I run for...the unexpected.

I was really looking forward to a run in the rain today. But as it turns out I picked the one hour during the day that it stopped raining. This got me thinking about how, more often than not, in running and in life; things don’t go according to plan. Years ago before my running journey began unexpected circumstances would have sent me into panic mode. I did not know how to deal with the unexpected (and therefore, life) and any deviation from my “plan” felt like the ultimate failure. 

It has taken some getting used to over the years but I have finally come to embrace the unexpected. It is within these moments that people really seem to flourish. Overcoming challenges can get you to a place you never could have EVER planned to go. And I have to say, that running has solidified this principal for me. This is where running is the perfect metaphor for life. From my experience, when I am running, I am fully present in the moment. It has taught me the valuable lesson to just go with it. When you set out to run in the rain and then not a drop of rain falls, you just go with it. When you set out to run on a perfectly sunny day and it starts pouring down rain, you just go with it. When it’s negative zero outside with a foot of snow, you just go with it. When you run out of water mid-run, you just go with it. When you have to pee mid-run, you just go with it. Sorry for the TMI but you get the idea. You learn that you have no other choice but to go with it and suddenly all the unexpected circumstances that arise are no longer so scary. Example: in marathon #2 in Savannah, I did not anticipate passing out on mile 20…obviously! But even in that moment, I never entertained the possibility of not finishing. It was a slow and ugly finish but I just went with it. 

I can remember almost 4 years ago now when I laced up my shoes for my first 6 mile run, the longest I had ever run at the time, all the fears and questions going through my mind.” How am I going to run 6 miles? One whole hour of running? What if I have to pee? What if I’m thirsty? What do I eat? Do I eat? Can I walk? Where do I run? What if it’s too cold? What if it’s too hot? What do I wear?” Trust me this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

Chances are if you are not a runner and you’re reading my blog, you have considered giving this “running thing” a try. Maybe you want to run your first 5K? Train for a half-marathon? Train for a full? And chances are if you haven’t started yet, then it’s because you have some of the same fears and questions going through your mind. Here’s my challenge to you…just go with it. I promise that once you embark on this journey the logistics of it all will fall into place and when the unexpected arises, you just go with it. The best part about this is that it bleeds over into your personal life as well. If you’re a “planner”, a “perfectionist”, or just simply have trouble accepting change in your life, maybe running is for you. What running has taught me is to be present in the moment, accept things as they are, and yes, to…just go with it. I’m confident that it can do the same for you.

Happy running!

Amanda

I run for...training.

This week is cause for celebration! It's the first week of marathon training! Yippee! Right now I'm feeling hopeful, motivated, and determined. I always feel like the first week of marathon training is the ultimate indicator for how the next 4 months will go. Here's a run down of week 1...

Monday - Cross Training
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 5 miles
Thursday - 3 miles
Friday - walk
Saturday - 5 mile pace run
Sunday - 8 miles

This week's cross training consisted of walking. I usually stick to either walking, cycling, or yoga for my cross training days. Each have their unique benefits to marathon training but any form of cross training is absolutely essential. First and foremost is aides in injury prevention and muscle recovery. When you devote so much time to one sport - running - this can lead to overuse injuries. Last year I experienced this firsthand with my plantar fasciitis. So switched gears 1-2 times a week can give those overworked muscles a break and allow for healing. Plus it breaks up the monotony of just running. I've really grown to love cycling over the last couple years, even entertaining the idea of possibly doing a triathlon in my future.

Today's run was my mid-week 5 miler. I opted to run on the treadmill today because the temps would be climbing into the low 90s . Normally with the summer heat and humidity I just get up super early (I'm talking 3 or 4am) for my runs. But unfortunately midweek, since my husband works overnights, I do not have the option to do this. I was fueled by the excitement of beginning my marathon training this morning and pushed myself to go a little faster than I have been the last couple months. Success! I average about 9:44 min/mi. This is actually close to my goal "race pace" for the marathon this year. Gotta get that PR!

So technically, with only 2 runs into my marathon training, I'm feeling quite confident. I think the next 4 months will go smoothly, hitting my pace and mileage goals along the way. Even though this is my 4th time around (I still can hardly believe this) I know this will be a brand new journey.

I know I've already made my first plea for donations for the American Cancer Society but now that marathon training is underway be prepared for more mentions of this as well!  You can donate to the American Cancer Society on my personal Team DetermiNation fundraising page. Just click this link... Cancer Sucks. Any amount that you would be willing to donate would be greatly appreciated and do it now while you're thinking about it!! Thank you all for joining me on this journey again!

Happy running,
Amanda

I run for...fulfillment.

...for fulfillment!

Today is National Running Day!! I logged my 6 miles this morning on the treadmill while watching the documentary Desert Runners. This movie inspired me to write this blog post today because I think my goals have changed quite a bit from when I started training for my first marathon. I’ve said many times that my first marathon was for me, to prove to myself that I could do it. Well, now I know I can do it. I’ve done it 3 times!! My continued pursuit of running, training for marathons, and pushing myself farther now comes from something innate within me.

In the beginning posts of this blog, I talk about the person I used to be; always scared of life. I felt crippled by my inadequacies and therefore, frozen in time, unable to move forward. It was no easy task working through this. It was a journey that took several years; several years of soul searching and rediscovery that ultimately made me who I am today. I’ve learned a lot about this “new” me over the years and my triumph over training and running my first marathon has taught me that my running adventures fulfill me. 

Every run is an adventure. Every race. Every marathon. No one run is ever the same as the last. I discover new things about myself on a run ALL. THE. TIME. It still amazes me although I should be used to it by now. Today as I was running, watching Desert Runners, I felt something stir deep inside of me. There it was….that desire for more and more challenges, for adventure, for fulfillment. About Desert Runners: this documentary follows competitors attempting to run four desert ultra marathons (250Ks) in a year – a Grand Slam. (Watch it on Netflix!) To most, this sounds absolutely insane. Not me. I am truly inspired and stirred by my desire for adventure to go out and do this. Seriously. As I was watching this movie, I would get so emotional watching them start and struggle and then ultimately finish the race. I know that feeling! It’s something that is absolutely indescribable. But you see it in fellow runners, fellow adventure seekers. It’s what drives us. It’s what drives me.

I will probably not set out next year to do this Grand Slam but as crazy as it sounds, it is a goal of mine. I would definitely like to get my feet wet this year doing an ultra – a 50K perhaps or a 24 hour race. My list of goals, challenges, adventures, seems never ending. I want to do it all and nothing can stop me!

Not rain...

Nor snow...

Nor heat...

Nor injury!

I will persevere because I am a runner!

Happy National Running Day!

Amanda

I run for...preparation.

Last Saturday's 9 mile run - Chicago Marathon here I come!

"Do something today that your future self will thank you for."

Runners are creatures of habit, especially marathon runners. We know that all of our long runs during training are practice runs for the marathon. So we need things to be as similar to race day as possible. Shoes, clothing, time of day, elevation, nutrition, hydration, music, mantras, etc. We prepare for these things months ahead of time so that there are no surprises on race day. In fact, the #1 rule for race day is...nothing new on race day.

Beautiful landscape for a 9 mile run

Marathon training has not yet started but I'm already in preparation mode. This year has already been really different, in that I will not be running a race this Spring. Last year I did the Flying Pig Half-Marathon. The year before that I did the Go! St. Louis Half-Marathon. This year's plan was to run the Russ Vegas Half-Marathon in Arkansas but I missed the deadline to sign up. My back up race was going to be the Flying Pig 10K but I also missed the deadline for that. I still may work a race into June or July but by that time I will be in the middle of marathon training and the race will have to fit perfectly into my training plan somehow.

Big hill on one my training routes

Even though I missed the races this Spring, my training has been the same. I trained for the half-marathon and the 10K because I thought that I would be running them and it is all good prep for marathon training. On the topic of preparation, I have started to follow a normal routine, the same routine I will follow once marathon training starts. This means long runs on Saturday or Sunday and going to bed early the night before in order to get up early for the long run (and be out of the heat!). Right now I'm using mid-distances to keep myself in shape and maintain my endurance from the half-marathon training. So my Saturday/Sunday runs are going to be anywhere from 6 to 10 miles until official training starts.


Preparation also means starting to be more mindful of my nutrition. Before marathon training begins it's good to focus on weight loss. Simply put...you will become faster if you shed a few pounds and once marathon training starts weight loss generally doesn't happen for most people. The reason being that you need those extra calories to keep your body adequately fueled for those long runs. So adequate nutrition is my focus for the next month. Low carb/high protein on my non-running days and paying attention to good sources of carbohydrates on my running days. I'm also loading up on lots of fruits and veggies. Bananas, beets, Brussels sprouts, cherries, berries, kale, sweet potatoes, broccoli, watermelon - these are all packed with nutrients that are good for runners!

Apple, carrot, and strawberry juice - Post-run drink

For my first 2 marathons I followed the Jeff Galloway training program for beginners. I highly recommend this program for any beginner runners that want to train for and run in a marathon! However, last year I switched to a Hal Higdon program and as a result I had a lot more success in terms of being able to push through fatigue and increasing my pace. So I will be following a Hal Higdon program again this year. This is roughly the program I will follow from June-October:

Mondays - cross training (I stick to cycling, weights, yoga or walking.)
Tuesdays and Thursdays - maintenance runs (3-5 miles)
Wednesdays - mid-distance runs (5-10 miles)
Fridays - rest day or light walking
Saturdays - mid-distance runs (5-10 miles)
Sundays - long runs (gradually increasing mileage to 20 miles)

In the beginning, I will be averaging between 20-25 miles a week and at the end, before tapering, I will be averaging 40-50 miles a week. Last year I was flexible with some of the runs. I would skip a Tuesday or Thursday run some weeks. These are my long days at work so it's difficult to work these runs into my schedule. I might also switch a long run to a Saturday and eliminate the mid-distance run altogether or make it up on Sunday. However, this is the genius behind the training program. By having a mid-distance run on Saturday followed by a long run the next day, you prime your body (and mind) to work through muscle fatigue. Last year, I also got really into my cross training (cycling in particular) so I might cut back some of my mid-week mileage in favor of extra cross training. This year, I will probably do the same but I am also going to focus some on speedwork. Speedwork worked well for me in 5K training (sub-30 club!!!) so I would like to see if it makes a difference for me during the marathon. I've gotta get a PR this year! The speedwork will consist mostly of hill sprints, tempo runs, and intervals. These will likely take place on Wednesdays or Saturdays and be randomly dispersed into the training schedule.

Also in prep for the marathon - my hotel room is already booked and paid for (yippee!!) and it's RIGHT NEXT TO the start/finish line. I cannot tell you how miserable it was to walk to our hotel after the marathon last year. Secondly, fundraising for the American Cancer Society starts NOW. Last year, I waited 2 months before the date to start fundraising. It was crazy hectic trying to do that with that short amount of time. We did it! I raised $1000 last year but just in the nick of time. So that being said, I need your donations!! Do me a favor. If you donated money last year, aim to double the amount this year! You can match last year's donation this month and then sometime between June-September you can match it again and BOOM! you've just doubled it. Of course, doubling it right from the start would work too. Then share, share, share. Tell everyone you know about the great work that the American Cancer Society does and direct them to my fundraising page (Donate here!) to make a donation.

If I have 20 people donate just $10 a month between May-October I will meet my goal. I know that it's hard to make such a commitment but it is so worth it. It is worth it to know that we are working towards something bigger than ourselves to eradicate cancer and create more birthdays worldwide. Cancer sucks! And I know you agree. Even just a small one-time donation of $10, $5, or even $1 can make a huge difference. Please consider joining me in donating to this worthy cause and thank you in advance.

Happy running!
Amanda

I run for...motivation.

May not be the ocean or even a lake but it was the perfect landscape for my morning run today.

The title of this blog post might seem confusing. After all, wouldn’t I run because I’m motivated? But I mean what I say. I run for motivation. I have to admit that I’ve been lazy lately. I will reluctantly let you in on a little secret. I have gained 10 pounds in the last 2 months due to poor diet and not much running. To my defense I was sick for almost the entire month of December which significantly drained all of my energy. In the month of December, I ran just 4x! And even that was a struggle.

January hasn’t been much better. Including today I’ve run 5x this month for a total of about 16 miles. I’ve kind of let myself off the hook here a little bit because it is “off” season but no more! This week is officially the start of my half-marathon training. This is where the motivation comes into play. I am NOT motivated at all to start my training and I know this has a lot to do with the last couple months of inactivity. When I’m running consistently, all I want to do is run. I am eager to get out on the road, to soak up the sunshine, to relish in some “me” time. It makes me feel good about myself. It keeps my stress level down. It keeps me motivated. But first, I have to get my butt out the door. 

Here are some tried and true methods that have worked for me when my motivation wans.

 

Find a catch phrase. Something short. Something snappy. Mine is “Don’t think. Just go.” This stops the negative barrage of excuses in my brain and reminds me to just go. Sometimes I don’t even go through my normal routine of prepping for a run. I throw on some clothes and shoes and I’m out the door. This shortens the time I have to sit there and decide that I’d rather just chill on my couch.

Remember the feeling AFTER the run. When I’m not very motivated to run, all I think about is the struggle. The huffing, the puffing, the soreness, the cramps, the weather, the hills. But I have NEVER hated the feeling I have after a run. Like I mentioned above, when the run is over I can feel good about myself and my stress level is down. Let me repeat…I have NEVER hated the feeling I have after a run. Not once. Not ever. NEVER.

Goals are good. I obviously have a long-term goal in mind….half-marathon in April. Then I will go straight into marathon training. But I need those short-term goals along the way to keep me motivated. Today my goal was just to get out the door. Now I can look to this weekend and see that I have a total of 9 miles to run (5 on Saturday, 4 on Sunday). I’ve purposefully planned my training for the next 3 months littered with hill repeats and tempo runs along the way to always give myself a short-term goal on the horizon. If you are not training for a particular race, vow to make it out the door X many days of the week or to run X number of miles in a month. When I first started my running journey, it was enough for me to tell myself just to get out and run once a week without a time or mileage goal in mind. Once I started doing that, the next goal fell into place.

Forget about weight loss. As I’ve mentioned, I have gained about 10 pounds in the last 2 months. But my goal is not weight loss. My running has NEVER been about weight loss. It’s about how it makes me feel and it’s about being healthy. Ironically I have had more weight loss success by NOT thinking about weight loss. When you have a goal that’s intrinsically motivated (better mood, lower stress, increased energy) you are more likely to succeed. That means lose the extrinsic goals such as, “I want to look good in a bikini.” Extrinsic goals are superficial and research has shown that these type of goals will often leave you feeling disappointed.

Have FUN! When I need to enhance my motivation or if I’ve hit a plateau in my progress, I switch things up a bit. Go run without music. Leave the gadgets behind. Run in the rain. Dance or sing during a run. Find a new route. Find a running partner. Challenge yourself with sprints or hills. Enjoy the scenery. Travel to a new location to run. Put on some new music. Listen to a funny podcast. Race someone. Reward yourself after a run.  

So I can attest to the fact that I these work. This morning I had little to no motivation to run and now, after my run, I am eager to get out and tackle my next goal! I will keep you updated on my half-marathon training as I go. Stay tuned!

Happy running!
Amanda