new goal. The Disney Princess Half Marathon comes to mind. Do I dare?