Checking in!

Hi everyone! 

 I wanted to check in and say hello. I have been keeping up with my training schedule fairly well. There are days I skip, but I try to make that up during the next run. I am really feeling good about my training though, which is so awesome. I really feel like if the half marathon was tomorrow, I could do it! I was explaining this to Tim and he said "It's all about pacing. You feel like you can run all day because you are running at the right pace." I think that is a really important thing to keep in mind. Running at a pace that you can handle means you can run a lot farther. It made me feel good, because even though I dont run at the fastest pace, I run at what is right for me to be able to run the 13.1 miles.

Yesterday, we had an AWESOME event through TNT! They had a "poker run" to benefit Team Brenna. Brenna was a 5 year old who lost her battle with a blood cancer at age 5. We each paid $10, then ran our 7 miles. There were three stops along the way, and at each stop, we got water and a few playing cards. We marked off our poker sheets with our cards and kept running. I felt really, really lucky to have two other people to run with. Kate, who I ran with on the Trumbull trails for my first 6 mile run, and Sarah. We are all around the same pace with a similar goal for the half marathon, so it feels great to run with them! They keep me motivated to keep going.

Here we are at the final water stop, at 5.3 miles:

It is really great to have the support that I have through TNT and I am so grateful to have met the people I have! I am already planning my next half marathon because this is really a great feeling.

Oh! And the best part of the day? I won the poker game! I got a t-shirt, TNT car magnet, bag, water bottle, and free registration for my next TNT event.

I will check back in soon, it is much harder to update now after every run because we are running much more often now. But I will keep you updated the best I can!

Thanks everyone.
ALSO I am starting my half marathon playlist, so get your ideas ready! I'll ask for suggestions in the next few posts :)

Another day, Another run

This is essentially how I feel after this weekend.

I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now.

Today, Tim, his dad, and I ran the Donnelly Dash in Fairfield. This is a 3.5 mile road race that benefits a couple from Fairfield who were killed when someone robbed their store. It was really amazing to see so many people there. They had 225 people running, and lots of people walking.

Anyway, I didn't quite make my goal for a 36 minute race. But, I came fairly close. I finished in 38:49, with a 10:58 pace. I am pretty happy too because my last mile was my fastest! I was determined to beat this bonehead that was running near me, so I really turned it on at the end. It makes me wish I had turned it up a little sooner! But anyway, I am happy with that. And now, the usual run down....

Distance: 3.5 miles 

Time: 38:49

Pace: 10:58

Temperature: 40's and sunny. So nice!

Miles on my Kayanos: 52.2 miles

So, that makes my total for this weekend 9.5 miles. That's pretty good for me! The most I had ever run in a two day span before this was 8.0 miles. I am going to take tomorrow off, because I am in some pain from running. Im going to take the extra time to let my blisters and some pain in my shins ease up.

I may be crazy, but I signed up to do the track workout on Tuesday again. I am hoping that it is a much better day for me than last time :)

Oh! And in case anyone is wondering, I did beat the bonehead. Girl power! I think Shosh said it best....

Awesome Saturday :)

Today was a really awesome day. I started off with a run, then Tim and I took Sawyer to her doggy class, then we volunteered with some other Quinnipiac alumni for a veterans shelter in Bridgeport. Definitely a cool experience!

My run today was really great. I ran with Kate, a fellow TNT-er who is running in honor of her dad. We did a nice, easy six miles. It was awesome to run farther than I have ever run before! 

We actually ran FASTER from miles 3-6! I think its because the wind was to our backs, and on the way out in the trails we were running right into it. I felt great the whole way, no pain! I did manage a huge blister but I am more impressed with it than anything.

Here are today's stats:

Distance: 6.0 miles 

Time: 1:15:38

Pace: 12:28

Temperature: 33 degrees but sunny

Miles on my Kayanos: 48.7 miles

 Kate and I right after our 6 miles!

Still cant believe I was able to run 6 miles without stopping. I really feel like if I can do it, anyone can!! 

Tomorrow we are running a 3.5 mile race in Fairfield so I will do my best to update everyone on how that goes! I am hoping for under 36 minutes, but we will see. That will definitely be pushing myself pretty hard, but I am hoping to do it.

Thanks for reading! :)

"These calves are on fiyahhhh"

As you can tell by the name of this blog post, I have re-worked the Alicia Keys song into my own version that I continue to serenade Tim with. 

I had 3 "easy" miles on my TNT training schedule to run today, so I got home and got them done right away. Basically, it means just run them and don't really extend yourself too much. I figured I could handle that ;) They hurt, but I did them. Soooo.... I am trying to stay positive on that note. 

Here are today's boring stats ;) :

Distance: 3.0 miles 

Time: 34:38

Pace: 11:32 

Temperature: 50 beautiful degrees!

Miles on my Kayanos: 42.7 miles (I've got a couple runs that I didn't blog about)

MORE importantly is our FUNDRAISING success! We had two more people donate to us yesterday, which was awesome. 

                                                               

Tiff Bell

Jodi Giroux

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THE LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY IN MEMORY OF MY UNCLE, TOM GIROUX!!

The good news is, Tim and I combined need only $355 to reach our goal! We are so happy, we are thinking of raising our goal a little higher.

To everyone who has donated so far, start watching your mail! We are mailing out a special thank you to everyone who has donated to us so far.

For those of you who dont know, or have forgotten, we are running for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of my Uncle Tom Giroux, who lost his battle with Lymphoma in 2010. You can donate by clicking at the top of the page where it says "Donate". Every little bit helps! 

Okay all, I will be back on Saturday or maybe Sunday. I have 6 miles on tap Saturday morning with my fellow TNT-er, Kate! Then 3.5 in the Donnelly Dash race in Fairfield. EEEEK! 

Hi everyone! 

   I promise I have been running, I just have not been updating like I should. We have had a crazy few weeks. Hope everyone had a nice Easter!

   I have been debating posting what I am about to say because I still feel so conflicted about it. But, this is a blog about my journey, and the feelings I have are all a part of my journey. Who knows, maybe it will even help me.

   Last night, I went to a TNT running group. For those of you who don't know, when running through Team in Training, you are provided with running coaches and mentors who host meet ups all around the state. I posted about my first one a few weeks ago in New Canaan. Last night's meet up was in Brookfield, and was a little different. It was a track workout, so I didn't actually "just run". Our workout went like this:
   - 1 mile of light jogging around the track
   - 6 200 meter runs, each time trying to shave 1 second off of your time
   - 4 300 meter runs, again trying to shave a second off each time
   - 2 400 meter runs, you guessed it -- shaving a second or two off of each time
   - 1/2 mile cool down

   I am already crying as I begin to organize my thoughts to start typing. 

   I want to just start off by saying that the people I met at this particular run were amazing. Jenn, who is a pastor and is running in honor of a friend from her congregation who is thanfully in remission.. And Glen, who is completing a triathalon in memory of his brother who lost his battle 26 years ago. And our coach, Alan, an incredible athlete who taught me so much.They were so supportive and I loved running with them. 

   But last night was incredibly hard for me. I began by running the first mile at a jogging pace. I was able to keep up with the other runners for the whole mile! I felt pretty good. We completed some exercises to keep our ligaments in our hips and knees nice and loose. Again, I was able to keep up and felt pretty good.

  Then, we split up to start our 200s. I started out at 1:07 for my first one, and got all the way down to :55 for my final one! Again, I felt pretty good. It was hard always coming in last. Tim and Glen were super fast, and Jenn was ahead of me, also. But, I did it, and shaved over 10 seconds off of my time, so I felt great. We started our 300 meters, and Alan told me he suspected I wouldnt go too fast, because there comes a time in every workout where we just run out of energy. 

I was a little offended at first, but he was 100% right. 

For the next 5 descendings, I watched everyone else run. I pushed and pushed myself, but I had nothing left in the tank. Alan helped me by giving me some great advice on my form, because I was wasting energy by twisting my arms to the side to try and push myself to go faster when I was running out of steam. It was awesome advice, and I am definitely going to keep it in mind!

For our final cool down, I ran one lap. Then, Alan told me to "just walk" the last one.

Just. Walk.

I wanted to cry. I definitely fought back tears because I didn't want to be "that girl". I watched everyone else run it without a problem, as I walked it alone. I watched everyone stop at the end of the track and stand around to WAIT for me. I was humiliated. Alan had talked to me about how easy it is to get out of shape. All of the running and training I had been trying to do on my own didn't even show with my running yesterday. It was clear that it appeared as though I just woke up and decided to run that day, and had never even trained in the past. I can't imagine how much less I would have been able to do if I had tried to do that workout a few months ago. I thought I was doing so well with my training, and this workout made me feel like I still have so much farther to go. It's making me doubt that I will ever be able to finish the race. 

What has stuck with me is the encouragement that I did get. Jenn was so great it telling me that I could do it, and she congratulated me when I was able to take some time off of my 200's. Alan was so helpful with his advice and his patience with me. 

I got in the car, and cried my eyes out. I got to work this morning and cried my eyes out. (Sorry Wendy ;) ). But I keep trying to tell myself that this is a really big journey, and it will make crossing the finish line that much more rewarding.

I am fearful that a post like this will make me look weak or like a drama queen. But I hope that anyone who reads it understands that I am sharing it with you because I am hoping that as I look back on this journey, I will see it as just a little speed bump in the long road to running the race. This isn't something that I take lightly. This is a really hard thing for me, to be able to run 13.1 miles. And I guess I just want everyone to be able to see that. I keep running all of the rude things people have said to me about my running abilities and about me writing this blog through my head, even though I know I shouldn't. I should be focusing on the positives -- how much I am raising in memory of my uncle, the confidence being able to run this race will give me, etc. Hopefully letting it all out here will let me get it off of my chest and I can start to be excited and happy about my running again.

I'll post again soon, because I have my first 6 mile run this weekend. I'm hoping I can just get through that and that will help to motivate me and get me back on the right track. Thanks for anyone who made it this long;  brevity is not my forte.

See you soon.