Slip Slidin Away!

Safely made it through week 2, run #1. But feel like I barely made it. Y'all know how much I love running in the snow, but today it was REALLY slick and so I was pretty busy trying not to fall the whole time and just wanted to get home in one piece as quickly as I could. Definitely need to get those Yak Trax!! (Actually, my hubby got me some for Christmas, but they were the walker ones, not the running ones. I was afraid to try to use them because someone on the Spark People message board said to be sure to get the running ones. But thinking should have gone ahead and used them anyway because that would have been better than nothing!! Maybe can get them exchanged later this week.)

ANYWAY, had a really slow time today, but made it home without falling (despite slipping alot). AND, I haven't missed a training run/walk yet! (Which is really good for me)

Only 15 more weeks of training to go!!

I've Got the Music in Me

Had a pretty good training run today. It was crazy cold (did the whole "dress like it is 20 degrees warmer" thing and it was NOT working for me today) - BUT I had my tunes to keep me warm and motivated! (Plus it was snowing and even though it was little pellets instead of fluffy snowflakes, snow always makes me happy.)   UPDATE: the pellets have changed from pellets to beautiful big fluffy snowflakes and it is all I can do not to go back out - I LOVE to run when it is snowing!


I finally sat down and put together a play list to run to. I spent so much time on it this morning that I almost made the same error I did the other day and waited TOO long after I ate to run. But a quick snack cured all that. Plus it was worth the time and effort - the play list was a success!!

My current training schedule is run 3, walk 2, so I loaded my mp3 with a bunch of 2ish and 3ish minute songs and alternated them. Using the music to know when to switch was so much more fun that looking at my watch and I had a great time running with my tunes!! I know I am not supposed to increase my running time too much, but I did run a little longer because I got back home before my songs were done, so I added another quick loop.

So, what did I listen to? The list includes:
It's My Life - Bon Jovi (one of my faves, plus it reminds me of good times)
Movin' - Group 1 Crew
Holding Out for a Hero - Bonnie Tyler (which is actually like 5:41, but it makes you feel like Rocky (or Kevin Bacon) so how can you not include it?)
Shine - The Newsboys
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Believe - Amy Grant
Get Down - Audio Adrenaline

And a few other random ones, including some by The Lads, a Christian band from New Zealand that is actually geared toward kids and tweens, but that means their music is fun and great to dance to (read: jump up and down to).  And a Beatles tune which has got to go, but for now, it fits the length requirement.

Two things I noticed that I need to watch for:
1. Pushing my pace too fast to go with the song
2. Busting out the dance moves (don't want the neighbors to think I've gotten into the liquor)

Now I am ready to face the day with a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and some warmer socks!

MMT, WK1 D4

Not much to report today.  Didn't sleep very much at all last night and had very, very, very little energy today at Zumba class.  My body was not gonna "join the party" no matter what.  Can't believe how little energy I had...

Going to use medicinal assistance tonight to ensure I get my 40 winks and then hopefully have a productive rest day tomorrow.

Tah-tah for now!

Training Tales.....

Happy Monday!!!


I am going to try to regularly post about my Mini-Marathon run/walk training. (I officially started on 1/1, using a run/walk training schedule someone gave me years ago when I was training to walk the mini - this time the goal is to run at least half the time and significantly beat my walking time from 8 years ago)  Hopefully this will help me blog regularly, train regularly, and give y'all license to keep me accountable if I suddenly seem to have fallen off the face of the earth. Even if nobody reads it, this is something I want to do for me.  Not usually one to share my ups and downs like this, so hopefully this doesn't blow up in my face.

So...............all that to say, here's the latest:

Sunday: lesson reinforced: don't let yourself get hungry! Came home from church yesterday afternoon and I was STARVING. Thus I proceeded to eat everything in the kitchen that was readily available, not nailed down, and edible. Basically a bunch of cookies, candy, and cheese, with some carrot sticks thrown in for good measure. Once I get that hungry, the floodgates open and all hope of sticking to plan is dashed. Especially since yesterday I had a really bad migraine, so all I wanted to do was crawl in bed and have someone chop off my head. So, aside from church, I ate, drugged up, and slept. Good thing it was a planned rest day. Need to start planning ahead better in these situations so it doesn't get that far.

Monday: you would think today is close enough to yesterday that I would not have already forgotten the "don't get hungry" lesson, but.....not so much. I got up, ate a light breakfast, got distracted for about 2 hours, then finally got around to heading out the door for today's run. By that time I was hungry again, but I was too stubborn to stop and eat before I ran - and also too afraid that if I waited much longer I would keep finding reasons to delay my run and would never get it in. So I headed out the door and about 37 seconds into it, I was SO TIRED. No energy at all. I finished the planned run, but I was much tired-er than Saturday. Although, I had an almost greater sense of pride because I did not give up even though sometimes I felt I was going so slow I was almost running backwards. Also was very pleased to find that I was still running pretty strong at the end. Need to listen to body better and give it the fuel it needs to function better.

Tomorrow: cross-training, Zumba style!