Week 3 Training

I did it! I did it! I was able to get 17 miles in and get everything else done that I had planned too.
Let that impress you for a second....ok, good. Now, here's the kicker. I beat my 17 mile plan and did 19.5 miles!

Whoa.

via oursoleintent.com

How did I do that and how do I keep it up? This has been the question that I will be asking myself from now until the marathon. Next week I start full time grad school. The summer schedule is intense. Intense meaning six hours of classes a day, five days a week, plus homework time. I have a feeling I will either get to pick between training and a social life. If I'm lucky. Maybe. Ok, enough stressing over that and onto what I did for the week:

• Tuesday (6/3): I like food. This is why I made a huge dinner and ate all of it before I decided to run. I thought two hours before running would be fine. It wasn't. I jumped on the treadmill and did 2 miles at a 9:45 pace. After two miles I called it quits and tried not the throw up for the rest of the night.
• Wednesday: I woke up determined to get those 2 extra miles in that I missed out on the night before so I was back on the treadmill bright and early to do 2 miles at a 9:40 pace. Then to celebrate National Running Day (and stay on track for the week) I came home from work and ran 3 glorious miles outside at a 9:41 pace. Can't wait for NRD next year! 
• Thursday: Cross training included of a 25 minute upper body yoga workout that kicked my butt. No, seriously, I could barely move my arms the next day and it hurt to laugh. It was awesome!
• Friday: So...this was supposed to be a 4 miler day. However, I got home from work and the weather was just so...perfect that I made a mixed drink and jumped in the pool instead. In all fairness, I did get my 25 minutes of cross training in by swimming laps. 
• Saturday: Read my last post about bad runs. I had a terrible run. I did get the 4 miles in...but I walked two of them. Boo.I'm not posting my pace. Nope. In better news, my fiance asked me to go with him for a short jog later that night and we put in 2.5 miles of hilly neighborhoods at a 10:02 pace. Sometimes I forget how awesome it is to run with other people...must do this more often.
• Sunday: Long run day! This week was a 10k run at a 9:58 pace. It was hot out (for me, 75 is hot, thank you very much). My first mile went by too fast over too many hills and I was sucking wind for the next two. Oh well. My fiance joined me for mile 5 and took a longer course while I headed back home for mile 6. I'm really starting to appreciate the long runs. Getting to that hour point is such an amazing feeling and I can't wait until I start pushing double digits again (just a few weeks away!). Plus, it sounds so much cooler to say "Hey, I ran twelve miles toady." Agree? 

In other news, my dad has picked up running again! While he usually averages about two miles now, I'm planning on running a 5k with him on the 4th of July and it couldn't make me happier! 

Now, let's see how this week goes (also crazy) before next week...when grad school kicks off (even crazier!).

Bad Run: A Lesson

Today, I ran 4 miles.

Well, I didn't exactly run. I'm almost ashamed to admit that at mile 2, I stopped for a quick walk break. That walk break turned into a 2 mile walk break to finish out the required 4 mile distance I had set for myself. What should have been wrapped up and done with a neat bow in about 40 minutes took nearly 50 minutes and some grumbling. 

Today, I had a bad run.

While I've only been running for oh, 15 months (give or take), I've realized the power in a bad run. Sure, it would be great to have a great run every time. It would be amazing to finish every run with an increased pace, increased distance, and the euphoric feeling that this run was your best one yet! Unfortunately, that is so far from the truth that it can be emotionally, mentally, and even physically painful. To have something that you love so much and that is supposed to be so good for you turn into frustration and disappointment is, frankly and personally, a big slap in the face. I'm a runner, damnit! I'm supposed to be a good one, too! 

via fromheretome.com

However, as I was talking to my dad, who ran cross country in Alaska in high school, I realized that he probably had bad running days too. Then there were days where he was making, and breaking, PRs. Everyone has bad runs. Furthermore, I have never experienced, nor have I heard of other runners, experiencing two really bad runs in a row. Usually, I have one bad run that pisses me off and leaves me fuming for the day. The next day (or next scheduled run), I am ready to go and prove myself. There is no need to prove myself to anyone else (I keep reminding myself that no one but me cares about my pace but me). The only person I have to prove myself to for the next day is...me! And usually, those are some of my best and favorite runs.

I remember the first time I hit the 10k mark. The day before I wasn't able to get even two measly miles in.

The next day I had planned a four mile run to make up some miles. At mile four, I was feeling great for running at a steady pace and tackling some tough hills. I thought, "one more mile." At mile five I finally said "I'm going to do my first 10k today." It was magical and celebrated by a day trip to the coast with some close friends. 

Tomorrow I have a six mile run planned. Instead of focusing on how badly I did toady, I'm excited to run again tomorrow; not only run - but kick butt!  

Week 2 Training

Week two of marathon training is up. I’m exhausted! I’ve trained for events before – a 15k and a half marathon – and I remember being tired after the first two to five weeks. After a few weeks though, I start feeling strong; super strong. That’s until the long runs hit. Don’t we all know that feeling though, right?

Here’s how the week went:

• Tuesday (5/27): 3 mile run at a 10:19 pace. The slower pace came in when I got a phone call around 2.7 miles. I ended up walking the last .3 while talking. Productive? Yes! I got a letter of recommendation sent in for grad school and finished the run in a (fairly) decent time.
• Wednesday: Another 3 mile run, according to schedule, at a 9:38 pace. This one was on a treadmill since it was so cold out compared to the day before. I had too much fun with a good playlist and rocked out.
• Thursday: I have found a way to combine exercise and Netflix! My life is set. I sat in the living room doing resistance core and arm exercise for 45 minutes while watching Supernatural.  Nothing inspires me more than watching two hot actors flexing their muscles against ghosts….well, maybe. It sure did make the 45 minutes go by fast though!
• Friday: Another 3 mile run at a 9:30 pace. I actually stayed home from work this day in order to get stuff around the house done and catch up with everything else in my life. Sleeping in must have paid off because I was quick on the run and then had enough energy to swim. The weather was so beautiful that I did laps in the pool for half an hour and swam around casually for another hour. Thank you, Portland, for finally deciding to be summer!
• Saturday: I had a busy and long day planned but I made sure to get up early and do my required 25 minutes of cross training. 15 minutes of weight lifting and 10 minutes of elliptical. After eating an awesome brunch (and $2 mimosas!), I headed out to the river with a friend for a little cold swimming, followed by heading how to swim casually in the pool for an hour with another friend. Swimming is awesome!
• Sunday: Long run day – if you can call it a long run. Today started out lazy but I eventually got myself out the door for a 5 mile run.  I’ve realized that I start out way too fast for any amount of running and I need to stop this and slow down.  Looking at my splits, my first mile was a good :56 faster than my usual running pace of 10:00/mile. By the time I hit mile 3 I’m a little slower than I should be. Also, let’s not talk about mile 5. It was a lot hotter out than I’m accustomed to, the Gu I took at mile 2.5 wasn’t settling well with me, and it was all in incline (excuses, excuses…I know).

Overall, I’m happy with this week. Lots of work done and 14 more miles of training down! Now next week I must manage balancing more miles (17) with a busy social schedule and calender. It will be a magic trick, for sure. 

Week 1 Report

Week 1 of training is done and there are 19 more weeks to go! I currently and following a training schedule from Stack. This is s 20 week program that starts out easy. Week 1 was an easy 10 miles and 40 minutes of cross training. Each week the runs become progressively longer and harder. Cross training time increase as well. The longest run is 20 miles in week 18. While I would like the longer run to maybe be two or three miles longer, I’m going to do my best to stick to the schedule to a T. However, the reason that I like and chose this training plan was specifically for the variety of runs. There are runs that are all about going up and down hills, runs that are divided into hard, moderate, and easy sections, and runs that allow you to play with your pace. I also love how it includes cross training into the schedule too!

So how did my first week go? It looked something like this:

• Tuesday (5/20): 20 minutes on a stationary bike. I watched Netflix and it was awesome. 
• Wednesday: 3 miles outside at a 9:56 pace. This was my first run after the half marathon and it hurt but I’m super glad I did it.
• Thursday: 20 minutes of yoga to work on hip strength. 
• Friday: 3 miles on the treadmill at a 9:58 pace. I watched Netflix again. This is becoming a bad habit. 
• Saturday: Another 20 minutes of yoga. This was more general stretching out.
• Sunday: 4 miles on the treadmill at a 9:53 pace. My fiancé was running around the gym making funny faces at me so the running itself went by quickly.
• Monday (5/26): Although this is supposed to be a rest day, I still did 10 minutes of yoga to stretch out and jumped in the pool for 15 minutes.

I feel good about the first week and I can’t wait to step it up for the second week. I’m hoping to get outside more in order to keep training on the road. It will all depend on the bipolar Portland weather and my time management skills. Next week is 14 miles and 50 minutes of cross training. Can’t wait!

Run, Short Legs, Run!

Hello and welcome!

This first post is just a quick "what is this?" clarification. My name is Nicole. I'm a 23-year-old graduate student that accidentally fell in love with running. The hobby has helped me in my life-long struggle with anxiety and depression. Between following my passions and running, I have found that I can now keep both of these issues in check - and they are starting to disappear. 

Before the "Color Me Rad" 5k.
My first running event!

I started running around March of 2013 - not too long ago. One of my closest friends signed me up for a 5k color run and I freaked out. Never before in my life had I ran more than a mile. How was I supposed to run three miles!? I started training right away and took the run very seriously. Looking back, it's humorous to think that I spent nearly three months training for a 5k. However, every bit of freaking out and over planning was worth it. I soon fell in love with putting on my running shoes, hitting the pavement, and building up milage. The best part? I ran the whole 5k and had a blast!

15k with my running inspiration!

After a small break during the summer of 2013, I picked up running again. This time it was for fun. There were no events planned. This was until another friend - who I consider a seasoned running with six half marathons and two full marathons under her belt - asked me to run a 15k with her. At this point my longest run had been six miles and this was before the running break in the summer. Like the good friend I am, however, I laced up my running shoes again and started working toward a new goal. Just like the 5k, the 15k went great! My friend and I talked through the whole thing and it was over before I felt like I even had a chance to really get into the groove of running and enjoy myself. 

Once I got home from the 15k I thought to myself "Why don't I keep going?" So, naturally, I signed up for a marathon. At the time I was already registered for a half marathon and thought that 13.1 would be enough. Turns out, it isn't. I completed my first half marathon on May 18th, 2014. I loved

Smile they say. You'll look great they say.
.1 away from finishing my first half!

every second of it more than any other run I had ever done. It was pure adrenaline for the whole 2:25:25. I'm hooked.

So how is this blog different from the other running blogs? Well, for now I don't have too much running experience. I don't count 3 events as much - at all! However, this blog is going to give you the opportunity to follow my journey from this point forward. I might not be the fastest runner, or the most experienced, but I do love this hobby/sport and I'm falling more in love with it with every mile. So let me tell you about training for my first marathon. Let's trade stories about successes, set backs, injuries, and crossing finish lines. Let me tell you about how far my short little legs are running!