Thankful Thursday - Week 3

I know this is a day late. As you might know, I have a major work related exam this weekend and have been studying for it like a mad woman. I know what I will be thankful for once the test is completed :) . But for now, here’s this week’s Thankful Thursday on Friday:

Thursday, January, 17th  – Working from home days – After a late night out, it was nice to be able to roll from my bed to my office and work from home.
Friday, January, 18th – New workout teachers – I tried a new class tonight and enjoyed the teacher. While it was titled the same as other classes I have taken, she brought a completely new spin to it, which pushed me to my limits.
Saturday, January, 19th – Meeting new people. I went to dinner with my boyfriend and meet a lot of new people. It was great to be able to socialize and learn about others.
Sunday, January, 20th  – lazy days around the house. I stayed in most of the day as the temperatures dropped and I studied.
Monday, January,  21st– the ability to study…..? I’m not really sure. All I did was study before work, work, study during lunch, work, study and sleep.
Tuesday, January, 22nd – ….I’m not really sure…all I did was study. I will be thankful when I finish (and pass the exam), but for today, I was just knee deep in studying….reading, flashcards, & practice tests, Oh My!
Wednesday, January, 23rd – dinners out with new and old friends – I took a study break and had dinner out with new and old friends and enjoyed it!

I know....I know....

I know I said I would go to the Corefitness class and write about it, but I was studying so much that the next thing I knew I was late for the class. I did put the time to good use and made strong progress on studying! When I really look at it, I should spend more time this week studying and getting good sleep for the test on Saturday (I’m so ready for it to be over!) I rescheduled last night barre class to Friday to give myself more time to study and a great way to relax before falling asleep early on Friday. Sunday evening (come snow or cold weather) I will be running!

See you on the road!

Baby, it’s cold outside…..

Brrrr! I was scheduled to do my 1st training run yesterday, however it was cold….really cold. And well, I’m a wimp….

Also, I have a big test next weekend for work and need to study. I sat under a blanket in front a space heater writing out hundreds of note cards.

So, I didn’t train yesterday, however……

Tonight is my first Corefitness class! I don’t really know why, but I’m really excited for these classes! I have a Groupon for them and can’t wait to get my but kicked! I will report back tomorrow if I can move my fingers to type….

Thankful Thursday

Another week….another Thursday….another Thankful Thursday! 

Friday, January 11, 2013 – relaxing Friday nights in front of the TV. I love going out, but love staying in as well. This Friday was a great day to relax and enjoy peace and quiet!

Saturday, January 12, 2013 – my independence. I had plans to meet a friend, but she backed out at the last min. But it was alright by me…I needed a day to myself…strolling in and out of stores, eating where I wanted, doing what I wanted!

Sunday, January 13, 2013 – Study Buddies! I have a work related test coming up and need some serious study time. Luckily, a friend of mine is back in school and needed a study buddy (ok I needed the buddy and she agreed to meet me over coffee and study).

Monday, January 14, 2013 – Work. I my grumble about my work (this week has been a difficult one), but I am truly thankful for my job. I know what it’s like to be unemployed and I am thankful that I have a job I enjoy! I always try to remember that I am truly thankful for my job!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 – Getting back to working out. I FINALLY went back to the gym today and it felt great! I’m excited for jumping into training for a half marathon next week!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 – Surprise events. Half way through the day, I decided I needed to go out that night, texted a friend and just a few short hours later we were rocking out at a great concert!

Running Clubs

I was talking with my sister recently and she mentioned how she has purchased a personal trainer package at her gym. At first I dismissed it as something that I would do as I don’t go to the gym and am a runner. I just go out and run. But then she kept talking about how her personal trainer would push her to her limits and how she was then pushing herself more when she worked out without him. She wouldn’t push herself as hard has the trainer would, but it would be more than she did before talking with him. And that got me thinking.

I do horrible on pushing myself. It takes a lot to get me out the door, going faster to get faster, or pushing through to the very last mile. And I have to get out the door, I have to get faster and I have to finish all the miles --- I have not one, not two, but three ½ marathons this summer! While I’m certain that I will finish them (I completed the 2003 Chicago Marathon with only 3 training runs and one was just a walk in the park – literally). But I want to be able to finish strong….finish and not die (or feel like it)….finish within certain times (not hard fast ones, but I have some times that I would love to see!)….finish and enjoy the experience. So maybe, just maybe a running trainer is what I need. Thoughts?

I started to look into it last night and found that they vary – from running clubs (people getting together to run around) to training programs (scheduled runs together and some coaching to improve) to full on training ‘lifestyles’ (running together, cross train, strength train, nutrition information – the works!). I’m thinking that the best for me would be training program. Something that has a group run once or twice a week with a training program and some coaching to improve my performance. But which one? Does anyone have experience with them? Any suggestions?

                                                                                          

Pushing Through Excuses

I have been sick since New Year’s Day (grr cold evenings and cute dresses). It isn’t really that BAD. I’ve still been working, but feel like I have something caught in my throat along with a stuffy nose. It doesn’t seem to be going away and I know others that have it as well (I’m sure we are just passing it back and forth –we like to share). Anyways, I have been using it as an excuse to NOT work out….“Oh, I don’t want to get others sick”, “Oh, I don’t want to cough up a lung there”, but in all reality it should be “Oh, I just don’t want to go.”

But that ends today! I have everything set and I’m going to my Yoga Sculpt class today and all my workouts scheduled. We are turning the page on excuses and they are no longer accepted! I have a full 9 months of workouts planned between now and my last ½ marathon! There’s no room in my goals for excuses!

Oh and if I lose a lung during my work out, then so be it! I’m not stopping for nothin’!

2013 Raceing Calendar

So after much debate and consideration I have answered my question from Friday. I have just signed up to run the Fox Valley ½ Marathon this September! I did not do the flex option as I’m not ready to commit to doing a full marathon and am 100% sure that I want to run on my birthday! Now comes even a more difficult decision…..what special outfit will I wear?? ;)

The decision came relatively easily after talking to one of my running friends who immediately said “DO IT” when I slightly mentioned that there is a race on my birthday! Thanks!

In some twist of fate, she also convinced me to do the 13.1 Allstate Marathon. (It falls just a few weeks after the Solider Field 10 miler, so there isn’t that much more training and it will be fun to do a race together – even if she is faster that I). So I went from 1 1/2 marathon to 3 today! Eek!

So here is my running calendar for 2013:

3/16 – Get Lucky 7K – Chicago

4/6 – Windy25 5K – Las Vegas

5/25 – Solider Field 10Miler – Chicago

6/8 – 13.1 Allstate Marathon – Chicago

7/21 – Rock’n’Roll ½ Marathon – Chicago

9/22 – Fox Valley ½ Marathon – St. Charles, IL

There are more races I'm considering:

2/3 – 5K Super Bowl Shuffle – Geneva, IL or ChiTown Big Game 5k/10k - Chicago (only if I really need a race to keep me motivated for training)

8 – 10k in the Midwest (Illinois/Wisconsin/Indiana) - I would like to do a race this month to continue with my training and thing it would be fun to do another out of state race)

11/9 – Chicago Perfect 10Miler – Chicago (I'm still waiting to determine if I want to do a 10 milers after all the other races or if the 10K will be great)

11/28 – Thanksgiving Day 5k or more - Chicago area most likely (I like doing a race on Thanksgiving and will try to get more family members in on it)

I like the 3 13.1 races for 2013 in the year I turn 31 and (possibly) doing races in 3 states…That's a lot of 1s and 3s! :D. (Yeah, yeah..I'm a dork and I know it!)

What's on your racing calendar? any 1s or 3s??

To Run or Not To Run?

Have you ever found a race that has a great location, sounds great, & the distance will fit into your training schedule and you just can’t make up your mind to do it or not? And if you are going to do it, what distance should you do??

I recently found the Fox Valley Marathon / Half Marathon and Fall Final 20 (fv26.com) – This race starts in my home town (perfect location!), received great review, has medals, and a nice course (great race!), is 9 weeks after my ½ Marathon this summer (great timing for training), and the cherry on the top is that is falls exactly on my birthday (which doesn’t fall on a weekend day (prime racing day) again until 2018)!

Great location? Check! Great Race? Check! Great Distances Offered? Check! On My Birthday? Sold! Let’s do this!

Now to the next questions….what distance --- ½ marathon, 20 miler or full marathon? (They offer a Race Flex option, where you pay $125 now and decide when you pick up the packet. The marathon is $95, 20 Miler $85 and ½ marathon $75, so it’s a tad more to do the flex option*). Each of the distances have pros and cons and I have gone over the list again and again and again and again….

½ Marathon ($5.73/mile or $9.54/mile for Race Flex Option):

Pros:

It’s a long enough distance to continue to challenge myself this summer, but not as time consuming as a full marathon

I’m already signed up to do this distance in July, so this will allow me to improve on my time, which translates in to speed work, which will improve my overall speed for other races.

If the July race doesn’t work out, then I have a second opportunity to complete a 13 miles in ’13.

I will be turning 31 in ’13 and running 13 miles….lots of 1s and 3s!

Cons:

I’m already signed up to do this distance in July, so I will have already have done this time - Will I be challenged enough in the weeks in between to?

20 miler ($4.25/mile or $6.25/mile for Race Flex Option):

Pros:

Just a tad longer (although I’m sure those last 6.9 miles do not feel like a tad when you are doing them), so it’s a manageable jump in distance

Would double my distance from the 10 Miler I’m doing in the spring. This year I went from 5k to 10k and next year it could be 10M to 20M.

Cons:

It’s just a tad longer than the ½ marathon, but will it be long enough for me to feel challenged?

I’m just not that excited for it. It seems like if I’m going to pay to do a 20 mile race, why not just do the last 6 miles (and if need be I could crawl them) and do a marathon? (I’m not trying to put down 20 miles because it is a FAR distance as well!, but this just doesn’t seem to excite me….)

Marathon ($3.63/mile or $4.77/mile for Race Flex Option)

Pros:

It’s a huge challenge and would be amazing to complete – it’s a FREAKING marathon!

How many people can say they did a marathon on their birthday?

It’s a new distance and as it’s in my home town, I would have a lot of cheerers on the race.

Cons:

It’s a FREAKING marathon! For someone who just started running last year and raced her 1^st 5k in July 2012, adding another 23.5 miles to that seem like a huge amount

Some of the comments state that there are parts of the race where you are alone, will I have the motivation to keep going at these points?

There a ton of training for it and I’m not sure I’m ready to commit to putting in the mileage (and I know this is a HUGE con). Marathon training is completely doable, but is time consuming.

Race Flex option:

Pros:

It will allow me to see how I do on the ½ marathon and decide then if I want to continue to a longer distance or if I’m great with this length.

I keep going back and forth and this will allow me to decide later

I will have already completed a ½ marathon, so I will know if that is a far enough distance for me.

If something happens (weather, injury, etc), then I could complete the 1/2 marathon instead of not starting.

Cons:

It’s more money and I will be able to do another race (or two) with the $50 saved.

I’m not sure if I’m ready for a full-marathon and might feel pressure (all internal) to complete the marathon when I had to make a decision.

It would make planning more difficult with three training schedules to create/follow

Currently, I’m about 85% sure that I will do the ½ marathon, but am not ready to commit yet. I keep thinking… “Oh, a marathon sounds great!”, but I’m just not sure that I’m at that level quite yet, I’m not sure if I’m willing to commit the time to training, I’m not sure if I will have the self-motivation to keep moving on those last miles….I guess you can say, my heart isn’t 110% in it….yet. Could it get there? I then think, “Oh, the 20 miler isn’t that much longer, I could do that!”, but then am not that excited about it……so that’s back to the ½ marathon, and the circle start again.

So, after a long (somewhat rambling) post…what do you think? Have you ever been unable to decide on the distance? Do you have any advice?

*Prices are set to increase on 1/31/13