Good stuff

So I'm proud to report that even though I haven't been writing I have been running!  I'm going strong on Tues. and Thurs. thanks to my Aunt faithfully coming over to hang with the boys.  I did skip my long run last Sunday.  I'm not beating myself up.  I just moved on and had a really good week.  I am starting the Hal Higdon half marathon training tomorrow.  I haven't decided whether I should sign up for an actual race...  It's a 12 week program and it will culminate on Oct. 20.  There is a half marathon/marathon in Syracuse that day.  I just don't know.  I just got back from running 3.5 miles (isn't that amazing?) and it really like 4x that will be impossible.  The thing is that 3.5 miles seemed impossible before, so...

I also looked up the Jeff Galloway training programs (as suggested in comment from previous post) and they do look like something I should work on.  I might use them next year when I run a marathon.  What I think is the best part of them, other than being really long and steady (I think a marathon training program is 32 weeks), is that the Sunday long runs are not progressively longer every week.  The run is long every third week.  I think this would be good for me because after I run far I just don't think I can run it again, let along farther the next week.  If you haven't looked at his programs take a look!  They are also more geared for people that are interested in walking some of the race.  Also, during the week you only run for 30 minutes twice a week so it's really do-able to fit into your schedule.    

So now that I'm committed again I really need to fit those Monday and Thursday strength and stretches into my program!  I'm thinking of making a deal with myself that I can't go to Zumba if I miss them.  HA!  I think that will light the fire under my bum, because I really love my Zumba!!!

Happy running/walking/swimming/and playing.  The summer won't last forever so lets get out there and enjoy it!

Short Sunday Long Run

Just be glad I ran!  I jogged 1.3 miles and walked the rest of the way home.  I think for only 1.5 miles.  I was going to maybe do the 1.5 mile loop near our house twice, but my mechanics felt all out of whack.  My cardio strength felt pretty good, but my hip hurts and I felt like my head, shoulders were not in the right spot?  I think I need to be more faithful about the ENTIRE training and not just trying to fit in some running.  More stretching and more strength.  I think that is what has helped me thus far.  

My next goal is to find a new training program because I stopped doing the one I was doing when we moved at the end of May and now I'm all off schedule.  I'm going to look at the Hal Higdon site.  There are a LOT more training programs than the last time I used his site when I started running 5Ks.  

I'm icing the outer front of my right hip.  It is the only thing that has persistently bothered me even at the very beginning when I was only walking in April.  I'm not sure what it is?

Hoping for a great week!

It's finally time!

I thought that selling the house would be an instant relief that would allow me to focus more on training.

I really just want to build a base of running about 15-20 miles a week.  You are supposed to be used to doing this for at least 6 months before you train for a marathon.  I figure I  need to get up to strength training Monday, running 5 Tuesday, running 3 Wednesday (in addition to Zumba), running 3 Thursday plus a strength quickie, rest Friday, Zumba Saturday, and then at least 5 on Sunday.

I set out this week thinking I would really start pouring it on.  Somehow Monday slipped away and I did not do any strength training... I did do TONS of house cleaning.  Then Tuesday dawned with promise.  My Aunt volunteered to watch the boys for me so that I can run on Tues and Thurs mornings.  I took her up on the offer.  THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!  So I headed out planning on doing a nice strong 2 mile jog.

I felt horrible.  Could I have really lost that much that fast?  When I got home I felt sick and took a cool shower.  My head pounded.  I felt horrible the rest of the day.   Wednesday morning I realized I had a real problem on my hands.  Apparently I was having a migraine.  They can last several days. Thinking  back to Tuesday morning, I guess that's what it's like to run when you have a migraine...  Back to Wednesday, all the lights in the house were off and I could barely get off the sofa.  Poor little boys.  Thankfully my parents brought me lunch and some caffeine to go with my ibuprofen.  Also my niece came over to play with the boys.  Thank you!  I haven't had a migraine in years and years.  And when I did, I always got them AFTER a huge time of stress... can you say house sale??? Sigh.

Thursday I tried to walk and jog a bit but the second my heart rate accelerated the pounding in my head returned.  After pushing through my discomfort Tuesday and not listening to my body tell me to stop, I listened and walked back to the house for a nice cool shower.

Friday I was in the dumps.  I'm pretty sure the migraine was finally over but maybe that left me with a feeling of depression?  I'm pretty sure my crazy house cleaning on Monday was the pre-migraine mania now that I look back...  Anyway, I went to ZUMBA!!! saved my mood and started my weekend off the right way!

Saturday morning Tom and I played 9 holes of golf.  Between the golfing and prior night's Zumba I was stiff and had sciatica in my left hip and leg.  Ooops.  Oh well.  We went to the beach and played in the pool at our house.  It was the nicest day I have had in a very very very long time (despite the stiffness and nerve pain)!

It's Sunday!  Going to try and do some running later! :)  Feel much better.  No sciatica.  Weird how that stuff comes and goes.

Back to the pool I go.  My little fish son is calling me!

Ding Dong the house is sold! (a self reflection)

The greatest stress in my life has been relieved.  Our house in Cleveland has transferred to the new owners!!!  We listed the house for sale at the beginning of last July.  It's been a long year.  Not only did we sell our house, but we moved to a new state and had a new baby a few weeks later.  In the past year we have lived in 4 different houses.  It was a lot of upheaval.  We are still unpacking from our most recent move.  I think it's going to take a while to get everything back the way I like it.  Despite everything, I'm optimistic that we will recover from all of this very nicely.

I have no more excuses.

When I run I ponder whether I am running to a new self or away from my old self. And with lots of time to think, I have decided that I am running to a new self.  I think this is why my steps are still tentative, why it's easy to skip a workout.  I fear the unknown and where my life is taking me.  I think if I was running away from myself I would just sprint.  It's that fear of not knowing that keeps me from just leaving myself behind.  All the mental baggage.  All the anxiety.  What if the future me is no better off than the me of right now?

Tonight I feel like I have been cut free from a net that has been holding me down.  The stress of selling our house has been really hard on me.  Over time, each new "issue" with the house sale became harder and harder to deal with even though I think the normal me would have been able to handle them under different circumstances.  I dreaded the sound my phone made when I received an email because too often they announced something I didn't want to hear about the sale.

BUT IT'S DONE!  woot woot!  

I think it's going to take a while to crack away from always thinking something bad is about to happen.

One day at a time.  One mile at a time.

Happy Happy Happy Friday everyone!