Oh Disney. Thanks for 26.2.

Firts things first. I am officially a marathoner. Booya. 26.2 in one morning. Completed by me. Rock on. And the make the weekend even better... my Alabama Crimson Tide were titled the National Champions. I guess us Nick Saban followers accomplish greatness. :o)

Where to even begin. Let me start with the truth of I did not really train for this event. I took on the slacker training program, yet again. ugh. Going into 26.2 I had run 13.1 in October, but since then I don't think my miles hit more than 6. Whoops?! Onto the race -- The race was absolutely freezing - so cold people had ice forming on them where they were sweating and the water stops were pretty icy on the ground (I wonder if anyone took sponges at mile 17? I sure as hell didn't). So much for sunny Florida. I don't know the exact temps of the start, but I think it was in the 20's somewhere and it never really warmed up. Well, I never fully warmed up. The race starts with fireworks which, honestly, was pretty bad ass. I cannot tell you too much about the mile markers because well I was in so much of a trance that I was just trying to finish and get out of the cold. But I will tell you that running through the parks is pretty freaking awesome. And Disney is not as flat as you would think, or maybe it's just the exit ramps they have you run up - but I was not hill trained for this and that was a downfall for me. ...I guess it is back to running parking garages for me. HA!

I was really looking forward to running through the castle, but running up to Epcot and through Epcot in the dark was pretty magical. I loved Animal Kingdom, but then again that has always been a favorite for me. Hollywood Studios was nothing I remembered it being but I thought it was pretty much awesome, but that was the same for a lot of the parks. A lot of the race was access roads - more roads and less parks - which made for quite a challenge because the roads were so tight and there were so many runners and not a lot of spectators ... but it was manageable. I don't know why, but I had so so so much more energy in the parks than I did on the access roads. I saw my branch manager and her fiancee at mile 12 or so and they claim I was still looking good (I will see the pictures and decided). I never saw my family but they said they saw me ... I think they stayed in the car the whole time. HA. I hit mile 13 at a total high and by mile 15 I was starting to feel the pain. I must hit the pavement harder on my right side because by mile 20 my ankle, knee, hamstrings, and hip were killing me. I hit the wall around mile 22 ... but I wanted my Mickey so I just kept trucking. I am not going to lie, I pretty much walked the majority of the last 6 miles ... my body felt like it was shutting down and no matter how many times I stopped to stretch and try and work the kinks out I just could not get back in the groove. Running on the boardwalk was pretty, but cold. The resorts are amazing to run through as well, but I was honestly thinking. WHERE IS THE BIG EPCOT BALL?! I saw the Epcot Christmas Tree and I knew I was almost there, but just knowing wasn't enough to get me running - but I trotted and trotted and trotted.

As the lame person I am... I signed up to track myself and get messages of mile markers and I don't think the program worked as well as Disney hoped (seeing my mom didn't get any texts until I got to mile 10). But here were my times according to the race tracker. Mile 5: 59:58 Mile 10: 2:03:27 Half Split (13.1): 2:44:11 Mile 20: 4:21:07 Finish: 5:53:21 --- my dad told me that he had hoped I would finish in 5:30, but my legs were like bricks of pain and I didn't meet my 5 hour time goal, but I knew I had to be done in 6. Just call me a back of the pack runner. I have no pride!

I did set some marathon goals and to be honest, I am unsure if I met the 5k (I think I did) or 10k goal ... but I know for a face I was hitting 13.1 at about 5 minutes quicker than what I had planned. I do not know if I am hooked on this 26.2 thing - around mile 15 I was pretty much over the whole situation, so I may stick to half marathons and leave the full's to those crazy runners. ...or I will ease into another full. Get a few more 10ks and half's under my belt. ING Atlanta is next in March. As my marathon goals say ... I have to do active recovery and get in the groove for 13.1 in a little over a month. Oi Vey. ...most importantly, I was able to cross off 1 race on my marathon bucket list.

Time to bronze my Brooks - they have done 1 half and 1 full. I am never throwing those bad boys away. Never. Needless to say, I am headed for a good rub down this weekend at at Atlanta spa and this week will consist of some rest, a little walking, maybe some light light running, and a few good swims. Next week starts 2010 work out resolutions... hello spin class ... if my legs will move!

Thanks so much to EVERYONE who encouraged me, sent their well wishes, and encouraging texts during the race. I really could not have done this without you. I love you all!! :o)

Disney Marathon Goals - race and recovery.

I think it is good to have goals. I have listed out my 2010 goals and now I want to get in the mindset of Disney World Domination.

So here are my hopes and dreams about the actual race.

• In 33 minutes I want to have run 3.2 miles (5k)
• In 1 hour and 15 minutes, I want to have run 6.1 miles (10k)
• at mile 13.1 be at 2 hours and 54 seconds. That is the time that I finished my half marathon (Nike) in. ...ideally I would like to beat that since there won't be any killer hills, but due to my lack of training, I want to be realistic.
• Finish the race in 5 hours. ...if I can do it in less, that would be phenomenal ... but I want to be done in 5 hours.
• Personal: get lost of pictures on course. I have my mom, dad, branch manager, and her fiancee cheering me on.

Post race goals:

• not stop running after the race - do the recovery miles. I have a full marathon recovery plan thanks to team in training.
• start incorporating the cross training, spin classes, swimming, etc... into my weekly work out routine.
• START TRAINING FOR ING ATLANTA - HALF!

This will probably be my last post until my race report. SO! Happy New Year! Wish me luck! Thanks for all the love!

twenty.ten. goals.

it is good to make goals and resolutions right? maybe hopefully you'll stick to them? i have been thinking about my running goals for the new year and have decided to chronicle them here. nothing like having the world wide web hold you accountable right?

as my previous post stated 2009 was my return to running and getting back in shape. however, i felt like a total liar and fake runner. really who signs up for a half and full marathon and doesn't train? walkers put in more miles than i did leading up to both Nike and Disney! ...so that is where I will begin.

1. resolution one: take this thing called running more seriously. actually TRAIN for big events. don't go out and wing it.
2. which leads to resolution two: run at the minimum 60 miles per month. do the 10% rule so i do not get injured.
3. resolution three: incorporate cross training. swim. row. kick box. take spin classes. I signed up at LA Fitness ... now I just have to use it.
4. resolution four: focus on pace and form to get faster. build my endurance. incorporate hill training, tempo runs, speed workouts. focus on long distances. just get faster.
   
5. resolution five: do more races. focus on finding 10ks rather than 5ks. I am at a point where a 5k is fun, but it is not a challenge for me. I want to be challenged in 2010 ~ shall we call 2010 the year of 10ks?! **don't hear me wrong, I will still run them ... work toward a PR, but I want to focus on distance next year!**
   
6. resolution six: run a half marathon (or more) and be prepared for it - rock it out!
   

I know I had this wild and crazy idea to do '10 in 2010' - but instead I think I am just going to focus on finding the love of running, working it into my busy life, and training safely and correctly. With that said, I am for sure doing Disney *of course*, but after that I think I am only going to go ING in March, Seattle with Team in Training in June, and VA Beach in September. One full and 3 half's. We will then see where 2011 takes me.

That is all. Wish me luck. I hope to be able to sit here on 12.29.2010 and say I knocked each one out. Have a very happy new years and all the best to all of you in 2010! :o)

2009: my return to running (and being active).

All my life I was a pretty active person. In Elementary School I played soccer, softball, danced, did gymnastics, swam in the summer (and some winters) ... basically stayed as busy as possible. In high school I did gymnastics on the high school team and marched with the band in color guard (don't judge me)... and upon entering college I basically said no more. Honestly, in my 4.5 at the University of Alabama the only exercise I did was walk to classes, play beer pong, run from the cops, carry cases of beer, run around bars, walk from the frat houses to the bars (that was a long walk...), bar hop and hop and hop, walk home from the bars, and then senior year make the long walking trek from my apartment in Northport back to my car in the parking lot of some bar (the bridge over the river looks a lot shorter when you're driving it and not hungover...). I was the person leaving Cheap Shots on Saturday morning when the sun was rising wondering why people were out at 6am running ... and I wondered even more during football season. Granted, I would hit up the rec center when spring break was quickly approaching or if I had gorged myself on Quick Grill's 'Messy Fries' or Guthries or Pita Pit or Jimmy Johns the night before. **tell me again how I survived college?!**

Needless to say, I graduated in December 2006, reality sunk in that it was not okay to be a trainwreck anymore, and I went back home to DC. I landed a job and quickly joined Lifetime Fitness. I was in DC for about a year and a half, I would hit the gym everyday - run like hell, row, cycle, swim - everything. Then, I moved to Atlanta in June 2007 and went back to my sloth-like behavior (without the hard partying and walking miles to get my car after a long night). Sure, I joined LA Fitness and then Crunch, but my crazy work schedule never really allowed for me to get to the gym when it wasn't crazy busy so I stopped going and cancelled my membership.

In January of 2009 my friend Beka was diagnosed with Leukemia. Honestly, I wanted to do something, anything in her honor and to get involved in helping the world find a cure for her awful disease. I had no idea what I could do until I got a little flyer in the mail from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their Team in Training program. I to this day have no idea how they found me, but that does not matter. Without any sort of hesitation, I went to the interest meeting knowing that I would sign up to run a half marathon in her honor. Run... a half marathon... after a year of doing nothing exercise like other than making sales calls for my job. (Many of my girlfriends from college were wondering how I was going to make it past mile 3 since they knew I was anti working out) The story unfolds from there... I semi trained to run 13.1 ... I then ran (and walked) 13.1 ... and realized that this running thing isn't half bad (and on top of it, I raised $5000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). I ran 5ks and 10ks and progressively got faster and faster. I was having a good time. I didn't cross the half marathon finish line in any record breaking time and nor will I cross Disney in a "holy cow" time, but I know that I had lots of fun, I accomplished something amazing and to me that is all that matters.

So 2009 was a crappy year for most. It was for me. But I am coming out of this year with a new found hobby and enjoyment. Sure, I still love a good glass of wine (or 3) when I have a bad day in the office, but nothing beats getting a run in and letting myself think and dream. I did not get in nearly enough runs this year nor did I take the sport as seriously as I should have and plan to in 2010. One day I would like to be the leader of the pack in those 5ks, 10ks, and maybe even the 1/2 and full marathons ... but I will take it one stride at a time, one day at a time, and one year at a time. But like I said, I am coming away with something new and great for my life. Now let's hope 2010 doesn't suck as much as 2009 did! :o)

Happy Running all. Merry Christmas! Thanks to everyone who has followed my blog this year. You all rock and your motivation has been what has gotten me going. To you all, I am forever grateful!

hey flu. how are you?

so. lets have another moment of honesty real fast. *i like being honest with you followers of my amazingly lame blog*. i like to run. i really do. words cannot express the feeling i had crossing both the start and finish line of the Nike woman's half marathon (and my first). i like lacing up the shoes and hitting the pavement after a long day or an annoying conversation with my boyfriend. it is a great mind clearer and stress reliever. do i love to run? no. if i had to chose a visiting a cupcake shop and or running 6 miles, i would chose the cupcake shop. Granted, I would run 6 miles to the cupcake shop .. eat a cupcake .. and then call for ride home. ...i digress.. for once, i am itching to run. but cannot.

i am sick. flu. bacterial infection. sick. and i am more than half way to miserable. but i think it is so unfair that i have to be laid out, dying, when i want to run. Plus there is a 5k i wanted to run on Saturday and signed up for and paid for but now I cannot because of this crud. to make matters worse, it is a full week off running and my lazy ass just took a week off last week 'just because'. Oh hi marathon, i know you're quickly approaching. try not to kill me please, i kinda like my life. oh my endurance - i think it is dusty and in a corner somewhere ... i will find it before i line up at the start in Epcot ... I promise! :o(

looks like next week in DC I have A LOT of running to do. and a spin class or 4. merry Christmas?

marathon bucket list.

i know i have only run 1 half marathon and i am kinda sorta preparing for the Disney marathon in January. but let me tell you, i am hooked on the adrenaline rush of all the miles. i have decided that there are a lot of races i am interested in participating in, but i think one of the main reasons i sign up for race after race after race is because i want to see how well i can actually do if i take them seriously and train.

let me be real honest with the world - prior to running Nike in San Fran the most i had run in one swoop was 6.2 miles. i had to run 13.1 with killer hills. i survived. i loved it. now, i am gearing up to run/walk Disney in January. since running my half in October i have not run more than 6 miles. it is because i have been a slacker, i have been sick, and i have been overwhelmed with life. i got my most recent major miles in while home for thanksgiving, when i had no work and no responsibilities. funny how that works huh?!

i hope to have the opportunity to really take this running thing seriously once i knock Disney out and run on a schedule.

*once I run it, I will cross it out and add the link to the review and post race blog*

anyways. onto the races i really want to run in the future.

• Disney Marathon (completed: 1.10.10 - 5:53:21)
• Nike Woman's Marathon
• ING Atlanta - Half. (completed: 3.21.10 - 2:36:53)
• Georgia Marathon - Full
• Kona Marathon
• Surf City Marathon
• Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon
• Shamrock (VA Beach) Half Marathon
• Rocket City Marathon
• Critz Tybee Run. Half Marathon
• Kiawah Island Half Marathon
• Marine Corp Marathon
• Philadelphia Marahon
• Philadelphia Half Marathon
• National Marathon
• Baltimore Running Festival
• NYC Marathon
• BOSTON!
• Chicago
• LA Marathon
• ING Miami
• Kentucky Derby
• ALL the 'rock and rolls' Arizona. VA Beach. Las Vegas, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, San Antonio, Dallas, Philly, Los Angeles, Denver, San Jose, Nashville, and New Orleans.
  

I know this is quite a list. But I figure I have 20 or so years to knock it out. If you have any suggestions ... throw them my way. I will add to the list as I hear about more! :o)

move out of the way #17384 is coming

Ok. It is not going to be a move out of the way type I am super fast and want to leave you in my dust type situation, but I did get my race number today for the Disney Marathon. 27 days and counting until the starting line. I am unsure about how prepared I actually am for this event - but you never know what will happen.

So I am number 17384 ... I have my bib number in hand. This is becoming so much realer.

My goal: 5 hours and 30 minutes. write that down. hold me accountable - about a 12:59 pace -- which is a little faster than what I did Nike in - but I feel like without the major uphill climbs like the ones in San Fran I can potentially do it. Disney is fairly flat so I heard, but I will miss the screeching downhills where I made up for lost time! =)

... happy running. right? ...