10K On The List

Just registered for a 10k at the end of March. Nothing like having 4 weeks to get my act in gear! Motivation to get moving!! I can do this. (at least I keep telling myself that ha)! 

Now to get that running schedule worked out...... 

Half Marathon Say What?

So this fire wife here just signed up for a half marathon! Yup call me crazy, well half crazy. My fireman also signed up for this half marathon. I am not sure how I feel about this considering he runs so much better than I. (without even trying. Punk). 

I guess I better start training and figure out a schedule to go around his fire schedule.

Wish me luck!

Disney's Royal Family 5k

This past Friday, I ran Disney's Royal Family 5k with my 10  year old daughter and Fabulous. It was a blast! We ran the entire time (with the few stops for pictures). I'm a mom... it's what I do. I take pictures. Speedy (my new nickname for my daughter), was over the pictures, she kept saying she just wanted to run. After all it was a race. We finished in great time. 35 minutes! That is another record for me. Speedy kept running ahead and I would have to chase her down and yell for her to slow down. She was amazing to watch! She breezed through people with such grace. It was as if she had run 100 races before. I swear she is a natural at running. As a mom I couldn't be more proud of her and her decision to love running.      After the race through out the rest of the weekend, she kept telling me she wants to now do a 10k. Again, another proud mom moment.

It was a great weekend, sad to see it end, but having my daughter by my side was great. It makes me happy to know my daughter is choosing to be healthy. I don't have to force her to run. She loves the sport and does it for pleasure. So here's to raising a runner!

MRTT Winter Virtual Run

Today was our local MRTT (Mom's Run This Town), group run. We did a 5K.  I arrived a little early to squeeze in an extra mile.  I must say it was my best run to date. For several reasons I can say best run ever!

Reason six: I ran with a group of moms who have the same passion for running that I do.

Reason five: Fabulous was present. So of course it was a great run.

Reason four: I did my first mile before 7 am. This has never happened before. The view from the river was amazing.

Reason three: When I started again to do my 3 miles, I had a goal to run the entire time. I usually do a run / walk. I have been working really hard to do full 3 miles with no walking and it hasn't gone well. I always end up walking by mile 2. I hate mile 2. Period.

Reason two: I reached mile 2 without walking and was feeling great! I began to tell myself that I could do it over and over. I even told myself slow and steady wins the race! Hey.. whatever works!

Reason one: I DID IT! 3 miles done! No walking! As I was coming up to a local restaurant that was right before my ending point I teared up. I couldn't believe I did it with no walking at all!

It was such a wonderful feeling and such a big accomplishment for me; the lazy runner. Fabulous was there waiting for me! I was so happy!! She hugged me, then let go telling me I was to sweaty to hug. Yes people in 50 degree weather, one can sweat! This accomplishment  is big. It tells me I can do this. I can go further. No quitting. No giving up. Lazy runner no more... I am now a determined runner with big goals for 2014.

One last note...  Make sure you car keys are safe and sealed tight while running...otherwise they may end up on a park bench.

 

Running Fire Wife Problems

Today was a run day. A crappy run day. But a run day.

My fireman came home from the station this morning. Yesterday he had a day of training in full on bunker gear. While drinking my coffee, I assumed that he is not going to be up for a run and that I'll be on my own. YES!!! Except fireman tells me he wants to go for a run. (wishful thinking gone right out the window).

We get to the high school track and my fireman decides he is going to push the jogger so I can get some running in without the extra baggage. How thoughtful, until the wind hit me like a ton of bricks! I felt like I was running in slow motion going nowhere. After 2 laps in my calves were on fire and I still felt like I was making zero progress. Just when I thought this run couldn't get any worse, Fireman passes me up with the jogger. What?! How?! I silently cursed myself. How is it that he can work a 24 hour shift; complete a training exercise and still run with the jogging stroller and pass me?!? Not cool. Not at all.  Running fire wife problem #1

We switched off for a few laps; I felt like quitting. The wind was not kind to me or my calves that were still screaming as I pushed through mile 2. Fireman decided to take the jogger back and do a cool down. Must be nice to finish a run in amazing time and not look like he was dying. Running fire wife problem #2

Working on mile 3 I started to feel much better. Good song came on I got my vibe back. I needed it. Thank goodness for music. Good music. Calves stopped aching so bad and I pushed through the wind. Just as I was finishing my last lap I assumed this was going to be my worst timing ever; The little Nike guy comes through my headphones to tell me I did 3 miles in 36:13 minutes with a pace of 11:58 per mile! I broke my record! I DID IT!!! Best time ever!

I nearly gave up this run. It was not a happy run, not with my fireman running past me like it was nothing. I did it. I finished it.

This crappy run taught me 2 things.

Not all runs are good runs.

Suck it up and run on.

Right Here, Right Now.

I am determined to do a half marathon. I want to love running. I have started back up and to date my distance is up to about 4.5 miles. Go me. I'll get there. I know it. While some days it is still a challenge with the fire schedule, I am determined to work out the kinks and get this running thing down! No more excuses! I bought a jogging stroller from the local consignment store. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive. I am still adjusting to the extra weight of it and I enjoy running with a fixed wheel. (now to remind myself to lock it before I start my run). I drag all 3 kids along. My 2 older children run with me. No excuses! The jogger is a must have! I do still enjoy my alone runs, which I get when the hubs is home; however, I need to be able to go anytime. 

I ran yesterday. Today is a rest day. Tomorrow is a run day and I am happy to say I can't wait to get out and run. 

The Wall I Hit

In my last blog, I gave you a little background on my start in running. It hasn't been easy over the past few years. In 2012 I got pregnant (and still ran a 5K)! Not long after that 5K I gave up running for the rest of my pregnancy. I still have mixed feelings about giving it up. I had terrible morning sickness and zero energy; still sometimes I wish I had pushed myself to do a little running. My daughter arrived and I was excited to get back into running and working out. I rejoined my gym and sadly to date have only been maybe 5 times. I didn't have to drive to work out or go for a run. I went here and there with my friends. But not regularly like I had before my pregnancy. My fabulous girlfriend (yup same one who talked me into my first 5K), talked me into doing a 5K color run. I said sure it'll be fun. It was a lot of fun, but again I did lots of walking. I was very out of shape. After that race, I didn't keep up with my running. I found myself making excuses not to go. It was like I hit a wall full speed and had no drive to fix it. Then my husband signed us up for an obstacle 5K full of mud and military type challenges. Again, my girlfriend was doing it as well. I was in panic mode! My baby was only 6 months old, I hadn't worked out or ran or trained for anything other than becoming a pro at nursing my baby! So many times I begged to back out. To find someone to take my spot. Nope. Not one person wanted my spot. The day came, I was sick to my stomach but held a poker face. Yup I'm good like that, show no fear!! We started off and I must say I laughed the entire way through the mud pits. It was challenging and I ended up in mud pits more than I was on track. However, I finished! I did it! I was so proud of myself. But like all good things, I stopped running again. Another block in the road to running.

I had pretty much given up on running. I had no desire and while Fabulous went on the run a 10K and half marathons, I sat there okay with not running. What on earth was wrong with me?! I would tell myself I love running, but had grown to hate it. Being a fire wife, I am without my soul mate often. I found juggling 3 kids was tricky and that there was no time to run. When he was home, I was to exhausted to want to go run. Excuse after excuse. Then that all changed.

Jan. 12, 2014. I arrived at Magic Kingdom at 4:30 am. Stood in the cold with other spectators waiting for fabulous and another friend to run through in the following hours. It was  Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend. My best friend, Fabulous was going to run 26 point freaking 2 miles!! I was so anxious to see her run by. While waiting I saw the first wheelchair contestants come through, I shed tears for them. It was such an experience to see such a thing! Then the runners began to filter through. It was surreal. An awaking that I needed. Then, there she was running, my  Fabulous!  Tears of joy instantly fell. I cried like a baby seeing her. No joke. Not even going to try to lie; (the photos hold the proof).  I cried. I was so excited and happy for her! She kept on and I bounced on the monorail to go to the finish line. A few hours later she came through (thank goodness for sunglasses) I'm just saying! She did it! 26.2 miles! It was an amazing thing to witness. Unbelievable. It was just what I needed to knock that block over. 

I told her I was making it a goal to do a half marathon. I  needed to start training. It wasn't an easy start back up, having to go around my husband's fire schedule. I could only go certain days and not having a jogging stroller to throw my now 1 year old in was keeping me back.  I was determined. I am determined.

The Madness that started it all.

So I'm a fire wife, who happens to have a love / hate relationship with running.  Let me tell you how I got my start in running.

In 2011 I had a girlfriend ask me to do Disney's Princess 5k with her. Keep in mind I haven't ran in years. Wait, I take that back. I only ran if my kids were screaming bloody murder for me. Then of course I ran faster than the road runner! So ya I hardly ran. I looked at her like she was crazy; ( at this point in my life I was walking daily while my two oldest children were in school. I have a mean power walk let me tell you). I told her I would attempt running, but more than likely would walk most of this 5k. So I registered.  Princess weekend came quick. Looking back it was such a blur. Who knew people dressed up for a race?! I ran / walked it. In good time too. Under 40 minutes! I was so proud of myself! After that I found a love for running and a hate for running.