Tuesday, October 18, 2011

My 200 Day Challenge - Day 200 Race Day - SF Nike Womens Marathon

Well, the race started off as a great trip to San Francisco. My ex, and two kids were supposed to come. My ex backed out, and my daughter lost her passport the night before the flight. Well, she didn’t find it until after she missed the flight. So it was just my son and I.



This is Ryan and I in the start corral before the race began.

Anyhow the day before the race, I found my name on the race wall.


Here I am pointing at my name on the wall. Crazy. Over 27,000 women’s names on that wall. And a few good men too.


This is how the start line looked for about 8 blocks. It was crazy. It took almost 40 minutes for the last person to cross the start line after the start gun went off. I was at about 20 minutes after.


You can see me standing out in the crowd as we crossed the start line
The crowd kept going like this for miles and miles. Never really did thin out until the half marathoners broke away from the marathoners. About 21,000 did the half, 7,000 did the full.





My son took some great pics, didn’t he!

At about mile 14, my hip started to really hurt. I was ready to stop. In fact for over a mile, I had decided I was going to come around to where the half marathoners were ending, and just stop. Well, by the time I got there, I had taken a Alieve, and was turning my thoughts. I figured if I could keep up a 15min/mile pace, I could still finish and get my necklace. I can walk that, but I had 10 miles to go. I was not going to quit!!!








Pics of me crossing the finish line


And a final pose with the firefighters. Firefighters in tuxes presented us with our Tiffany’s boxes with our finishers medals. It was so worth the run.

I ended up spending the next day unable to walk. I really hurt my legs, especially my left hip. It is now two days later, and I’m still not walking right. Am I glad I pushed? Definitely.
When I finished, I thought I’d never want to do this again. I was done at mile 14. Hurt by mile 15. And kept pushing.

Will I ever do it again? Probibly. I want to know I can finish without the pain. That I can be strong enough to do this right.

I know I can do the half. I got to mile 13 without too much trouble at all this time. And I’ll be running another half in January. But I think I’ve gotta try the full again... someday!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Today's Kick in the Butt!

Yesterday I ran 3 miles. It felt great. I was able to breathe again. I worked up a real sweat. I am feeling a few kinks again, but that's why I need to keep going. Pushing myself to do better and better. Work the kinks out. Get my heart/ lungs back into shape. I KNOW I can do this. I am excited to do this.





















Enough said?

Okay, so today I want to:
emoticon Get all my water in. At least 8 glasses
emoticon Eat well - for fuel not padding
emoticon Run. At least 3 more miles. But shoot for 5
emoticon Smile.
emoticon Keep the self love going.
emoticon Get Terry out of my head, for at least 80% of my day.

I am going out for supper again tonight. Lee asked yesterday, so I figured why not. I'm looking for some friends to help distract me. I think it'll be nice.

But I do need to tell him I'm not sure I'm ready for anything more than a good friend.

I can do this. I can reach my goals for today. And they are baby steps in the right direction to reach my goals in the long run.

So what are you going to do today to reach your goals tomorrow? What baby steps are you going to take? Forward towards your goal? Or backwards away from your goal?

You can do this. Today is going to pass you by whether you take full advantage or not. Do you want to look back on your day and feel you did all you could to reach your goals? Or do you want to look back and "should" all over yourself. "I should've done this and I should've done that..." Not me! See you out there! 

Thursday, September 8, 2011

My 200 Day Journey - Day 160 ... or T Minus 40

I know. I have been way off track. Worst was the month of August. Too many changes. My mental health tanked. I was overwhelmed by my goals, etc.

But I`m not giving up. I can`t. Ready or not, the race is still fast approaching.

So I have been working at it. So far this month I`ve run 8.5miles. I know. Not enough. But last night was a real kick in the butt. I covered 5.2miles. Okay, I ran just over 3.5miles before I shut the music off and walked the rest of the way.

No matter how behind my program I feel, I won`t push through pain. Discomfort, yes. And I did. But pain? No way. And yes, I was aching once I got home. But it so worth it.

Now to keep pushing forward. Today my one shoulder is aching. I'm not sure how, but I hurt my shoulder last night. No biggie. But between actually waking up sore, and feeling so lethargic last night, I am debating not going today.

Okay. I would have to agree that the best idea is to get changed and try to run. But be ready to stop if it hurts. I'm betting I will loosen up as soon as I hit the pavement. Besides...



So todays plan?

emoticon Get dressed and go running
emoticon IF IT HURTS STOP!!!

I got on the scale yesterday - right before I went running. It was up to 230lbs.

What gives??? I was 230 when I started back in Feb. I've been running. Okay, not so much lately, but I was well into my training a few months back. And I never got below 225 this time.

Okay, so I was eating out, and that included chicken wings. But are they that bad that theywould counter act all the fitness I was getting????

I guess so.

Anyhow, no time left now. I've gotta focus on doing as much as I can every day to reach my goal of finishing the marathon in under 6.5 hours.

Weight loss will only be a bonus

I am thinking about a Strength Training challenge also right now. I'll have to focus on training that will benefit my running. Surprise surprise, I am reading on just how to do that.

Now to focus on the baby steps to get me where I need to be.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Today's Kick in the Butt ...

Panic is setting in. I am tapering for my marathon starting October 2. So I have between now and Oct 2 - that's 3 1/2 weeks - to put the miles on.

No matter what, I'm crossing that finish line in San Francisco. That I know. But I'd love to cross it in close to 6 hours. At most 6 1/2 hours.

My plan to get there? Run. Run. Run. I want to get as many miles in as I can for the next 3 1/2 weeks. Really push my body. I will still have 2 weeks to taper. Or I will be in SF in time to go for a couple of shorter runs - 3 to 5 miles. Just to acclimate to the climate, locations, altitude, etc.

So my focus for this week? Forget about the mountain. Instead, do what I can to try and reach 40miles this week. If I only get to 30, okay. It's a start. Just get out there and run

I am also starting a strength training challenge - Pimp My (P)ride! I think I'll focus on the information in the Running Anatomy book I borrowed. That way I'll be strengthening the muscles that should help me with this race.

AND I NEED TO FOCUS ON AVOIDING INJURIES. The last thing I need is to be sidelined by an injury at this point.

I can do this.















ENOUGH SAID???

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Today's Kick in the Butt!

























Enough Said? No

What is your problem? Earlier this year, you couldn't do it because of the living situation. Now? You just don't seem to want it enough.

Okay, so it's getting too late to be able to do the full training like you wanted. So what? Every step towards the goal is a bonus right now.

You ran the first half with only half the training. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, but let's get realistic here. You went out and kicked it's butt having only ever run 6miles in one stretch before you went and tried.

Everything is paid for. YOU ARE GOING. PERIOD!!!

Your kids will be there cheering you on. So what if it takes you 8 hours. Just cross that finish line. PERIOD!

At this point, if I can run a solid 14miles, I'm sure I'll be able to cross that finish line within 6.5hours no problem.

SO WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK???

Oh I known.



Yep. You've got it. YOU!!!

GET THE HE!! OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY.

You can do this. You will do great. So get the heck out of your own way and kick it.

No matter what challenges life throws at you these next two months - and yes, I'm aware I may be up for a big one here soon - You can overcome it.

Look at how good you are at getting in your own way! Now put that power to good use.