Back ... and stronger than ever.

So, I'm not going to bore you with a recap of my year-long hiatus. To sum it up, my body hated me last year (and still does, from time to time). With my sports med doc's blessing, I decided to fight back, let pain be my guide and get back into running again. To say I'm so happy to be back is an understatement. This time around, I'm doing things different, y'all. Among those things:

• Going with the flow. Pace? What pace? Okay, okay. Maybe I do notice my pace from time to time and get hella excited when I run faster than the run before, but I don't get mad when I'm slow as molasses.
• Shooting for the big 'un. My goal, yes, is to run a half marathon (this girl does NOT have the time to train for anything more at this point in my life, what with three kids, two of whom who are super active in activities, a toddler who still needs me, a business, a part-time job and a possible amazing opportunity coming soon). But I've gotta face the facts: Training is a balance of life. For me, my day is planned down to the minute, and I have to slip training in where I can. When I trained for my half marathon last year, training consumed me. So far, I have a quarter-marathon in my sights in May. Slow and easy and knowing that as long as I stay active and make sure I run my long runs, I'll make it. 
• No stopping=sucky. I was HUGE on my endurance and trying to run straight through last year. This year, nope. Not so much. I'm a fan of Jeff Galloway's program and am happily running three minutes, walking one. And I don't care. I look forward to those little walk breaks. And you know what? My pace is faster (shhhh, not that I notice per the bullet above).

I hope I'm not jinxing myself by jumping back in this blog, but hey, it's been a great run (see what I did there), so far, and I know my legs have many more miles ahead of them. XO

Gearing Up for Six

I'm full swing into training for the Cap City Half Marathon in Columbus, in May. I've gotta say: I never thought I'd make it this far. Quite frankly, when my brother's girlfriend/a running buddy suggested we try running it in May WHILE we were running a 5k, I thought she was nuts. I smile and nodded (and choked and gasped and whined, as again ... I was running, people-it's not a graceful thing for me). I didn't think I could really do it, what with my schedule, jobs, motivation, etc. Well, I'm on Week 5 now, and have hardly missed a day (the plague that hit our house as well as weather has really hurt). Well, technically, I'd be further as I started the Hal Higdon Half Marathon app in October, but kind of fizzled our over the craziness of the holidays.

This past weekend, my "long run" was five miles. The week prior, I ran five miles but only broken up: three at lunchtime and two at dinner time. So, technically, I had never ran that far straight through. But I did it this past weekend, with a five minute break to choke the vomit back down my throat after just two miles. It was a good run. I finally hit a comfortable pace and stride, and once I got over that blessed three mile mark that literally has plagued me since day one, I was ok. I was fine. I was great. And honestly? I wasn't even that sore. Awesome.

I took a couple of days off, in part due to the plague in my house and one day was my rest day anyway. 

So when I had to run four miles last night as part of my new increased daily mileage, I literally panicked. I tried to figure every way to get around this but had to just face it head on.

Glad I did: I did it. And ran straight through without stopping. Four miles. Boom. And then, home to crash in bed and watch "Day After Tomorrow. You know. Since I swear, our country is living out this movie with the crazy weather.

This weekend, I run SIX miles in a 10k race, right on track with my training. I have moments of self doubt, knowing what my body can do and knowing I have the potential of running more than half without stopping, but the reality is that it's going to rain, there are hills and I will undoubtedly not get sleep the night before. But I beat that little Negative Nelly down and pray for the best, knowing I'll finish it regardless if I'm fast, if I take breaks, or not.

I feel so much stronger. Like I've said before, when I think I CAN'T, I DO. :)

Catching Up

What a week the last week has been. Sickness, no school, frigid temps, more sickness, no school, frigid temps ... Cabin fever? Stir crazy? I mean, let's be honest here. I'm just going crazy, period. I've lost all of my Pinterest craftiness, we've done the whole "tossing boiling water outside" thing, attempted frozen bubbles ... I just don't have one more ounce of entertaining spirit or patience for the five million fights, hurt feelings and toddler screams (and NOT screams of delight). Who isn't? Gabe has been working first shift so by the time he gets home, I'm laced up and ready to leave.

See, running has become my therapy. I hate to use it as my "escape," though some nights, I'm escaping the chaos. But it's the one opportunity I have to get in tune with me: mind, body, spirit.

I realized tonight that I multitask waaaaaaay too much. I also learned that when my mind is put to a task and I need to focus, the moment I break that focus, it's all over. The last couple of runs I have ran, have left me with losing focus the last mile. Boy, when that happened, my body just feels like a sack of potatoes, and getting through the rest of the run is tough.

Totally translates to my life in general. Lots of things to change, but I'm so thankful for this opportunity to help me become a better person.