Positive Media Please

18 days and 14 hours as of right now until I run my first marathon and likely my last. This morning over my first cup of coffee what does my husbad tell me to read, an article about runners dying in half marathons. I reminded him of my life insurance policy.

You hear of it, you read about and while running the Virginia Beach Rock-N-Roll Half, they had a man die close to the finish line. I remember rounding the turn to the ambulance coming down the street and lifting up a prayer for that runner hoping they were o.k. Instead of the media focusing on how running causes death,could you focus on the benefit. In my mind I have an image of the person writing this article, he is a fat man, drinking a strong one, smoking while tying on an old typewriter,all the while thinking "stupid people".


As much as I complain about my weight, I have to remind myself that since I started running I have lost 40 pounds. I feel the best I have ever felt in my life. I no longer take depression medication nor is my anxiety as bad as it was. I sleep great most nights (when John isn't snoring). I think the benefit for me an most of us outweighs the negative. Could they please write that story!

Those are the ones I would like to read in the paper. For that, I have to go on-line. If you don't follow Runner Dude's Blog, you definately should. He spotligts runners all time! Thanks Thad aka Runner Dude for the outlet for normal runners to share the benefits they have gained from running. The news media should take a lesson or two from you!
http://ncrunnerdude.blogspot.com/ Link to the best running blog there is......

My Body

Everything changed the day I understood that if I was to become a runner, I would have to run with the body I had.

John Bingham, The Courage to Start

I got this quote this morning and I need to resemble that remark. I am always wanting a body I will never have.

I am never going to be taller. At 39 years old, I don't think my legs are going to grow. I could loose weight, but as you have read in earlier post, I love to eat. I like eating what I want to. I hate restrictions. I could do alot of things to get the body that I envy on other people all the time. But this is the body God gave me and I am going learn to love it.

Plus, I am running a marathon in a few short weeks, with this body.... I better get happy with it soon!

Half Marathon PR for me

As you know,I have been nursing a sore foot this week. I have spent several hours at Off N Running working with John and Emily on new shoes and some other ideas. Had not made a true decision on should I run today or not until yesterday. I had not ran all week on the foot, but I did do spin class to keep me moving. I met Jessica on Friday to run 4 miles and see how the new shoes felt. Foot felt fine so I decided to run the Cannonball Half Marathon in Greensboro, NC today.

I laid all my stuff out last night,as to be prepared this morning when the alarm went off. 6 a.m on Saturday comes early but I should be use to it I know. We made it to the race sight on time, despite Mr.Vanities need to be pretty before we leave. I get my chip,use the potty and we are off. We didn't realize they moved the start line so a little sprint was in order to get there. Got there and in plenty of time. Gun went off and we are Off N Running.

Anyone who has ever run with me knows that I am going to do several things throughout the run no matter what the distance. First I am going to complain and secondly, I am going to talk to random people. Third your going to have to hear about all the people I know that are running as well, but just because I am shocked by the number of people I know that run. Today was no different except I might of started complaining a little early. It was cold. Jessica expects it and just tells me to shut up and run.

That is exactly what we did. I had a goal to just finish before today. Then when I was getting ready, my wonderful hubby says "I see the clock for you today". I asked for it not to say 3 hours. He laughed at me and said, "nope it says 2:08", to which I laugh loudly. I am a 10:30 min. miler....and very comfortable at that. Jessica said we were finishing in 2:10 and I told her to leave me if she had to. No need for any of that. Great run for us today and Whiny Spice finished in 2:07:52.

I took 15 minutes off my last half and 8 minutes off the one before that. The good Lord willing OBX will not be as hard for me as I had in mind.

update....

No bad news on the foot. He was actually more worried about the blister. Nothing on the xray except old issues. He said to take the week to cross train, get new shoes and ditch those expensive inserts his office made for me......

I am doing a happy dance......

Not the dayoff I had hoped for.....

Today was supposed to be a day of "ME"....Not doing anything related to my family (ok I will feed them later), my job or my house. It was going to be a rest day and a very well deserved one after my run yesterday. Well laid plans don't always turn out so well laid.

I am how many days away from the OBX Marathon? Can you say 26! I can, 26 days out and I am feeling good and very encouraged that I can do this. I can run 26.2 miles and cross a finish line. My body and my mind are on two different planets. My mind says yes, my body says, "you fool,what are you getting us into"? I must be the proud owner of 100 year old feet. Because they HURT!

With that being said, I am off to the Dr. about my darn foot. Not the right foot that I hurt last year but the left foot that I have now hurt. I have a huge blister that no matter what I do for it, will not heal. Therefore I have been landing on the outside of my foot for so long I have done something! I am praying he says "your a big baby now go get it done" and "oh by the way this will heal the blister"! I want to talk about my orthodics as well. I think they maybe part of the problem. So we will see.

Lucky for me I have the mileage base to FINISH but that will be it. I will be very happy with a finish! Then I promise to never put my body through this again. I will stick to short runs! Yeah whatever...... Can you buy feet on the internet?

Quote of the day!

I always run alone, away from phones and stress. Running is a major part of my life because it keeps me sane. Michael Roux, Jr., Executive Chef, Le Gavroche, London

This was yesterdays Runners World quote of the day. I can relate only in one way. That I run to keep me sane. I am not sure that it is working, but hey, it is better than the alternative. We all know I hate to run alone. Who would I talk to? I think someone would call 911 if they saw me for miles talking to myself, I just don't like it. See it isn't working.... I AM CRAZY!

I hear a friend I work with say quite often, "when do you find the time to run, I am so busy". "I am busy too,but if it is something you need or want you find the time", is my canned answer back to her. The point to this is we all run or do something that we like just for US. I run for no other reason than it helps bring me back to me. In those busy lives, we loose who we are. We become what everyone else wants us to be.

So thank you running for helping me stay somewhat sane and for giving me the time to be who I was meant to be, ME!

I Did It!!!!!!!!!!

This past Saturday I had a 13 miler on my schedule. I wasn't totally dreading it because I knew I had 11 miles that I would be running with Christine and Kay. I can run 2 miles by myself. Not a problem....Wish in my mind it seemed that easy, but I hate running alone as I have stated in previous post.

As we finished the 11 I was already feeling the gloom of being alone. I was going to bring my Ipod to help me,but my daughter had it and forgot she let a friend use it at lunch on Friday. So I thought I will just get my phone and play the music from it as I ran....I had a plan


I am happy to report I didn't need a plan. I should of trusted myself that I could run 2 miles by myself. When we finished out the 11 miles, I told them I was just going to keep going! I felt good and didn't want to ruin that. I ran my 2 miles and it didn't take all day. Actually I did a great job of staying paced thanks to my trusty Scotty watch (aka Forerunner 305)!

Not sure what my plan is for the weekend but I can do this! Or at least that is what I am going to continue to tell myself!

36 Days and Counting

I just pulled up the website for the OBX Marathon and it claims I only have 36 days left for my first marathon. I knew it was coming soon but when you put it like that, I think it is time to worry. My question is, "Am I prepared"?

I have been sitting here for the last hour searching websites on fueling for that mileage. This past weekend I ran a 30K and totally ran out of gas! So now I am super worried about how will I make it for 26.2 miles if I can't run 18.6 miles without running out of steam. My search will continue since I haven't found anything as of yet. I have completed most of my workouts and have felt good about it. I have been sick for a while and finally went to the Dr. I should of gone 2 weeks ago but I would begin to feel better and then it would rear its ugly head again. So with all the medicine I have that should not be a problem anymore.

I think my biggest fear now is that I am on the upside of my mileage, all of my training partners are on different schedules and I will be left alone to run. I hate, hate, hate, let me say it again, hate to run by myself and that is exactly what I will be doing the next couple of weeks. Thank goodness it will only be a few miles by myself, but still. I am codependent when it comes to running. I need someone with me. Yes I need someone to talk to. If any of you want to come join me at odd times on Saturdays for a couple of miles, please email me.

I am putting it out there... I AM SCARED. I am scared of eating poorly and not fueling for the mileage and I am afraid of running alone! I know your saying, Amy you wimp! That is me, a big baby chicken!