48 Hours to GO!!!

So today we hit a big milestone, only 48 hours until race day.  Today will be my last blog entry until after the race.  I will be on the road heading for Vail in about 3 hours.  I'm not going to lie, the nerves have set in and I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach. I'm excited and have been training hard for the last 5 months.  But one can't help to feel nervous too. 

Today has been full of reflection and packing.  As I pack my suitcase, I've been thinking about my early training days.  The days of when my time to run/walk one mile was 25 minutes.  My current time is between 14-15 minutes per mile.  Boy have I come along way.  My goal for Sunday's race is to stay under a 15 minute mile.   I'm guessing my early miles will be faster than the last miles. 

If you are interested in tracking my progress on race day, the race organizers have created an app that can be download on any Iphones or Android phones.   To download the app, click on the following link:  http://mobile.xlrun.com/SocialResultsSignup.aspx?id=25#     To track my progress, I am bib #573. 

So as I prepare for my trip to Vail, I can't help but think about all the people who have sent me "good luck" wishes along the way during my training days.  Thanks to everyone for all your words of wisdom and support.  Some days were not easy and it was the kind thoughts and support of my friends/family that got me back on my feet and on the treadmill. 

If you are interested in following my progress for the next 48 hours, (pre race day) follow the DivaRunner Facebook page.  I won't have another blog entry until after the race. 

Keep your fingers crossed for me and send me lots of happy thoughts on Sunday morning. 

Happy Running!

Countdown Begins - One Week Until Race Day

Today marks the one week countdown to the Diva's Half Marathon Race.  It's hard to believe that this all began on March 14th.  Boy has this been a great learning lesson on so many mental and physical levels. 

Sunday is a travel day for me. I am returning home from a long weekend in Florida.  My husband had to travel to Florida all week for a business trip. I thought it would be fun to join him mid-week for a long weekend.  I was able to sneak in a couple of workouts during my 4 day mini-vacation.  One day I thought it would be a great workout to run on the beach.  Boy was it a workout.  The sand was a great workout for the legs and the humidity was a huge workout for the lungs.  The humidity was so thick it made my lungs feel very heavy.  The first couple of miles no problem. By the time I hit mile #3, I thought my lungs were going to explode. My final forth mile became a walk back to the hotel to bring my heart rate back to a healthy level.  My remaining days in Florida, I decided to stay inside at the hotel gym. 

Today is also a rest day.  Gotta love the rest days.  Tomorrow begins my last week of training for the race.  The training days will begin strong and then tapper to light workouts at the end of the week. 

Workout Schedule
Monday - Run/Walk (4 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk (4 miles)
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Run/Walk (2 miles)
Saturday - Run / Walk (2 miles)
Sunday - Race Day (13.1 miles)

I will be traveling to Vail on Friday afternoon.  My plan is to complete my Friday and Saturday workouts in Vail so that I can get acclimated to the altitude.  The weather is expected to be in the high 70s and low 80s during the day.  Perfect running temperatures. 

I will have a couple more blog enteries prior to leaving for Vail.  To follow me onsite in Vail, visit the Diva Runner Facebook site.

Happy Running!

Do You Drink Enough Water?

How do you know if you are drinking enough water each day? 
Answer: Do you sweat when you exercise / workout?  If you said yes, then chances are you are drinking enough water.  If you answered-- sometimes or no, then you are probably not getting enough water.  The human body requires water to function and there is a long grocery list of body parts that requires water to function. (brain, heart, liver, lungs, hair, nails, etc)  Your body will only sweat if you have supplied it with enough water. If you are low in your water intake, your body will not sweat but instead it feel deprived and keep the water in the body and not let it out. 

How do you determine how much water to drink each day?  Some experts say a person needs to drink 6-8 glasses.  This leads into the next question:  How many ounces is one glass?  The best solution to determine one's daily intake of water - weight divided by 2.  This is how many ounces you will need each day of water. 

Example:
Weight = 200 lbs

                   ÷ 2

                  100 ounces per day

Sweat isn't going to happen overnight.  Try this new formula for 4-6 weeks.  After this time, check sweat levels during your next workout session.  You should see a dramatic difference.  Daily water intake is great for your skin and will make you feel and look like a whole new person.

Happy Running!

Day After the Lake - Sore Day

It's the day after the adventure at the lake and I am very sore.  I awoke this morning with my knee and arm aching.  I have a nice shiner on my right arm.  My bruise became darker overnight. 

So with my recent injury, I'm going to take it easy today and not over do it in my workout. I was suppose to run/walk 3 miles today but that didn't happen.  Instead, I walked at a slow pace for one mile on the treadmill and stretched for about 20 minutes to try and loosen my knee.  I'm hoping by tomorrow, I can attempt the elliptical machine for a 30 minute workout.  I'm worried that if I over do it, it might get worse which could affect my race in 13 days.  (and I thought the nerves were bad before-- I'm feeling the stress now)

On Wednesday, I leave for Florida to join my husband. He is there all week on business travel and I'm going to join him to enjoy a long weekend at the beach.  Our hotel includes a nice workout facility so I'm definitely going to take advantage of this while I'm away.  Since I will be at sea level, I should have great lung capacity and no problems completing my workouts. (unless my knee is still bothering me) If I can get these injuries healed and continue to complete my workouts, I will be in better spirits by the end of the week. 

I'm going to continue monitoring my injuries and take each day at a time for my workouts. My goal is to complete each daily workout but my intensity level may need to decrease based upon the soreness. 

Happy Running!

Nerves Are Really Setting In - Only 2 weeks left.

Welcome to the last two weeks prior to race day.  I have to admit, my nerves are really starting to set it.  Even though I ran the full race last weekend, I can't help but feel the nerves for the upcoming race. 

Last week's post I mentioned a change in my cross training workouts. This new change included - Zumba.  I attended a
2-hour orientation class to learn about Zumba fitness and the basic steps.  Two days later, I was at my first class.  I have to admit, this is a GREAT workout. It is fun and it definitely gets your heart pumping.  Depending on your activity level, you can modify the steps to increase or decrease your heart rate.  Each class is one full hour.  If you are looking for a fun cardio class that will get your heart pumping and sweat pouring - try Zumba. You don't have to be a dance expert as it is set up for all participaton levels.  I was beginning to get bored with my eliptical machine so this was a great escape for something new a couple nights a week.

So my husband and I decided to enjoy ourself this weekend and we took our boat to the lake on Sunday.  A fun day in the sun turned to a sore ride home.  During our last ride around the lake, we came across a boat and jet skier that wasn't paying attention to the traffice in the lake.  Their lack of attention forced us to make a sharp turn to avoid a possible accident.  This sudden sharp turn literally flipped me out of the boat.  We have a jet boat which sits lower to the water level then a regular ski boat. A sharp turn with a jet boat is a lot different then a sharp turn in a ski boat.  Imagine yourself as a passenger on a jet ski and the driver make a sharp turn and catches you off guard.  What do you think happens?  Answer - you are going for a swim.   The good news is I landed in the water and not back against the boat. The bad news, as I was coming out of the boat, I hit my right arm and knee.  At first I felt fine and climbed back into the boat. However, on the way home, my knee began to ache and a bruise started to form on my right arm.   My first thought - "Crap, what have I done to myself 2 weeks prior to the race?"  My second thought, " I will not let this hamper my training with only 2 weeks until race day."   

Weekly Workout Schedule
Monday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk (5 miles)
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run/Walk (7 miles)
Sunday - Rest Day
Keeping my fingers crossed that I can do my workout tomorrow. Stay tuned... 
Happy Running!

Three Weeks Until Race Day!!!

I know everyone is wondering how my run went yesterday.  Well................ good news and bad news.  Good news..........I DID IT!!!!!!! I completed the full 13.1 miles in a little over 3 hours - 183 minutes to be exact.  Bad news...... I should have ran earlier in the morning, I was really burning up with heat and sweat the last 3-4 miles. 

A few days prior to my run, I started to map out my running course.  I wanted to stay off the streets with a lot of traffic - especially since I would be running on a Saturday morning.  I was able to map a course within my subdivision.  One lap was 1.1 miles which meant I needed to complete 12 laps for my full 13.1 miles.  The night before my run, I went to bed early to get a good night's sleep.  I knew I was going to need all the energy I could store to complete 13.1 miles.

My morning began at 6:30am.  I had a light breakfast that included a protein bar and banana followed by shot of energy gel. I strapped on my water belt that included one bottle of plain water and the other bottle with Gatorade.   I hit the pavement at 7:00am.  To warm up, I walked the first mile.  After the first mile, my pace included - run 1/2 mile and walk 3 minutes, run 1/2 mile and walk 3 minutes, and so on and so on.  The first 6 miles, I averaged about 14.50 minute mile with my heart rate around 160.  After mile 6, the morning heat began to set it.  It felt like it went from a cool 68 degrees to 85 degrees in a matter of one lap.  By mile #8, my heart rate increased to 193 and I was getting very hot. I started to get concerned that I might over heat and have health issues.  To keep my heat levels lower and my heart rate around 160, I began to run a 1/2 mile and walk a 1/2 mile.  This was a pace that I kept for the last 5 miles of the run.  With the outside temperature rising, this strategy seemed to help me stay in focus and keep my body at a reasonable temperature.  

So I did it. I finished my first 13.1 miles.  After my run, I celebrated with a glass of chocolate milk and went indoors to cool down that included 15 minutes of stretching to keep my muscles loose and warm.  

I read in a running magazine that chocolate milk is a great drink to help in the recovering process after a long run. I will have to admit, it really does work.  You don't have to drink a 1/2 a gallon of chocolate milk to feel it work but instead a 10oz glass is just enough to do the trick.

Weekly Workout Schedule
Monday - Run / Walk (3 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk (5 miles)
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run/Walk (7 miles)
Sunday - Rest Day

This week I'm trying a new type of cross training for my workouts - Zumba.  I've heard that this is a great cardio workout so I'm going to give it a try.  Stay tuned for this week's post to see how Becky does with Zumba. 

Happy Running!

One Month to Go!!

So here we are, one month from today it's the big race!!!  It's hard to believe the race is almost here. The last several months have been such a great learning experience.  I have found out so much about myself during this time.  I've learned that life throws you daily obstacles that can affect the outcome of your day but it's how you make the most of each day that matters.

I began this journey with a 5 day workout schedule.  Half way through my training, life throws me an obstacle that forces me to cut my training from 5 days to 3 days for about 6 weeks.  Each week that went by I felt like a failure but as each week passed by, I made the most of the 3 days that I was able to work out.  At the end of the day, I was still getting stronger in my daily runs and lung capacity. 

So with only one month left, the nerves are definitely starting to come into play.  Each day I just keep saying to myself, I know I can do this, I know I can do this. 

This week includes a big hurdle in my training process.  At week's end, I will have to run the full 13.1 miles.  I've been advised by my trainer to complete the full run 3 weeks prior to race day.  This is going to be the "tell all" report card for the last few months of my training.    I thought the nerves were bad before, OMG  they have only just begin. 

Weekly Workout Schedule
Monday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run / Walk (4 miles)
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run / Walk (13.1 miles)
Sunday - Rest Day

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Keep your fingers crossed for me that next weekend I have good news.

Happy Running!

Week #16 - I'm still here!!

Hello Everyone!

Did you miss me? Things have been ABSOLUTELY crazy around my house the past few weeks.  It has been so crazy and busy, that I've been tardy on my blog. I'm so sorry for the delay, but I'm back now and ready to go.  Where do I begin?  So the last time we chatted, I had just completed the Bolder Boulder race.  What a day and what a week. It seems like since that race things have become chaotic and out of control.  As you know, my 13 year old son plays competitive baseball.  His baseball schedule took over my schedule the last few weeks.  I will say that I was able to sneak in my workouts, but the down side is, I was only able to do 3-4 day per week instead of my 5 days per week.  The crazy schedule and lack of workouts began to take its toll on me.  I was feeling so stressed with work, home, baseball, and workouts that I began to feel like I was sabotaging my workouts.  For the first couple of weeks, the stress was overwhelming and I didn't loose any weight or inches.  I think my body was going into survival mode with the long hours, strange eating schedule and lack of full workouts.  It's amazing how your body reacts to stress and  schedule changes to your daily routine.  These last few weeks have DEFINITELY been a learning experience for me and my workouts.  All I can do is chalk it up to a learning experience and move on.  This is what I am doing - moving forward with a full week of workouts and making time for "ME" to make this happen.

Even with these issues the last couple of weeks, my goal is to run the half marathon the end of August. The set backs the last few weeks has just pushed me harder to make the best of each workout and to continue getting stronger and faster.  Today I took my measurements to see how well I'm doing with loss of weight and inches. To date - I've lost 24lbs and 13 inches.  To be honest, I was hoping these numbers would be better.  In reality, this isn't too bad considering the the stress that my body had to overcome in the last 3 weeks. 

So the good news, baseball is almost over and I've started back to my regular workouts each week.   The bad news, I only have 54 days left to get ready to take on 13.1 miles.  The last couple of weeks, I've been increasing my running miles each week.  Even though I wasn't able to get in all 5 workouts per week, the workouts I did get to complete - I took advantage of my time and ran the full distance.  I was averaging about 10-13 miles per week.  My workout days that took the big hit was my cross training days. 

This week is all about going the distance and completing all five workouts - 3 running days / 2 cross training days. 

Week #16 Workout Schedule

Monday - Run / Walk 4 miles
Tuesday - Cross Training - 45 minutes
Wednesday - Run / Walk - 5 miles
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training - 60 minutes
Saturday - Run/Walk 6 miles

Thanks to everyone for your support and emails.  I know many people were concerned about me when they didn't see my weekly post on the blog.  Now you know my story and all I can say is, "the last few weeks were a blurr and in the past.  The time has come to get serious and I'm going to push myself with each daily workout so I am fully ready in 54 days."

Happy Running!

Week #12 - I did it!!

Happy Memorial Day!!!  I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday.  My holiday began very early this morning.  It's the morning of the BolderBoulder 10k Race.  I can't believe it, I made it to my first race day.  Coming to this day wasn't easy. I ran into a major set back after my run on Friday.  I will admit  that I over pushed myself too close to race day.  I ran 3 miles on Friday and that was just too much so close to a long race.  To make a long story short, I pulled my hammy on the back of my right leg.  It wasn't good.  Saturday I was very sore and loaded up on asprin and Icy Hot.  I was so sure that I had ruined my chance to run on Monday.  As Sunday came along, the pain and muscle tightness had decreased and I decided that I was going to move forward and run the race. 

My morning began at 6am.  My husband went with me to the race to be my support on the sidelines.  We opted out of driving to Boulder and the painful task of finding a parking spot. Instead, we bought race bus tickets. The bus picked us up in Longmont, dropped us off 3 blocks from the start line and picked us up post race- 3 blocks from the finish line.  This is so easy!!! I don't know why more people don't take the bus.

This year's race had 91 start waves. I was half way in the pack of waves - NA group with a start time 8:45am.  As we all know, things rarely start on time. This was the case with my wave.  After getting in my wave line headed to the start line, I noticed we were about 6 minute behind our original start time.  I'm feeling great despite my injury from Friday's run and I'm ready to hear the gun shot to announce the start of our race. 

To make a long story short, I finished the race!  My goal was to finish in 90 minutes.  I completed the race in 96 minutes with an 15.32 average minute/mile pace.  The last mile of the race was my slowest.  My injury did start to bother me around the end of the 4th mile but the biggest delay was the number of people.  The last mile was packed full of people.  The running slowing became a walk and about 1/4 mile from the entrance to the stadium, it became a stand still for a few minutes.   My fastest mile was the first - 14.44 and the slowest mile was the last - 17.26.  The morale of my race story - work hard this year on getting a faster race time to move up in the wave line up.

I am so impressed in the fun level of the BolderBoulder race was for the runners. The locals came out in full force making each block along the way interesting and fun - just the right added touch to keep you going and energy levels high.  There were different bands, costumes, fun games, slip n slides, water stops and magic acts, etc.  It was a great time for the serious runner, beginner, families and children.  I will defiitely add this race to my "to do" list next year.

This week's workout routine will change slightly due to my 6.2 mile race today.  Tomorrow will be a well deserved rest day with mild workouts the remaining days of the week.  Run/Walk workouts will be limited to a max of 3 miles and 30 minutes for cross training days.  The workouts will increase starting Week #13.

Thanks to everyone for your support these last 12 weeks.  We are close to the half way mark for training.  Next week I will take my monthly measurements and see if more weight and inches are gone.  I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the holiday weekend!

Happy Running!

Week #11- Only 7 days Until Race #1

I can't believed I survived Week #10.  It was absolutely crazy with different things going on every day of the week.  It was my son's last full week of school, baseball games, choir concert and deadlines at work.  By the time Friday came along, I was wiped out.  It was a week full of early morning workouts and only 6.5 hours of sleep each night.  I was definitely feeling very tired at the end of each day.  Remember last week I made the comment, "wouldn't it be nice to just have one more hour?"  Boy, that was my theme for the entire week.  "I wish, I wish, I wish I had just one more hour." 

Even with my early morning workouts in Week #10, I was able to stay true to my workout schedule.  Week #10 was all about "increase" -  workout time, miles and reps.  I was on track to run a total of 13 miles in my (3) Run/Walk workout days.   The beginning of the week was actually my best minute/mile pace time for the week.   I finished my Monday's 3 mile Run/Walk workout with a 15.55 minute / mile pace time. It felt so great to go from 16.33 to 15.55.  WHEW!!!  The rest of the week's run/walk workouts finished at 15.6 and 16.0.  Not too bad considering I had a huge increase in mileage for my workouts.   It's amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to make it happen. 

Tomorrow begins the start of Week #11, and it also marks 7 days until my first race  - Bolder Boulder.  The nerves haven't set in yet but I'm sure they will before the weekend begins.  I'm excited to reach my first race milestone in my training process.  This week's training will include the heavier running days at the beginning of the week with the lighter running days at the end of the week. The purpose of the switch in workouts is to not over work my body prior to running a 6 mile race.  This will enable me to continue working on getting better with my pace but it will also allow me to not over extend my muscles prior to a long distance race.  I have the professionals guiding me through the process so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works. 

Week #11 Workouts

Monday - Run / Walk (4 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (60 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk (4) miles
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Sunday - Rest Day

After starting my blog entry for the week, I had to take a delay in finishing it due to some recent, exciting news.  The big news - today my husband and I became grandparents for the first time.  We now have a beautiful grand daughter - Joie Valine.  She was born this afternoon so with all the excitement, I had to take a break from finishing my Sunday blog entry. Congratulations to the new parents - Ryan & Gypsy. 

So here we are, 7 days until the first race day.  I'm feeling excited and strong and I'm looking forward to testing my skills and strengths at the Bolder Boulder race.  I hope everyone has a great week.

Happy Running!

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet?

I'm so excited about my results from today's workout that I couldn't wait until the end of the week to share the news.  Today's workout - 3 miles Run/Walk.  Last Saturday, I completed 6 miles with my best time to date - 16.33.   This morning - I completed 3 miles with a 15.55 minute/mile pace.  OMG!!!  This is my best 3 mile time!!  I was so shocked, especially since my knees were hurting yesterday and my Monday times are never fast.   I was worried that today wouldn't be a good time.  My knees were a little sore after my early morning workout but now I'm feeling good.  No aches or pains.  I think I will give myself (2) GOLD STARS today for my accomplishment.  Unbelievable!!!!!

This is a GREAT way to start my Monday!!!  I hope your Monday is going well too and full of gold stars!

Happy Running! 

Welcome to the BIG 10!!

For this week's blog, I'm going to begin with a motivational quote.  "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier.  This quote is the best description about the last nine weeks of my workout journey.   These last weeks have been many, many baby steps that have grown into multiple miles of exercise.   Nine weeks ago, I was like the Big Bad Wolf - I was huffing and puffing and feeling like I wanted to die. I began to question myself about this crazy idea of preparing for a half marathon.   I would be lying if I said the thoughts of "This is a crazy idea. What were you thinking?" didn't cross my mind during the first weeks of workouts. At the end of Week #9, I wouldn't say that I'm a changed woman, but I'm getting a different mind set.  I think my crazy thoughts in the past were pain driven.  The more pain I felt after workouts the more crazy thoughts would come into my head.  But the morale of this story, "Success isn't something that can be handed to you or passed down to a person from generation to generation.  A person must work for it. Success is the result of our past failures." 

So here we are- getting ready for the Big 10 - Workout Week #10.  My Week #9 workouts continued to be tricky with schedules, but this is something that I've been struggling with the past couple of weeks.   I'm hoping to get a firm grip on this issue within the next couple of weeks.  Here is my thinking--my son's school year is about to come to a close in about 10 days.  This will mean - no more 4:30am workout battles, but instead, I can get up an hour later to begin my workout.  Strange isn't it? How just one extra hour can make a total difference in your day.  How many times have we all said, "I wish I just had more time, just one more hour would make a total difference."  Unfortunately, we live by 24 hours per day and not 25, 26, or 27 hours per day.  I'm sure if the days were longer we would still find excuses and reasons why we all need just one more hour.  However, for me, not having to get up so early to take my son to school for the next 3 months is a "God Sent" and I'm definitely going to take advantage of it.

Week #9 workouts was all about "increase." Not only did my miles increase but I increased my time for each workout.  (another obstacle to over come) More time (that I don't have) is now required to complete longer workouts.  It was a tough challenge but I was able to complete everything.  So I started off the week with a current Run/Mile time of 16.53.  My goal each week is to continue to get heathier and hoping my time will get better to put me in a good time to complete the half marathon in 3.5 hours.  I'm always hoping to see seconds come off my run time each week.  However, I was worried that the 16.53 time would be a tough one to beat this week.  Throughout the week, my run time stayed the same until yesterday.  Saturday's workout was a 6 mile run/walk workout.  A little nervous going into the run but keeping my eye on the end of that tunnel.  Good news - I finished in 16.33, bad news, my knees are aching this morning.  Hopefully I didn't push the envelope too  hard yesterday. 

Today is a rest day, so I'm taking advantage of this day and not doing any workouts or long walks to give my knees a rest.  It's hard to believe that only 9 weeks ago - my minute / mile time was 25 minutes. Wow!! To think about this for my 6 mile workout - to continue at that time would mean another 60 minutes of a workout - totaling 150 minutes for the workout instead of the 98 minutes.    The numbers don't lie and seeing it on paper really makes you aware of the great results that happen with just a little hard work.

Week #10 workouts will continue to be about "increasing."  Week #9 was suppose to be the first week of outdoor training. However, due to extremely bad weather, I decide to stay indoors and not risk getting sick, which in turn could decrease and effect my workouts.  This week, I am going to attempt moving to outdoor workouts.  (keeping my fingers crossed for good weather)

Week #10 Workout Schedule
Monday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run / Walk (4 miles)
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run/Walk (6 miles)

This past week, we say good bye to single digit week numbers (1-9) and hello to "double digits." (10+)  The changing of the numbers makes me think of my son when he turned 10 years old. He was so excited because his age was no longer just one number but instead he now had (2) numbers for his age.  A big step for a child and a big step for my workout journey.

I hope everyone stays dry and has a great week.  It's the month of May - a month of rebirth-- everything is growing and blooming.

Happy Running!

Happy Mother's Day!! Hello Week #9!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there.  You are the world's best mother!!  We are very grateful for everything that moms do.  Without the moms - the world would not be the same.  I have the best husband in the world.  For mother's day, he gave me a dozen red roses, new dry fit running socks and a water belt for my upcoming race.  Perfect and thoughtful gifts.  He is just the best!! 

Today is Sunday, rest day!!  Thank goodness!  My weekend has been spent at my son's baseball tournament in Fort Collins.  His team did a GREAT job this weekend.  My running workouts struggled this weekend due to our baseball schedule.  With having to leave each morning by 6:30am, it was impossible to get in a decent workout, especially with not arriving back home until the early evening.  So unfortunately, no running workouts this weekend. However, I will say that I did get in some exercise even at a baseball field. The trick isn't the where but the how.  With fields and fields everywhere, this is the prime opportunity for good brisk walks.  Yesterday I took 20-30 brisk walks between baseball games. This not only got my heart and blood flowing but it also allowed me to still get in some type of exercise and workout even if I wasn't at home running.  I took about (3) different walks throughout the day on Saturday.  At my current minute/mile pace, this is a little over 4 miles for my workout.  Not too bad for being at a baseball tournament all weekend.  The final games were today.  The team lost the 2nd game but still finished at the top of the pack.  As a mother, I'm so proud of my son.  He played awesome and even won the MVP / Sportsman Award from another team's coach. 

Last week was a big challenge with my workouts.  I moved my workouts to the late afternoons.  I was noticing that I wasn't getting enough sleep with my morning workouts. I was only averaging about 6 1/2 hours of sleep with a 4:30am workout time.  I was struggling to find energy after 2pm.  I needed to find a way to get more energy, especially since my day doesn't end until 10:00pm.   Changing my workout times is working because my minute per mile pace went from 16.75 to 16.33.  Wow!  Who would have thought that changing your workout could have a great effect on your running time. 

So with baseball done for another weekend, it is onto Week #9 workout.  This week I will continue to do my workouts in the late afternoons.  I think I will get better results and performance even though afternoon workouts can be a challenge time wise.   This week it is about daily increases.  Each day will increase in time and distance.  This is going to be a tough and challenging week. 

Week #9 Workout
Monday - Run/Walk = 2 miles
Tuesday - Cross Training = 45 minutes
Wednesday - Run/Walk = 4 miles
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Cross Training = 60 minutes
Saturday - Run/Walk = 6 miles

My goal this week is to cut another 20 seconds from my time.  This might be a big step but I'm willing to take the challenge.  Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

Trainer Tip:  This week I learned a great tip.  I found this tip from Kendrick on the Run Like a Diva Facebook site.  Here is the tip:  Lemon up!! Lemons shrink fat cells so use it up whenever you can...good trick... squeeze some lemons and freeze in an ice cube trays. Now you can have some lemon without the hassle of cutting up lemons everytime you grab a drink.   Drink up.. and fight fat!!  

Have a great week!

Happy Running! 

Week Seven Becomes a "Sore Week"

Week #7 has been tagged the "sore week."  I'm definitely feeling more sore this week than any other week of the training.  Perhaps the increased soreness is because I'm pushing myself harder during my training days.  This week, I increased the speed on the treadmill.  For the last 6 weeks, I've been at a lower steady pace so that I can increase my lungs and breathing during running. This week, I increased my speed slightly so that I can begin to better my minute/mile pace. 

This week, my best Run/Walk minute/mile pace time was 16.75.   This is a little over 30 seconds better pace time than last week.  I still have my eyes set on a 12-13 minute/mile pace time for the half marathon race.  I have 111 days left to complete this task.    I also increased my weights this week during my cross training days.  I not only added an additional 15 minutes to my weight lifting but I also increased the level of weights.  I've added squats, kettlebells, and a workout hula hoop.  The increase in weights has caused my thighs and arms to feel more tender this week than past weeks.   Just an any training program has it ups and downs, the soreness..... this too will pass.

So it hasn't necessarily been a tough workout week, but a sore week.  Today was suppose to be a rest day but instead I opted to do a 2-mile brisk walk. I thought that a nice walk would do me some good and help keep my muscles going and not get stiff.  I'm actually happy I did the walk this morning. I feel great and my soreness is decreasing. 

Week #8 begins tomorrow.  This will be my last week of training indoors.  Week #9 training begins with my Run/Walk training outside.  Week #8 training will be the same as Week #7 ---- 3 days of 3-mile Run/Walk workouts with 2-days of cross training.

Weeky #7 Workout Schedule
Monday - Run/Walk 3-miles
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk 3 miles
Thursday - REST DAY
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run/Walk 5 miles
Sunday - REST DAY

I hope everyone had a great week. It is hard to believe that we are now in the month of May.  I'm so looking forward to the weather getting nice so I can spend more time outdoors. 

Happy Running!

Happy Easter! - Week #6 Comes to an End

WELCOME to Sunday!!  Today is many things - Easter, End of Week #6, measurments and Rest Day in the training program.  What a week.  This week's training sessions increased in mileage. Instead of 2-mile Run/Walk days, this week included 3-mile Run/Walk training days.  One would think that by just adding another mile it wouldn't make a difference to the rountine, but as I learned this week, another mile can make all the difference in the world.

Another mile will not only increase my running indurance, but it also means an increase in the my overall workout time.  Instead of a 45 minute workout routine, (2-mile Run/Walk), the workouts have increased to about 60 minutes.  For some of us who are already on a tight schedule, adding more workout time means a change in the daily routine.  Prior to this week, I would wake up around 4:30am to get ready for my daily workouts.  By the time I hit the treadmil, it was approximately 4:45am.  This allowed me 45 minutes to workout plus time to finished getting ready for work, get Ben ready for school, and get out the door by 7:00am each morning.  It's definitely been an adjustment this week with trying to find that "happy medium" with adding another 15 minutes to my morning workout schedule. 

The additional mile and running time has also increased my level of soreness.  I noticed in the early days of the week, a few more aches in my calves and feet.  By the time Friday rolled around, the daily soreness had decreased to minor soreness that passed within a few hours after the workout. 

The next hurdle in the weekly workouts is a 5-mile Run/Walk at the end of each week. Last Saturday, I ran into issues with my legs at the 4 mile mark and wasn't able to finish the 5 miles.  This week I was determined to complete the 5 miles.  In fear that my workout time on Saturday would be interupted by my son's baseball tournament, I decide to do the 5-mile run on Friday afternoon.  I was nervous about this run all day and worried that my legs would not hold up.   The good news - I was able to complete the 5-mile Run/Walk.  I would be lying if I said it was easy.  I definitely was wiped out after the 5 miles and my calves and buttocks areas were really sore.  After the 5-mile workout, I stretched for anohter 10 minutes to keep my muscles from getting tight.   I was able to complete the 5 miles in 90 minutes which gave me a 18 minute/mile pace.  I'm excited that I stayed within my minute/mile pace time.  Now  the goal is to just keep working on increasing my indurance and the ability to keep doing this each week- especially since my Saturday workout will increase to a 6-mile Run/Walk in the next 3 weeks.  

Week #7 workouts remail the same as Week #6.
Monday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
                                       Saturday - Run/Walk (5 miles)
                                       Sunday - Rest Day

After 6 weeks of my workout routine, I thought it would be a good time to see how I'm doing on my inches and weight loss.  To date - I've lost 12 lbs and 8.75 inches.  For my body inches, I measured everything from my ankles, waist, hips, bust, biceps, etc during Week #1 of my workout plan.  I lost almost 2 full dress sizes in the first 2 weeks of the workout plan. I can only guess that my body fat is turning into muscle and can only hope that the weight and inches will continue to disappear over the next couple of weeks.  The next body measurement will be the end of May. 

Since today is also a Rest Day, I'm going to enjoy the day by spending the holiday enjoying my family and snacking on a small chocolate bunny.  Tomorrow brings a whole new week and tough workout schedule.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter Sunday!.

Happy Running!

Week #6 - Hoping for a Better Week of Training

Happy Monday!
Today begins the start of Week #6.  Last week was not a good week.  It is in the past and I'm moving forward and keeping my sights on having a great week #6.  This week I start increasing the mileage in my workouts.  Instead of 2-mile Run/Walk workouts, I have now graduated to 3-mile Run/Walk workouts with a 5-mile Run/Walk workout on Saturday.   After last week's issues with my feet, I'm looking forward to a fresh start and a good workout week. 

Week #6 Workout Schedule
Monday - Run / Walk 3 miles
Tuesday - Cross Training / 45 minutes
Wednesday - Run/Walk 3 miles
Thursday - REST DAY
Friday - Cross Training / 45 minutes
Saturday - Run/Walk 5 miles
Sunday - REST DAY

This morning I started off with 15 minutes of stretching and light weight lifting to get my body ready for a 3 mile run.  I was a little nervous about my run due to last week's issues.  I held my own and completed the run/walk in 60 minutes. That is a 20 minute / mile pace time - 1 minute/mile increase from 2 weeks ago.   I guess it's not as bad as it could be considering I didn't get any running completed last week.  My goal is to shave off that minute and get back to my 18-19 minute / mile time by the end of this week.  Feeling a little sore this morning but that is only to be expected after no good training last week. 

I hope everyone has a great Monday!  Don't forget to send in your tax forms.  Afterall - it is TAX DAY!!! 

Happy Running!

End of Week #5 / Day 35 - Not a good week!

It's the end of Week #5 and all I can say is "my feet are killing me."  This entire week I was out of town working a tradeshow for my employer.   Long booth hours and standing on my feet for 12 hours at a time are not good when you are training for a race.  I must say my calves got a great workout but my feet were really sore - too sore and swollen to run.  Even after wearing comfortable shoes in the tradeshow booth all day, I still had issues with my feet.  I attempted a run on the 2nd day but the pounding on the treadmill really took a toll on my feet.  So needless to say, I didn't get any running completed during Week #5 but instead I just did 1-2 mile walks.  I'm still trying to find that "Happy Medium" between traveling and running workouts.   The good news is that I'm not scheduled to travel again until the beginning of July. 

I'm really bummed and feel like I lost a whole week of training due to my feet.  I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself and just take each week as it comes.  I've been doing some reading about preparing for a race and it appears that I'm not the only "first time racer" that's had issues with their feet. It appears to be a phase that all first time runners go through during their training process.  So for me, my issues have been 1) wrong shoes and 2) standing for too long without movement in my feet.  I fixed the shoe issue a couple of weeks ago and now I just need to remember to keep movement in my feet at all times.  All I can do is take this as a learning lesson and move forward with a new week. 

Today is Sunday, Day #35 in my training and it also happens to be a rest day.  In attempts to keep body & feet from getting stiff, I did 15 minutes of stretching this moring and then went on a 2 mile light walk.   I don't want to be stiff for my run tomorrow morning.

Quote for the Day:

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."  Confucius

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Running!

Week 4 / Day 28 - REST DAY!!!! Bring It On!

Today is the best day of the week - REST DAY!!! Oh how I look forward to my (2) REST DAYS per week.   This has been a tough week between work, home and workouts.  Definitely a challenge for the different schedules, especially since my son is full on with his baseball season. WHEW!! I made it to the end of Week 4 and my reward - REST DAY!!!!

Tomorrow begins Week #5 of training. Training workouts will be the same as Week#4 with a 5 mile run/walk on Saturday.  I struggle to make it to 4.5 miles yesterday so next Saturday "5 miles here I come." 

This week also begins another business travel week for me so the challenge will be getting my workouts completed while I'm on the road.  My schedule isn't so tight with early morning workouts, so I don't anticipate any problems getting my workouts complete by/before 7am each day.  I leave on Monday and won't be back home until Friday.. 

Week #5 Workout Schedule

Monday - Run / Walk (45 minutes + 15 minutes weight training)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run/Walk (45 minutes + 15 minutes weight training)
Thursday - REST DAY
Friday- Cross Training (45 minutes + 15 minutes of weight training)
Saturday - Run/Walk (5 miles)
Sunday - REST DAY

Quote for the Day
Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day.  It asks you, "are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?"  Peter Maher, Canadian Marathon Runner

Since I will be traveling all this week, I probably won't be able to do a daily report on my blog. I will try and get in a few during the week but will most likely do  report at the end of the week.  I hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Running!

End of Week 4 / Day 27 - One month down!

Today mark's the end of my 4th week.  (well actually tomorrow is the end date - but it's a rest day)    I made it through my first month of training.  Whoooo!!!  I'm not going to lie - the first month has been tough.  To prepare for this half marathon journey, I had to completely change my day to day schedule.  Prior to training, my focus was on the family and work, and now I've added "me" to the focus priorities.  Family and work are very busy so to add "me" into the picture, it took some planning and rearranging of the schedules.  I must say, it took a few weeks to work out the kinks in the schedules.  Now at Week 4, I feel pretty good and stable about my workout schedule.  It's getting easier to get up at 4:30am for my workouts.  I must admit, some mornings I'm tired and struggle to get out of bed.  This results in afternoon workouts.  If I don't make it up in the morning then I always make sure I complete the workouts in the afternoon.  As I stated in a previous weekly blog, I'm not a fan of afternoon workouts, however, sometimes this can't be helped.

This week, I'm finally finding the workouts to get easier and not a struggle. I'm still feeling some aches in my calves during my run but it's starting to decrease with each workout.   I've started to add my weight lifting into my training routines.  I try to lift weights about 3-4 times a week for 15 minutes.  I'm not doing heavy lifting but instead moderate weights with lots of repetitions.  It's all about the reps and feeling the burn and not necessarily the amount of weight that you lift.   I'm hoping this will eventually strengthening my arms and increase my muscle. 

To be honest - I haven't noticed a huge weight loss yet.  To date - I've lost 8lbs.   My monthly goal was 10lbs/ per month so I'm only 2lbs short.  I'm really starting to notice the inches.  I've lost 1 1/2 sizes.  I'm not quite ready to get into that 2nd size yet. I could see this coming very soon - probably in the next 7-10 days.   At the end of next week, I will take my monthly measurements to see how many inches are gone.  My calorie intake has averaged about 1800-2000 per day. I'm trying to limit my sugars, carbs and starches and increase fruits and veggies.  I'm definitely drinking A LOT of water this month. I'm averaging about 70-85 ounces per day.   The trainer keeps telling me - stay hydrated!

Today's Workout - Run/Walk - 5 miles 
I was very nervous about today's workout. This will be my longest run to date.  I'm worried that my calves would not hold up to the challenge.  Did I make it?  It was close - I finished 4.5 miles.  My calves began to cramp and I just couldn't run anymore today. No worries, I have to hit 5 miles again next Saturday.  This time I will make it.   I had a great time today. I averaged about 18.65 minutes per mile.  Not bad.  I know I will do better next week.

Thanks again for everyones thoughts, prayers and support.  This is life changing experience for me and I'm looking forward to my first finish line.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Happy Running!

Week 4- Almost a Month Under My Belt!

Welcome to Week 4!  Wow!  I'm getting  very close to having one month of training completed.  I just can't believe that it is week #4.  Next week I will take my monthly measurements and let everyone know how I'm doing with my pounds and inches. 

This week's workout are similar in format as the previous weeks - however, we are now at 3 miles for the Run/Walk workout days. 


Week 4 Workout Schedule
Monday - Run/Walk (3 miles)
Tuesday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Wednesday - Run / Walk (3 miles)
Thursday - REST DAY
Friday - Cross Training (45 minutes)
Saturday - Run/Walk (5 miles)
Sunday - REST DAY

I'm feeling a little sore after today's 3 mile workout. I'm hoping that it is due to increase of miles this week.  This is going to be a very busy week with work and my son's baseball schedule so the last thing I need to add to my schedule is a sore body. 

Trainer Tip:    Are we there yet?   Starting any journey is fun. Sometime, though, as the first blush of excitement fades, we realize just how far we actually have to go.   Don't look too far ahead in your training. For now it's enough to do what you need to do today and this week. The weeks to come will be here soon enough.

Happy Running!!

End of Week 3 - What a Challenge!

What a week!!  It is definitely a challenge when you are traveling and have a workout routine that needs to be incorporated into your travel plans.   This week was definitely a learning experience and I'm glad to be home. 

I was able to complete my workouts during my trip, however, it wasn't an easy task. The hotel provided a wonderful workout facility. The Trick:  To get an early morning workout, I had to arrive at the hotel workout room by 5:15am, otherwise, the machines were booked until 7am.  There were a couple of days that I overslept and by the time I arrived to the workout room, every machine was full. This meant I would have to reschedule my workout for the evening.   One morning I did my workout in my hotel room. I brought a yoga DVD with me just in case of an emergency.  The yoga workout was good but I could have used a soft mat instead of a hard hotel floor.

Overall, the travel week went well.  This was a good trial run for my next travel week - April 11-15.  I can only hope that workouts and traveling gets easier with practice. 

Tomorrow is a rest day and then it is back to Run/Walk on Monday.  Have a great weekend!

Happy Running!
 

Week 3 - The Start of a New Week (Rest Day)

Wow!! I can't believe it is the start of Week 3 / Day 14.  Only 2 weeks down and I feel really good.  My "bottom" area is a little sore from yesterday's 4-mile run.   Thanks to everyone for your advice and suggestions on how to fix the numbness in my feet. I decided to invest in a new pair of running shoes.  I bought a pair that is 1/2 size larger than my normal shoes as well as this pair has additional gel in the soles.  Who knew running shoes could be so expensive - $99.  I hope this works. 

Today I leave town for 5-days of business travel.  I'm a little nervous as to how this will effect my workout program.  It is difficult enough to balance one's home, family, work and a workout routine let alone add travel and longer working hours to the mix.  This will be a new speed bump in my workout program. 

Today is a rest day!! Remember... no walking, running or exercising today.  Just as it is important to train for a long distance race, it is also very important to give your body and muscles a rest.  

Tomorrow's workout is a run/walk for 45-minutes.  Have a great Sunday!

Happy Running!