New Sneakers!

My hubby is so supportive of my new addiction to running that my first complaint of a blister after my 7 mile run last week he ordered me new sneakers. :) Not just any sneakers, but the same pair that he took me to get fitted for last summer. I now have two pairs of identical shoes... one pair that is very worn...that have been worn through hundreds of miles of my first running experiences... and then another... brand new...sparkly white...so clean...and so comfy!

Even though I wasn't able to get outside to run this week getting on my treadmill was just as satisfying. I need to break in these new shoes for Sunday! I have my second half marathon in Newport Beach. I am so excited to see if I can improve not only my time, but my endurance as well. This will be a true test to what I have accomplished this year because I will be on my own, I won't have my husband running next to me for support, I won't have my best friend telling me that she's so proud of me, I won't have the comics of her hubby, Andy... it'll just be me.

Finally got to run today!!!

After 4 days of not running I finally got a good 45 minutes in! Granted it was after dinner while Javier was pushing Nico in the stroller and Alyssa riding her bike while I did laps around them in our neighborhood! But, I don't care!!! I got to run! :)

It makes me feel great doing something wonderful for my body...physicially and mentally. I feel energized when I get some running in. So, now lets see if I can get this paper completed with all of this energy! LOL!

Double Edged Sword

So, I have been so busy and trying to get this 10 page paper completed for school that I haven't had the opportunity to do anything for myself! :( It really bums me out. The kids went back to school today, but we have been trying to potty train Nico and want to stick with it this time so ended up keeping him home with Javier to do it.

Javier has been home sick with the chicken pox for a week and a half now and although it is great to have more time with him, it is also quite difficult for me to find time to get things done! I rely on him so much to help me that I think that I become lazy when he is around. I am used to going to work, picking the kids up at 5-6 p.m., coming home, making dinner, having dinner and "talk time/story time" with the kids, baths, medications, and bedtime all completed by 8 p.m. so that I have the rest of the night to run (on the treadmill, if I didn't get an late afternoon one in) and by 8:30-9 p.m. I am working on my schoolwork. It is a double edged sword having Javier at home to help me with all of this! I LOVE him being home with us, but I don't get 1/2 as much done as I do when he is at work! LOL!

So, as a result... I haven't run this week at all and it is making me feel down. I hope that I can get out soon! :)

Countdown to OC Half Marathon- 30 days

Today was the first day that I got out running in about a week and a half. I have just been in a funk and I have lost my motivation for any sort of exercise. That ended today when I got an email from the OC Half Marathon indicating that I was registered! My hubby registered me for the May 2nd race!



While I was excited about participating the realization that this race is in exactly one month also set it! I jetted home after work, changed my clothes, put on my running shoes and told my family that I would be back after my run!



I suddenly had motivation! Surprised and wondering to myself where this sudden burst of motivation came from, I headed out on the bike path determined to run at least 4 miles. I made it halfway to the 2 mile marker in 15 minutes! What an accomplishment for being so lazy the last couple of weeks.



My true gift was after turning around and heading back about 1/2 mile I ran into my friends and their babies! It was such a nice surprise to see them. My run ended there today, but I walked another 1/2 mile back with my friends and enjoyed some much needed "mommy talk!"

We will see how the next 29 days end up!

My First Blog

My good friend Carrie has a wonderful blog about her family and I am an active follower! But, I wanted to do something for me... something to track my running progress. I have tried to write in a couple of running journals...tried to track my runs on my ipod... and I can't seem to stick with anything. So, I am going to give this a try.

To begin this journey I should begin with how I started running in the first place. Last year, my good friend Carrie had this crazy idea that we should do a Half Marathon (just so that we could say that we did it!). We both signed up for the Surf City Half Marathon in June of 2009 before we could even realize what we had signed up for. Time went by and we both told one another that we were going to start running. At first, the summer was too hot... when it got cooler we would start... then it was too cold... and before we knew it the race was around the corner.

My coworker gave me a book on training and running your first Half Marathon, my husband subscribed to Runner's World, we went and got fitted for running shoes... I didn't really have an excuse not to get going...

I started running on my treadmill at home after I put the kids to bed. At first I started running a mile, but after a week or so that one mile ended up only being 10-15 minutes on the treadmill. I learned to focus on the time and not the miles I was banking. Soon, I was up to 3 miles in 1/2 hour.

4 weeks later and 10 lbs lighter, it was time for the Surf City Half Marathon! I was so nervous!!! We survived the race and had a GREAT time! After coming home and letting the soreness wear off for a couple of days I immediately signed up for the Disneyland Half Marathon before I could think about what I was doing! I wanted to keep motivated.

It has now been about 2 months since my first Half Marathon and I have to say that I am loving running! Inside on the treadmill... outside on the bike path... pushing the kids in the jogging stroller... or taking the dog on a run... I have learned to enjoy this time. The time that I am running is time for ME... it is time for me to reflect on my day... to pray... to hope for the future... this time for myself gives me the opportunity to do so much and I can't wait for the next run!

My hubby has signed me up for the OC Half Marathon in May and I think it's because he realizes how much I enjoy running and how great it is for my physicial and spiritual being. It's great to have good friends and family that are supportive of something that I have learned to love.