Great running Day!!!

Great running day!  July 30, 2012

total miles today- 7.05

I am a part of a women's running group and I was unsure if we would meet yesterday because of the intense heat.  I decided to go ahead and hit the gym in the morning just in case they cancelled.  I ran 4 miles and felt really good.  I'm happy that my mileage is increasing and I'm surviving :)  It hasn't been as difficult to increase as I thought it may be.  So that's a plus!  After my run I spent about 20 minutes strength training.  As I was finishing up with my workout I received an email saying that the run was on for the women's group.  I was excited because that would be the first run outside in 6 weeks.  I've been nervous to run outside because the air quality has been so poor and, just getting over pneumonia I didn't know how my body would handle it.  I decided to go for it!  I got there at 6 to pick up our training shirt and I'm happy that it is definitely cuter than last years. Here it is...

I am signed up to run with Intermediate 2.  I'm opting to run with Intermediate 1 for now and may or may not move up groups as I get accustomed to running in the heat again.  I really like the coaches and girls in Int. 1 - they are very sweet and helpful.  I have several friends in this group as well, which is always nice to have buddies to run alongside!  We ran 3.05.  We ran 6 minutes, walked 1 minuet and repeated that for the distance.  I normally don't walk when I run but honestly I welcomed the short breaks because it was insanely hot!!! I felt really good training outside and had no issues with breathing. Yay!  This run gave me confidence to start training harder and outside a lot more consistently! The program last through the middle of September.  We will meet each Monday and endure the heat together.  It is such a beautiful thing seeing all these ladies committed to fitness and I'm happy I can be a part of it!  I'm really looking forward to running the graduation 5k in September.

It was a 5k I was supposed to run last year but was sadly sidelined due to a stress fracture.  I'm really trying to train smarter this year.  I know injuries are a part of running but I really want to make wise choices and avoid as many as I can.  I believe good running shoes play a huge part in injury prevention!  I'll be looking into getting a new pair in the next month.  You can safely average 250 - 300 miles per pair but really don't need to go over that mileage.  I knew immediately when it was time to retire my last pair because my knees started killing me during my runs.  My knees rarely hurt while running so I knew something was off.  As soon as I got my new shoes - no more knee pain! It's crazy how important shoes are!  I've said this before but Fleet Feet is a great place to go esp. if you are new to running and are not sure what type of shoe best fits you. 

That's all I have for now.

Happy RUNNING!!!

3.1

Whether you are a beginner or have been running for as long as you can remember, it's always good to go back to the basics every once in a while and brush up on the fundamentals. I came across a site that provides tons of running tips from shoes to safety and nutrition.  Check it out HERE.

I ran this morning at the gym and had a decent run.  My legs were super sore from all the lunges and squats I did Wednesday.  They felt a little heavy today but I pushed through. I ran 3.1 again and plan to up my mileage my next run. I had a ton to do today so I left the gym after I ran.  Normally I like to do weights but just didn't have time. 


I'm so excited about the Olympics starting today and I'm super excited to watch all the track and field events. I am always so impressed by all the athletes and their abilities. They never cease to amaze me. One of the marathoners that I've read a little about is Kara Goucher.  Below is a YouTube video of her being interviewed about training and her upcoming Olympic race. I can't wait to watch her race and kick some major butt!

It never gets easier, you just get better!

Today my hubs and I were able to go to the gym together.  The kids were with my parents, so we took advantage.  I loved having him there with me. Even though we weren't doing the same things, just knowing he was there was nice. 

I really wanted to increase my mileage from 2.5 - on Monday - to 3.1 today.  I was originally going to run 3, but decided to go for the 5k distance.  I felt really good. I ran with the incline set on 2 for most of the run.  I don't want to get to used to running on the 'mill so I like to add some "hills" to make it more like running outside. I had some cramps but was able to breathe them out within a few minutes. I'm also working on building my muscles back to what they were.  It's crazy how fast you lose muscle mass.  I did lunges, squats, calf press, and worked my arms some.  I'm still not able to do ab work since I'm still sore in my rib cage.  As soon as that goes away, my abs will have a rude awakening, for sure! My body is still adjusting to getting back to running/working out but I'm getting stronger every day!

God Bless

On my way back!

On my way back!

To God be the glory!

Jehovah-Rapha/MY HEALER is the name of God I have been focusing on the past 5 weeks. God has been so faithful to me every second of this scary journey.  He has drawn me so close to Him through this and is teaching me to rely on Him every second of every day, not just when life gets tough but ALL the time.  He is teaching me to be thankful for everything He has given me and not to take anything for granted. It's so easy to get caught up in what I want and my plans that I lose sight of what is really important in life.  I never considered the vast importance and comfort of being able to breath unhindered.  I tell ya, having trouble breathing is one of the scariest things I've ever experienced.  It was in those moments that God held me the tightest and gave me comfort that I could find no where else.  I give Him all the glory for healing me and carrying me through.   

Workout Update:

As you can imagine I have been more than ready to get back to working out and running.  My last run was over 5 weeks ago! I have to be honest, I've been worried that all my hard work the past 2 years or so building up my mileage would be hurt having to take off 5 weeks. I'm really hoping that's not the case.

I decided to go to the gym and do a fairly light work out on July 15th.  I biked 6.3 miles, did light weights, and walked a mile on the 'mill. It was so refreshing to be back in the gym, but I was so sore the next day! It was a good kind of sore, a productive kind of sore, and I loved it!

I decided to wait several days before going back, I didn't want to do too much to fast.  I went back July 21st, 6 days later.  I was dying to run but still unsure if it would be the smartest thing to do since I still had a small cough and a little tightness in my chest.  However, I knew how great I felt the first time I worked out and my breathing was fine then so...you know me...I went for it!!!

I started out walking 1 mile with an incline. I sped my walking up the closer I got to the end of the mile to test my breathing.  It seemed OK, so when the 'mill said 1 mile I increased the speed and started running.  I'm sure people thought I was a little nuts because I was smiling so big.  I ran 1.3 blissful miles.  I wanted to go further but my left knee was hurting a little bit and decided not to push it. 

I went back yesterday, the 23rd, and was so excited to run again.  This time my goal was 2 miles but I felt so great that I ran 2.5! I also biked a 5 minute warm up and did 30 minutes of weights. I finally feel like I'm getting my groove back and I'm so thankful.

Here's a few running motivation quotes!

"Don't fear moving slowly forward...fear standing still."
--Kathleen Harris

"Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."
–-Dean Karnazes

Gotta head to bed...I have a date with my running shoes in the morning!


God Bless!