14 weeks to 26.2 - running friends rock!

Looking at a calendar today, I realized there are 14 weeks until my date with 26.2. YIKES! Training has been going well but I am feeling some exhaustion on the legs. My theory is I rather feel tired now and not on race day! Onward!

So this week had me covering 12 miles of which a good friend met with me to do the last 4.5. She was recovering from a toe injury and is on the mend. She was kind enough to meet me at my mile 7.5 even though that meant she had to run in hotter weather. THANK YOU AGAIN! Anyhow, we took off and about 2 miles into the run, I looked down and became aware of a runner's worst nightmare. I forgot to restart my Garmin. I do believe that all runners within 5 miles of me heard my initial "OH F%$#!!!!!" followed by more cursing as I kept venting my anger that I couldn't track my mileage. Another great thing about a running body - she didn't forget to start her Garmin. She calmed me down and on we went. It's amazing what a good running buddy can do. Those last 4.5 miles were the nicest one of the entire run due to some great company, good laughs and a wonderful rain shower that really cooled me off when I needed it most, mile 10.  Running friends are blessings.

Next week - 14! So that makes me more anxious and nervous as it will be the first time I pass 13.1 and move onward. Wish me luck!

In the battle between Woman vs Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse won!

Several weeks deep into full marathon training my husband and I decided to take the kids to Disney World to say bye bye to summer in the funnest way a kid can. While packing, I managed to pack my running clothes, Garmin, earphones, ipod, running shoes and the clincher, my set of 10lb free weights. My husband eyes me as I put them into the back of the car and then he agreed it was a great idea because we were going to totally work out this vacation...  Sure we were... 

So we hit Orlando and first thing we do is grab a delicious burger at a restaurant. Ok, we bargained. We just got here, we are hungry, the kids need food and it's late. Tomorrow we wake up and get a quick run in before hitting the parks. We went grocery shopping and bought our healthy food and snacks and off to rest we went. Next day, our 2 yr old wakes up ready to hit the parks and we are all ready to see Mickey, so we decided it was best to do the runs after the parks. I think Mickey was already laughing at us at this point just waiting to wave his cotton candy bag under my nose. We hit the parks with our turkey sandwiches and water bottles and healthy snacks but who can resist ice cream sandwiches and cotton candy? I mean seriously?! So we ate the sweets and got back to our room about 12 hours after we left. I looked at my running shoes and smiled. My husband came in the room and picked up the weights then moved them to the other side of the dresser and said "Yep that was a great workout". He did this for the next few days and every time a wave of laughter came into the room. I've come to the conclusion that Mickey puts some addictive agent in cotton candy and ice cream sandwiches. You can't just eat one. Or maybe we are both weak.  

7am again and we need to get in the rides we didn't do the day before so we pack up our healthy lunches and run off to the parks. Again, we skipped our protein bars snacks for sweets. Mickey is now really laughing at us both. It's like the park should be called Mickey Mouse and HIS Sweet Factory. I kept glancing for ice cream stands. Then we made the mistake of getting a Coke Icee which would become my son's preferred choice of drink. We would give him water and he would refuse begging for a "coco icee". Thanks again Mickey for putting whatever you put into these darn things! The days followed in the same manner. We rushed through parks, rode the attractions, waited in line, laughed and had a great vacation. In between the ice cream sandwiches, we found ourselves having fried food, ice cream, pizza, laughing, enjoying life and feeling the joy that you find in family getaways. We let ourselves go a bit and just lived the moment. We turned off all electronics as well.  This was family time and it was FABULOUS!  Still not a run between both of us and the weights kept moving from one end of the dresser to the other.    

But, we got back to Miami and that very night, my husband went out for his 10 mile run and the very next day I was off on my 8 mile run. Back on track and no more cotton candy nor Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwiches. (To be honest, I think we are are still daydreaming of them!)

Lesson learned, you can take a few days off, eat sweets, break your training rules and then get back and find your groove again. I learned that the discipline you have will remain long after you cheat on a few meals and treat yourself to a few forbidden treats.  Once you get back home, the discipline you have maintained will get you back on track as if you never skipped a beat. 

I'm now about 16 weeks away from my first full marathon and I am more determined than ever! See you soon 26.2!

Runner's Hair - NOT GOOD!

So as our bodies transform and get healthier, many positive changes will come about but there's one change that isn't good. I'm here to tell you that you will probably contract a case of "RUNNER'S HAIR". A disease characterized by unruly, messy hair that never seems to look nice! It seems that no matter what I do lately, my hair has a mind of its own and goes in every single direction that I DO NOT want it to go in. Luckily I have insane curly hair and people can't really tell. :-)

BEFORE/AFTER GIVEAWAY!

Ok, the before/after giveaway is on!! 
DETAILS: Enter your before/after picture by emailing your picture to mommyathlon@yahoo.com. Please put BEFORE/AFTER on the subject line. Picture should be a split pic with the before on the left side and the after on the right side. An album will be posted with all the pics. On August 23rd (10am), a random drawing will be done from everyone that entered. The winner will receive a Heads Up Band, a Mommyathlon decal and a Shubeez "Believe" shoe tag.

GOOD LUCK! Now let's get those pics in so we can all see how far we have journeyed!

19 Weeks to 26.2... Training continues.

Beautiful view at Key Largo after a 5 miler.

Two weeks have passed since my last post. In that time, I have not skipped out on a run or cross training workout once. My diet was great and then came a mini week-end getaway. YIKES! The family went to Key Largo and I found myself caving in to soda, burgers, pizza and key lime pie... AND IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

I started to feel guilty and then I realized that once in a while, you just have to live a little and the important part is getting back to the healthy routine which I did as soon as I got home. Another lesson learned, balance. If you go to one end, reel yourself in and find that medium ground. Don't feel guilty but instead do something about it. So no feeling guilty for me (I mentioned how yummy it was right?!), instead I am reacting and getting back to my healthy lifestyle. The training keep going full steam ahead.

What I felt like after this week-end!  :-)

       

  

21 Weeks to 26.2 - Training begins now...

I spoke to one of my besties who is a fitness pro and she tweaked my training plan for my first 26.2 in December. I started training today. There are exactly 21 weeks to go. I'm so excited and anxious!

Our weekly group run was cancelled due to bad weather so I woke up at the crack of dawn because I was going to get my 10 miles in no matter what. It was the first day of training and I was not going to begin with dodging my first run towards 26.2.  

Up at 5:30am and ready to go!

I headed out and found the weather to be ridiculously humid. It was one of those mornings in South Miami where you feel like you're breathing in water. I was all alone and in my thoughts. I thought perhaps it was a sign that our group run had to be cancelled. It made me begin my 26.2 journey on my own two feet. The two feet that were going to carry me throughout the next weeks and across that finish line. It was going to take hours and hours of dedication and hard work. I began to think of everything I need to be for the next 21 weeks.  I will be disciplined and I will take care of myself.  I will remember that rest is just as important as hard work. I will listen to my body. I will not be careless and push if my body tells me it needs to heal. I will be relentless and I will be persistent until I meet with 26.2 on December 8th, 2013. I have a date to keep.

Running alone puts me on a one on one level with myself. There are no children screaming or tv's blasting. The phones are not ringing and there isn't food on a burner threatening to overcook. I love the silence and I love being able to listen to my thoughts. On my runs, my thoughts surround me and it's just Michelle. I feel my most "me" on a run alone. In between my thoughts and visions, I realized I was at 9 miles and barely had another 10 minutes to go to hit my first 10 mile run towards 26.2. I ran that last mile harder, smiling, thinking of what it would feel like to be running from 25.2 to 26.2.

What bad weather huh?!

Nothing like putting your feet up after a run!

I was done and what appeared to be a gloomy morning

had turned into a gorgeous day. It was symbolic to me.

It was a sign. I was like that morning a little over a year ago

and now, it is my turn to shine.

Dear 26.2, I'm still here and still coming after you.

It's Wednesday. Usually, it's a blaaaah day. I got on my treadmill and ran for an hour. It led me to remembering a time when I got on the treadmill a little over a year ago and could not get myself to go for 5 minutes. I remember feeling defeated and then I remember finding anger in my defeat and vowing I would get healthy and strong again.

With time and much hard work and dedication, 5 minutes turned into 10. Then it was 15, or 20. I kept on going and it became 30, 40, 50. Sure enough, it went past 60 and my long long runs up to date have gone over 2 hours. There will be much longer runs in my future because I'm in pursuit of 26.2. Training starts soon.

What seems as a small and insignificant advancement can turn into something great along the way. 5 minutes have turned into a 26.2 journey.