New Habits

I ran about 4 days last week. I wanted to run 5 but skipped Sunday. I have a stuffy head so I took a night time medicine and it zonked me out! I slept until 8:00am! I was still feeling fuzzy the next day, so I didn't run. I ran on Monday. About 8 miles at 7:45 pace. I ran with K and we had a good run. I didn't run today. I was so tired and it was cold and dark that I didn't get up and go. I wish I did. Now that is all I can think about. I really need to add in another day. Even if it is an "active rest day" as my coach calls it. I really need to get back to 5-6 days of running. I am realizing that I need to add it in and just go out and do it. I have to go early or I can't go. So I just need to do it....I don't have a treadmill at home. I do have a gym membership, but of course getting there and working out and getting back to the house by 6:30 is tough. I have to be here to start babysitting. So I need to go really early or not at all. I wish I was more disciplined. I wish I would just get up and do it no matter what. I need to work on the positive to get there. It is hard to balance it all. I also just found out that the race I was going to do this weekend was called off. It was supposed to be the Lake Winni relay. However, we could not get 8 to go, so we are not running it. It is just as well, as this weekend we have a ton to do and it would have been all on my husband to do it all (soccer games, birthday parties etc. ). I will need to run a long run this weekend. Hopefully this week will go better....

Getting back into a grove....

Wow, take a few days off for about two weeks and you feel like your have just started over and I feel so out of shape!!! I ran a race this weekend, in the 98 degree heat! I ran a 5 miler, so slow.....I felt like stopping so badly. I ran about a 7:02 pace. Which is slow considering I did a 10 miler at 6:43 pace 3 weeks earlier. Oh well, this can happen. My confidence is down and I feel so out of shape. Not to mention the fact that I have been eating horribly and gained some weight. It all goes together, don't run much, eat more junk food, drink more and so on and so on. Today I met two friend at 5:45 and ran a fast (fast for me) 8 miles (about a 7:20 pace). It was tough to keep up with them. But I know that if I can just hang on to them I will get back into shape. Tomorrow I may take the day off, I am not sure. Then Wed is track. Which is usually very difficult. This weekend I am not racing so hopefully I can get a long run in. (long for me is about 12 miles). It is hard to get up everyday to run. But most days I start work at 6:45 and don't end until about 6:00 at night! A long day for sure!

I am determined to eat better and run more. I need to get back to lifting, and running at least 5-6 days. It is harder to get up now, because it is dark out...very dark. It feels like night still. I know I just need to get back on track and I will feel better. I need to also get my house cleaned and organized. I feel like everything is off and needs to get back into balance.
Ever feel like that?

Not a great week...

This week was a down week for sure. I was going to race but decided not to. I have been racing a lot and felt a family day was due. The next coming weeks is going be busy with racing so a weekend off was good. I only ran 3 days this week. Hopefully I can get right back into training and I don't lose a lot of fitness. I am going to run a 5 miler this weekend. I am planning on running 6 today (once I get the kids to school) then track workout tomorrow night. I am not sure what the workout is yet.

I do notice a big difference when I don't run much. I am more cranky and feel on edge. It is amazing how a few days off can effect your mind. I don't feel "calm" or "peaceful" when I don't run. So today should feel good.

The hard part about running is fitting it in. Why is it so easy to find a reason not to exercise, then you feel horrible for not doing it? Well no more skipping days. This week will be better.

I am off to get the kids up for school.

Why do I run?

Why is a good place to start. I guess the first response is "Sanity". I have 3 kids, 10, 7 and almost 4 year old. I run an in home daycare from 6:45 to about 5:00 or 6:00 at night. So without running I would need to be on medication. When do I run? At about 5:45 on Mondays, Tues. I take a day off. Wed. I run at track practice (with Gate City Strider's). Thurs. off or easy run. Friday at 6:00 (I don't start work until 8:30) Saturday I run a long run of about 10-15 miles and on Sunday about 7-8 miles easy. So when people say that they don't have time to exercise, I don't have a lot of sympathy, because you Can fit it in if you try hard enough.

I have run since 8th grade. I ran in high school, then in College. After that I ran with Liberty Track club, but got burned out. 4 years ago I moved to NH. and hooked up with the striders. I love the group and couldn't be happier. I run a lot of local races and enjoy them. Sometimes I get sick of racing, but mostly I enjoy them. I am lucky to have a husband that has realized that running is so important to me and he always supports me in my running. He knows that I am just not fun to be around without running. I wish I could say that I do more, like lifting or cross training , but I don't. I am trying to fit in lifting(helps my bad back). But am not consistent. Ah, the consistent word. I wish I could say that I was more consistent, but I am not great at it. I can go from running 45 miles a week to running 20 the next. This week I have taken off 3 days, however, I am going to run a race on Monday, so I guess I am tapering. It is a 5k, which I have not done in a long time. Oh well,we will see how it goes. I do feel like I had a huge break through this past race. I ran a 10miler and ran a 1:08 a 6:43 a mile. That is huge for me. I had a PR. of 1:10 before so I was so happy to get that time. I hope that this race will show good results as well. Some things have changed this year that may have helped. First, we have a new coach who is great. Dave Camier. He is the founder of Coolrunning. He is smart and knows running. Second, I hoked up with these fast women and I love running with them. They are so good and they make me run much faster than I am used to. Plus, I was running about 25-30 miles a week and now I am about 35-45 miles a week. I think it will help (I hope) . So I hope that this next race will also see good results. We shall see..... So, I hope someone is out there reading my blog and interested in fitness, health and the pursuit of health and fitness. I really want to achieve balance in my life and calmness that I really want to have. We shall see. ..Let me know if you are out there and what your interest are...Good bye for now :)

Welcome

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time ever blogging. I figured why not join the crowd!