I run for...a happy new year!

This view at the top of Table Rock cannot be beat!

New year, new blog post!! I have lots to catch up on. My last blog post chronicled my experience at the Table Rock Ultra 50K. It's 4 months later and I feel like I'm still reveling in the awesomeness of that day. I think it's a positive sign that it's stuck with me this long. I am definitely using it as fuel for my 2018 goals. More on those later.

Such a happy day! Completing my first 50K!

After the Table Rock Ultra 50K, I had the super strong desire to get to that next step. Because I finished relatively unscathed, I wanted to capitalize on all my training to spring board into my first 50 mile race. There just so happened to be one right in my back yard...the Tunnel Hill 50/100 on November 11, 2017. So I had 5 weeks to get in some extra back to back runs if I really wanted to go for it. I gave myself a one week break and I completed 26 miles (7 & 19 miles respectively) the very next weekend. It seemed like it was going to be possible but then I changed my mind. The crazy part is that I changed my mind because I felt like it would be too easy. Lol. I've come to the conclusion that I crave elevation change in a race. In my opinion it keeps it interesting and it is definitely more challenging.

Once I opted out of doing the 50 miler, I began focusing my energy on completing our local Trick or Trot 5K sponsored by the agency for which I work. I do this race every year as a final cap on my racing season so it's more for fun than anything else, just an opportunity where I can dress up in costume and hang out with family, clients and coworkers. To my surprise this year, I won first in my age group and for best costume! That was an added bonus to an already amazing year for my "Year of the Comeback".

First in my age group and for best costume!

I took somewhat of a "break" over the holiday season but researching the whole time as to what was coming next and keeping my mileage up in case of a spontaneous decision to run a race. Sometime in December I finally decided what I wanted to do. Without further ado here are my goals for 2018:

1. Running streak of at least 100 days

2. Spring Marathon

3. First 50 mile race

Current status:

1. I started my running streak on New Year's Eve with a 7.6 mile run. I have run every day for the last 28 days and still going strong. Total running streak mileage equals 82.4 miles. I've learned so far that there is time in every day for at least one mile if not three or four. It's not that much time out of my day! So my goal is 100 days but I highly anticipate that it will go beyond that. After 100 days, I just can't imagine myself being like "Okay, that was cool. Now I'm done. No run tomorrow." I also recently saw on one of my ultra running Facebook groups that one of my idols (Catra Corbett) has been doing a running streak for over 5 years!! Say what?! This amazing woman had to drop from a 100 mile race because she had the flu but still managed to shuffle for a couple miles to keep her running streak alive. I strive to have that kind of determination. I guess in 5 years we'll see. Lol. :)

2. My decision to do a Spring marathon was kind of just because it made the most sense. For the last 2 years my mom and I have done the 10K on the weekend of the Illinois Marathon in Champaign, IL. Last year we both had a great race. For one, we didn't lose each other like we did the year before. Secondly, we both got PRs! Last year my mom went on to complete her first half marathon and has discovered that just crossing that off a bucket list is not that easy. Lol. So this year for the Illinois Marathon weekend she is going to do the half marathon. I looked at my training schedule and my mileage and I'm practically already trained for the half marathon so I thought I might as well do the full! April 28, 2018 is the date. We are 12 weeks away and training is going exactly to plan. I'm excited to potentially get a PR for the first time at the marathon distance.

3. This is the big one. There are literally hundreds of different 50 mile races I could choose from. I spent hours upon hours researching, planning, crossing off, prioritizing, wondering, dreaming, etc. about which race to choose. And wouldn't you know it that the race I've chosen is not for the faint of heart. It's a challenge for sure! I have finally settled on The Hitchcock Experience 50 mile race on December 8, 2018 in Honey Creek, IA. The race consists of a 12.5 mile loop (4x) with an overall elevation gain of 9856 ft (that's almost double what I did last year in the TRU 50K). The challenge of it is a big reason why I chose this race. Another is the location...I've never done a race in Iowa and I'm trying to expand on the number of states where I've done races. I ultimately would like to do a race in every state. (currently: IL, MO, OH, NC, GA). This race also has a 100 mile race along side it. In my research, I have found that cutoff times for the 50 mile race were more generous when a 100 mile race was going on at the same time. That will be of huge benefit to me, especially in a race that has so much elevation gain! Even though training won't officially start until August, you better believe that everything that I do this year is in preparation for this race. I want to achieve this goal SO bad I can't stand it. Because the truth is....I really want to be doing the 100 miler but I am trying to have patience and go through the proper steps first. Finishing this 50 miler will mean I'm finally ready to make the leap to the 100 miler - a dream that seems elusive now. One day....

There you have it! My goals for 2018. The beginning of a new year also means that I do a lot of reflecting on my running journey as a whole. It helps keep things in perspective for me and I get a lot of inspiration from how far I've come. Here are some of the more interesting things that I've found:

Since November 5, 2011 when I started my running journey, my total mileage equals 3,759.

My initial commitment to myself was to run at least once a week. In the entire 6 years and 2 months since I started, I've ran 282 weeks out of 320.

I ran the most miles in 2014 - 804 miles.

The most amount of miles in a month - August 2016 @ 106.28 miles.
The least amount of miles in a month - February 2017 @ 3.43 miles (chronic sinus infections)
Number of miles in my first month (Nov 2011) - 6 miles
Number of miles in the last month (Jan 2018) - 82 miles (with 4 days to go)
Number of 20+ mile runs - 17 (10 in the last 2 years)

While my running journey is mine, I also seek to inspire others. I'm here to tell you that once you ignite the spark inside of yourself, you'll never know what you can accomplish. I share a lot of my past and my stats because in the beginning I was where so many of you are now. It's not easy but it starts with the simplest of steps/goals. If all you can commit to is once a week (that where I started), then do it! I promise you that after you conquer that, you will be on to the next thing and then before you know it, you'll be running marathons or even ultras. :)

I run for...the mountains

Less than 24 hours before race day. I'm a mix of nerves and excitement. Last year's performance is constantly in the back of my mind. There's an obvious fear that I won't finish the like last year, that the elevation will prove to be too much. On the other side of that fear is knowing that I was able to run 20+ miles of the same course and roughly 4000ft of the total 5700ft of elevation gain. Last year being able to complete the 35K left my dignity in tact so that I could avoid the dreaded DNF and it was definitely the most difficult run I've ever finished in my life. This year I know better. I know the course. I know the climbs. I know when to step on the gas and when to pump on the brakes. I've trained for this.

Elevation Profile - Last year I made it to the 10mi turn around

The 50K course map

My plan going into training this year was to get some more trail experience and do more overall that would make me a better runner. In comparison to last year, I've definitely made an improvement. In addition to the endurance aspect of training, I focused on what would help me with the elevation - trails, stairs, and hill repeats. I also did more core work and cross training this year. Lastly, some jump rope to help with my foot strike and coordination. I don't want another fall like last year! Although, it could have been a lot worse.

24 hours before race day this is what I'm focusing on: hydration, nutrition, and mental training. As far as running goes, I know I've done all that I can do. I've been tapering my mileage for the last 3 weeks so my primary goal has been to be the best me I can be at the starting line. Hydration and nutrition is simple for me. Now that I've transitioned to a LFHC diet like Keto, I'm honestly not as worried about bonking out on the course but I am increasing my salt intake quite a bit. My hydration strategy has pretty much been the same for the last 5 years. I drink to thirst and make sure I alternate between electrolyte drinks and water. It's going to be hot day on race day so although there are plenty of aid stations, I plan on bringing both my hydration belt and my handheld with me on the course.

Mental training part 1: Every year this means something different to me. This year it's more important than ever. I've reviewed last year's race over and over again. I know that in the moment deciding to drop to the 35K was the best decision for me but I cannot shake the feeling that mentally, I could have been better prepared. I big reason for last year's failure had to do with not understanding the course or the elevation and have lofty goals for myself. Once I realized I could not run my 10-11min miles, I immediately got discouraged. This year I'm more realistic. I have three goals: a conservative one, an aggressive one, and one somewhere in the middle of those two.

#1 (conservative) - Pace: 20min/mi     Overall finish time: 10.5 hours   

#2 - Pace: 17min/mi     Overall finish time: about 9 hours    Projected finish time: 3:56pm

#3 (aggressive) - Pace: 15min/mi     Overall finish time: about 8 hours

Mental training part 2: As I'm writing this, I'm currently listening to my Ultra/Mountain playlist.A mix of motivational songs and mountain songs to keep me focused on the task at hand. I don't plan on listening to music on the race course but will listen to it all the way leading up to the race. It will also be ready to go on the course if needed for an extra boost. This year's theme song - Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons.

I was born to run, I was born for this

Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up

Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes

Mental training part 3: I've come up with some mental block "busters" to help motivate me during the race. Typically I will come up with a mantra or two each year but this year I've created a whole list. I need all the motivation I can get.

1. One foot in front of the other. 1, 2 (this has a nice cadence to it and I've used it during training runs)

2. I love doing this (sometimes I need convincing)

3. My legs don't hurt 

4. I can breathe. My lungs are open.

5. I did 21 miles of this course last year.

6. I did 4000ft of the 5700ft of elevation gain last year

7. I run for those who can't (and I will keep those individuals in my mind throughout the race)

8. I run in remembrance of those I've lost (and I will think of them individually)

9. Pain is only temporary, the feeling of achievement lasts forever.

10. Keep going.

11. Run happy. Smile.

12. I have completed 4 marathons. I can do this.

13. I can eat whatever I want after this. (Carbs included!!)

14. Giving up is not an option.

15. The time is now.

16. Be fearless

17. You are tougher than you think you are

18. Think - easy, light, smooth & fast (from Born to Run) 

So that's it folks. Nothing left but to conquer that mountain. This has been quite a journey this year. Last year's failure. Being sidelined from running for at least 2 months. Surgery 6.5 months ago. A spring PR at the Illinois Marathon 10K. Signing up for Table Rock 50K again. Training on the trails and through the heat. All to hopefully be able to officially call myself an ultrarunner and on to my first 50 miler or 100 miler. 

Stay tuned for the race report to come in a couple days. Thanks for everyone's support!

I run for...my comeback.

We are halfway through 2017 and yet I feel like I'm just at the beginning of my journey to a comeback. In March, when I wrote last, I had just started running post-surgery, training for a 10K and hoping to finish better than I did the year before. Well I did exactly that! I finished my 10K with a PR!! (1:12:01) It was just the spark I needed to remind myself how far I've come, not just since my surgery, but since my entire running journey began 6 years ago. I am stronger than I think I am. Comeback milestone #1 ✅

In my last blog post in March I was also talking about scouting out my next ultra race. Well I have officially signed up again for the Table Rock Ultra 50K. I could not get this race off my mind. Yes, it will be difficult. No, I didn't finish it last year. BUT, I did run 35K of the race. AND, something I realized....the 35K was an elevation gain of 4,000 feet. The 50K elevation gain is 5,700 feet. SO I already completed much of the climb last year. This was a major confidence booster for me and reminded me once again that anything is possible. Comeback milestone #2 ✅

Now that I'm returning to my inaugural ultra attempt, I will have to change some things. I didn't finish last year for a reason. Sometimes it's really hard to nail down one specific reason why a race goes horribly wrong. However, last year I feel pretty confident that I did not get enough training on the trails. Trail running typically equates to elevation gain so last year, while my distance/endurance was exactly where it needed to be, this year I somehow need to get more elevation gain in on my training runs. One way to do that is to continue doing hill repeats (5 x 600m, 7 x 600m, etc.). I've already started doing this is accordance with my training plan and so far it's gone off without a hitch. The next thing that I've heard helps, when you don't have mountains in your backyard, is to run stairs. I'm writing this already 6 weeks into my ultra training and I have yet to do this but my goal is to attempt it at least 1-2x this month. I have to admit I'm not so thrilled about running stairs. (Is anybody?!) And of course, the last thing to help with the elevation gain is to finally get some real, bonafide experience on the trails. I'm happy to report that this is already occurring.  I have 2 runs under my belt on an easy trail close to home. This weekend I have a trail run scheduled with a moderate level of difficulty and the hope is to eventually get some trail experience on the Table Rock Ultra race course before race day.

Trail run!

I love the trails!

Besides working on my elevation/trail experience, I will also focus on doing more to become a better runner in general. I've started doing a few things but I'm constantly on the lookout for opportunities for growth and development. The first thing I'm doing, which is totally new to my training, is jumping rope. I heard in a podcast that this can be helpful to trail runners because it enhances coordination and helps them be more aware of their foot strike, a skill that's especially needed out on the uneven terrain of the trails. Secondly, I'm putting more effort into cross training. Cross training has always been a part of my training programs in the past but I would typically discount its benefit to me because it's not "running". Well now that I'm actually doing it I can attest to its benefits. From what I've noticed it helps me with strength, endurance, recovery and boredom. It's not subtracting from my running like I thought it would AND I'm enjoying it. I ride my bike, dance, do yoga, walk, swim and would be in favor of trying other things as well. Along with cross training, core workouts have also been a neglected part of my training in the past. This year I've been sticking to it and doing even more than what's required. My training plan incorporates core workouts onto the end of training runs 2x a week. These are typically short 10-15 minute core workouts. In addition to that I'm doing 2-3 longer core workouts as part of my cross training or weekend runs. Core strength will help me become a better runner too through stability, coordination, and endurance.

Another positive step towards my comeback is that I just completed my first 20 mile training run a week ahead of  schedule. Even 6 years into this marathon/ultra training journey, I am still amazed at the ability to push myself beyond what I thought was possible. Even knowing that I've done it before....it still feels like an impossible feat once I get out there. This is the mental part of training that most people don't realize. Running 20 miles and beyond is a constant battle between telling yourself you can't and convincing yourself you can. Then when it's all said and done you really feel like you can do anything. Next up for me is 22 miles. Just 10.5 weeks stand between me and my second attempt at the Table Rock Ultra 50K. This is my mountain, literally and metaphorically, and I will do whatever it takes to conquer it for my final milestone in the year of the comeback.

I run for...healing.

This post is a long time coming...almost 6 months to be exact. If you will think back with me, my last blog post was a recap of the Table Rock Ultra, a race that was disappointing to say the least. It seems as though since then my running journey has been through its ups and downs. After Table Rock I knew that an ultra was still my dream. I trained to run the 50K at Table Rock so the mileage was there. I quickly signed up for my next attempt, the Land Between the Lakes Ultra in March.

Training for the Land Between the Lakes Ultra started off great. I kicked things off in the first week of November with a 10 mile run. The weekend of Thanksgiving I ran a total of 23 miles in 3 days. I was feeling great, ready for the opportunity to redeem myself. Then in December things started to go downhill. I was hit with a sinus infection that had me struggling to get through my workouts. Despite going to the doctor and taking an antibiotic, I was not recovering. (This has been an ongoing issue for me the last 4 winters. I have had sinus infection after sinus infection with no relief until spring hits). My doctor finally recommended that I see an ENT. It was about that time that I quickly realized that running made my sinus inflammation worse. The doctor advised that I take it easy. I followed doctor's orders as much as a stubborn and crazy runner can. I still got in about 10-15 miles on the weekends but the fatigue and pain in my sinuses made it hard for me to keep up with my weekday workouts. Not to mention I had all of this going on with the stress of the holidays upon me.

January 1, 2017 was my last long run in training for my redemption race. 13.1 miles to kick off the new year. A week later I had strep throat. When the antibiotics for that were finished, I still had symptoms and was diagnosed with yet another sinus infection...3rd for the winter. I had my appointment with my ENT and it confirmed what I had feared...I would require surgery to fix my sinus issues. The scan of my sinuses showed that almost my entire left side was swollen shut. That was the pain and the pressure that I was feeling for months! It was somewhat of a relief to have some answers but with this news, my journey to the Land Between the Lakes Ultra was over.

I ran one time between January 1 and March 1 (the date of my surgery). After being down and out for 3 days after this short 1 mile run on the treadmill, I gave up trying to tough it out. I would just have to wait until after my surgery to get back into the swing of things. I walked A LOT and it was so depressing. All I wanted to do was run. The fear of the surgery almost had me wanting to reschedule for later in the year. Then I remembered how much this has been affecting my running and I knew I needed relief sooner rather than later.

Surgery went SO well! Of course it was painful but I only had to take a few days off work and after about 5 days, the difference was remarkable! I could breathe much easier, my smell and my taste improved, and I had no more pain and pressure. In this moment, it was hard for me to pull back on the reins and not jump straight into running. I waited the required amount of days (10!!) before easing into some exercise once more.

Day 11 post surgery - walked 30 minutes.
Day 13 post surgery - FIRST RUN COMPLETE - 2.26 miles on the treadmill
Day 15 post surgery - 2.72 miles OUTSIDE

First outside run!

And today, 18 days post surgery, I completed 3.7 miles outside. I would call that progress! It's so weird for me to be in this place. After every marathon there was definitely time for recovery and healing but it was 3 weeks at the most and I could still do some easy running/jogging. Two months of NO running is completely new for me. Starting from square one is completely new for me. So this year is all about healing and staging a comeback! I need to prove to myself once again how strong I am. I need to recover and heal from the disappointment of failing to complete my 50K last year. I am going to better, stronger, faster.

The first goal on my journey to a comeback is to complete the Illinois Marathon 10K with my mom. Last year we ran this together in the freezing rain and ended up losing each other at the end. It was hours (probably not that long but it felt like it) before we found each other. My goal is simple - to finish with a better time than last year. After this my slate is clean and I will start the scouting process for what races I want to run this year and I will start to plan my training in accordance.

Ready for my comeback!

I run for...the distance.

As I started to write the title of this blog post, I couldn't help but start singing the Cake song...."He's going the distance. He's going for speed...."

Anyway, today's blog post is about distance because I've come to realize that ultra marathon training really has changed my path on this running journey. I made a list last night of all my 20+ mile runs prior to this year. I needed some inspiration going into my scheduled 26 mile run today. Here they are:

Sept 8, 2012 - 20.7 mile training run
Oct 21, 2012 - 26.2 Rock n Roll St. Louis Marathon
Nov 9, 2013 - 26.2 Rock n Roll Savannah Marathon
Sept 28, 2014 - 20 mile training run
Oct 12, 2014 - 26.2 Chicago Marathon #1
Sept 15, 2015 - 20 mile training run
Oct 11, 2015 - 26.2 Chicago Marathon #2

The first thing that stood out to me is that I never had a 20+ mile run before Savannah!! No wonder that race was so terrible for me. That was the marathon where I ended up passing out at mile 20. I was definitely under-trained. The next is that I really only had one 20+ mile run before my other 3 races and the longest distance was 20.7 miles. Most people will tell you that running longer than 20 miles before a marathon is not really necessary but wow, this was definitely eye opening for me.

Now for this year. I'm gonna talk a lot of numbers here for a minute because I can't believe how far I've come.

Total mileage - Since November 5, 2011 I have logged 2,918 miles. I fully expect to break through 3,000 miles by the end of this month. That's roughly 600-700 miles average each year. And this year's not over yet...

Mileage by month - I started training for my ultra in June. In June I logged 80 miles. In July, I logged 97. In August, I'm already at 102 and I plan on finishing around 115.

And here's a list of all the 20+ mile runs I've done this year:

July 16, 2016 - 20 mile training run
July 30, 2016 - 22 mile training run
Aug 15, 2016 - 24 mile training run
Aug 27, 2016 - 26 mile training run

Just like that, I sign up for an ultra and suddenly I'm logging more miles than I ever imagined. I've run 4 separate 20+ mile runs before race day, as compared to the 7 that I've ran in the last 4 years.

I think it's still too early to officially say where I will go from here. I'm taking this ultra running journey moment by moment and loving every bit of it. However, I highly anticipate that after race day I will have caught the ultra running "bug" and start scouting out my next 50K or possibly even my first 50 miler and 100 miles is not entirely out of the question either. Exciting stuff!

On to today's run...26 miles! It was really weird getting ready for my run last night thinking that I was basically going to be running a marathon today. The formality of my usual pre-marathon routine was dismissed by just a normal night of carb loading and watching tv with my husband. There were no pre-marathon jitters. Nothing to finalize or to schedule or to map out. I was going to get up at 4 am like normal and just go run a marathon. Ha!

Beautiful morning!

Hitting the road at 4:57am

The morning routine was pretty much the same as well. I got on the road just shy of 5am. I can definitely tell we are getting closer to FALL RUNNING!!! (Hallelujah!) I spent the first 5 miles almost completely in the dark before the sun started coming up. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that there was an abundance of cloud cover. This made for a nice and cool morning and I didn't really start feeling the heat until around the halfway mark. At 16 miles I needed some additional water so my wonderfully supportive husband and son came to refill my water bottles. I also got a nice, cold Popsicle. Just what I needed to put a little pep in my step.

This Popsicle might be the best Popsicle I've ever had!

The rest of the miles went by without too much excitement. The heat did end up getting to me on a couple of occasions so I stopped to lay down in the shade and get my heart rate back to normal while I refueled on some Gatorade chews. I think the best part of today's run was around mile 24-25. There was a woman walking about 4 young children around the block. As I was coming up behind them, they moved out of the way and this little girl, probably not even 3 years old, had the biggest smile on her face and started waving and clapping for me. Just the motivation I needed to finish my last mile. Thanks little girl!

So this week was the peak of my training. As of tomorrow I start tapering for race day. Weekly mileage will probably still be around 20-30 miles but now I just have to trust the training. Definitely easier said than done! But in a month it will all be worth and I will be reveling in the aftermath of having run my first ultra. Can't wait!

Happy running!
Amanda

I run for...big dreams.

Marathon 1, 2, 3 & soon to be 4!

One run. 2 miles. That is all that stands between me and 26.2 miles. This week I have continued to taper. I always get so restless at this point in the training. I'm running less and it feels weird but I have to trust that I have done everything I have needed to do the last 18 weeks. 18 weeks of 350 miles. I'm at 550 miles for the year so far. I managed to get in two 20 mile runs this year, something I haven't been able to do since marathon training year #1. No illness and no injuries. I've got this.

This week has been an easy one. 6 miles on Monday, 2 mile walk yesterday, and 4 miles this morning. I will rest for the next two days and then do a short 2 mile shake out run on Saturday, the day before the marathon. This last little run is important in order to improve blood flow and reduce pre-marathon jitters. Then...race day.

This year I'm feeling more at peace with marathon day than I ever have before. Once again I am amazed at the places running takes me. Have I ran a marathon before? Yes. Have I ran Chicago before? Yes. But I have never been in this position before where I have 3 marathons under my belt and I'm running a race that I have run before. It's comforting and familiar. I think that has ultimately led me to be at peace about it.

 

As with my last 3 marathons, when training comes to an end and the marathon is over, I will be thinking about what's next. I will most likely be running another marathon next year. I can't help myself! Sure, I've imagined being someone who runs whenever I have "free time" or someone who runs occasionally for exercise. Then I could devote more time to cycling or swimming or painting or...whatever. I think about it but I know that I would be deeply unsatisfied and unfulfilled. I have no idea how I got here but I know without a doubt that running is my passion. As marathon season comes to an end, I look ahead with BIG dreams for my continued journey in running.

Running is important for all the reasons I have presented in this blog. One of the biggest things that I wanted to accomplish by starting this blog is to show that running is for everyone. It can change your life. Dream BIG and never let your fear hold you back. With running, anything is possible. Truly.

Happy running,
Amanda

*** I can still collect donations for the American Cancer Society up until Monday, October 26th!!! If you have not donated yet, do it now! This is for a good cause and our team is so close to reaching our goal of 1.5 million dollars!! Go to the link here to donate! Thank you!***

I run for…my life.

 

Today marks my first blog post. First I want to tell you what this blog is all about. Running! And so, I feel like it is important for you to know how my running journey started.

I officially began my running journey in November 2011. Prior to this date I had run before but my runs were few and far between. The longest distance I ever ran was about 4 miles. Fast forward to November 2011. My husband went to the doctor for a check-up and received some pretty scary health news - pre-diabetic, high blood pressure, obese. I did not have to go to the doctor to realize I was in the same boat. We lived a pretty vegetative lifestyle, full of fast food and inactivity. At the time he was 30 years old and I was 27 and we had a son that was not yet 2 years old. That's what inspired me to start my running journey. I wanted (and still want) to have a long, healthy life and be there for my son. More importantly I wanted (and still want) my son to grow up making better choices and living a long, healthy life as well. I needed to be an example for him. My husband felt the same way and so it began.

I will never forget my first run. It was HARD. It was just around my block, which is approximately 1 mile. I had to stop to walk several times. That first run, just 1 mile, took me at least 20 minutes to finish. In the days following that run, my legs, my back, my sides, my everything hurt. I was incredibly out of shape. It is extremely difficult to look back on those days. I'm ashamed at how far I let myself go. However, it serves as a wonderful reminder of how far I've come and I hope that by sharing my story it can serve as motivation and inspiration for so many others.

 

 

Last year (October 2012) marked a huge milestone. I ran my first marathon (see above pic). The journey to that finish line was full of ups and downs but I persevered and finished! I really thought that after my marathon I would check it off my Bucket List and move on but NO! As of today, I am right smack in the middle of my training for my second marathon. This year has presented with a whole new set of obstacles but I will not give up. I love running too much and I hope to share that love through this blog. Feel free to comment, offer love and support and encouragement (much needed!), and ask all the questions you desire. I want to share what I've learned these last two years and what I continue to learn