Technology Fail

Soooooooo yesterday I had a temporary loss of memory and placed my phone (aka Rock My Run & Nike+) ON the treadmill rather than in my arm-band or in my hand.  The result?  I ran 0.14 miles in a matter of 40 minutes.  I’d definitely consider this my SLOWEST PACE OF ALL TIME!

TNT Week 1

Yesterday was my first GTS (Group Training Session) with Team in Training for the Nashville Marathon.  Ahhhhh, I can't believe I just said that and it happened!

Here are a few top line stats from the morning:

Meet time: 6:45am 

Mileage: (I chose) 6 miles [vs. 8 miles for the "experienced marathoners"]

Temp: 75+ degrees (I forgot to look at the humidity, will do better next week)

Route: Out & back - from Centennial Park down to Lower Broadway, UP Demonbreum and back UP West End

Quote at the end: I guess you wanted to separate the boys from the men?*

Yesterday was the kickoff of the 25th season of team in training so a lot of people showed up for yesterdays run.  People that aren't going to be showing up each week, so I'll need a couple more weeks to scope out my running teammates.  Yesterday everyone was also offered the opportunity to bring a friend to GTS so again, a lot of people that won't be coming each week.  

Truth be told: No really talked to me.  But it's okay.  I introduced myself to at least 3 different people on my own so each week I'll continue to force people to know me.  It's something I've gotten used to in Nashville.  People are "Southern" but really uncomfortable here around people they don't know.  This will get better each week, I'm sure of it.

The Run: Hot & Hilly.  Which explains my quote to the coaches after the run was done.  *I couldn't believe the very FIRST run was basically the hilliest option they could have given us.  I'm glad I got through it, I took the hills SLOW and stopped to get a few pics along the way.

Training goal for the week: Get in at least 1 non-running activity. For real, y'all.  I can feel how heavy my muscles are feeling and I need to get some strength from non-running.  I can & will do this.

Some pics from my run, week 1 (none of me because again...no one talked to me, hah!)

Sun shining beautifully on Downtown Nashville

Nashville Honky Tonks - Lookin' a little different at 7:30am than my usual view at 1:30am ;)

Thankful for these so I don't get lost!

Overwhelmed.

I'm struggling. Work has been absolutely kicking my tush. In by 7:15/7:30 and home by 9-10pm 6 days a week. I've been maintaining my 3 weigh lifting sessions each week but my weekly runs have been really hard to fit in. It's especially difficult because the motivation of running 26.2 miles in November is no longer there.

To top it off - don't laugh - I fell down the stairs (like 5-6) on Friday morning on my way to work and twisted my ankle and bruised my shoulder. I tried running on a treadmill again today and it was still tender - boo hiss.

PLUS (I'm piling on the pity party now), my fav headphones (these guys: http://yurbuds.com/) are currently out of commission. Yurbuds has been great to work with and is sending me a new pair. I tried to wear another set of headphones and if I wasn't sure the Yurbuds were worth it before, I am now. What a difference - everything from the sound quality to the general comfort. Amazeballs.

Here's to a better week than the last!

Marathon [gulp]

Soooo, HC – that feeling you had when you signed up for the MTT & Richmond Marathon?  I get it.

I’m officially signed up for the Nashville Hard Rock Marathon on November 9 (You know…that date I thought the Richmond Marathon was but had I paid one ounce of attention would have realized I was wrong?)

The super exciting thing for me is I’ll be training with Team in Training – something I’ve thought about and wanted to do for a LONG time.  I’m excited to have the opportunity to train, meet people & fundraise for LLS.

I’m taking this challenge one day at a time:

Training: I can run 26.2 miles, but I’m not really going to THINK about those miles until I need to on Nov. 9.  My training will consist on focusing on what my body likes & doesn’t like in the next few months to get me to those 26.2 miles.  (Ugh that .2 gets me every time!)

Fundraising: I have 149 days to raise $1,200 [That's $8 a day, friends] for one of the greatest causes out there.  Starting today.  Who wants to be my FIRST $8??? <---- CLICK HERE!

In all seriousness, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is out there to do what we all want. And that is find a cure for cancer. My mom is a double breast cancer survivor (and basically the most awesome person in all of the world) and I’m proud to work on raising money helping the estimate 1,012,533 people in the United States that are living with (or are in remission-yay!) from Leukemia and Lymphoma. 

Laughing: I plan on doing a lot of laughing getting ready for this Marathon.  I have lots to smile about!

#whoseideawasthis?

New running friends!

This past week was a pretty good running week for me.  Tuesday morning I met up with a new running friend for a 4 mile pre-work run.  Carrie is a co-worker who is also a runner (She has run the St. Jude Country Music Half Marathon 4 years in a row!) and I finally bit the bullet and asked if she wanted to run together sometimes.  It’s always a little awkward (especially in advertising) mixing work & play but I figured the worst she could do was say no – but she didn’t!  We ran & talked and I’m looking forward to becoming better friends with her through running.

Today I met up with my friend Sarah again (she’s still in town visiting family) and we did 6 miles.  Woooooo!  I’ll be honest, if we hadn’t planned on meeting up, I probably would have slept in.  I also only intended on running 4 miles because I’ve had a busy weekend with some late nights, but she pushed me and we did 6 and I didn’t keel over, soooo, bonus!

We’re one page down on the Disneyland Half training schedule so now I’m just trying to focus on getting in at least one day a week of cross training.  I have to give these legs a rest sometimes!

Also stay tuned this week, Plan B is about to be set in motion…..

MTT Begins! (Whose idea was this?

So let's back up slightly: About a year ago, Natalie and I made the bold decision to take a journey in our 30th year towards running our first marathon. During this journey, we've traveling to Florida, run races together and in states apart and have talked ALOT about this full. There have been moments of complete excitement and moments (sometimes one in the same) of complete terror.  

In March, as I walked through the 10K expo here in Richmond with my friend Lori, I made the leap and just did it - I signed up and paid on the spot for the full marathon and most importantly the training team. Lori then went back home to Boston and sign herself up as well. 

I've been counting down to June 1st and 2nd - the first weekend of MTT.

Personally, I've also been counting down to one of my besties, Kathryn, getting engaged. She always said she'd never get married. Wasn't looking for something series. And then she met Nick - THANK GOD! They are wonderfully made for each other. This past Sunday - HE POPPED THE QUESTION and SHE SAID YES! WOOO. Could not possibly be happier. They immediately got to planning a wedding for this fall with an October wedding date. Anyone see where this is going?

Loveable Nick, forgot his parents would be in Europe for nearly all of October. So they went back to the drawing board, called the venue they fell in love with and November 16th is the new date! YES.

Wait...why does that mean something to me? Oh right, it's also the day of the Richmond Marathon. Damn.

So what to do?

1) Kathryn and Nike come first. Hands down. Done.

2) Maybe there's a way to have my cake and run the marathon?

3) The venue is in CVille - about an hour away. And the ceremony time is undecided. 

From how I see it - the ceremony would need to be no earlier than 5, if I have any hope. Of course, there's the question of how I will feel after running 26.2. I'm learning towards not running but I do still plan on training.

Today was day 1 of MTT. The sun was straight down on us. So even though it was horribly hot (maybe 80), it felt so much hotter towards the end. Today was 4 miles. And I am SO excited to be in training again especially with my running buddy Jillian. Here is my life for the next 25 weeks...

Running with Friends

Oh hey, May! I’m feeling pretty good about you!!!

 Today I had a great Nashville run with a friend who is in town…well, she’s more than a friend. Yes, I’m a sorority girl & yes, I have a “little sis.”  I’m super lucky to have the best little sis ever and we’ve remained close over the years (which doesn’t always happen) She’s originally from Nashville and comes back to visit her family often, which is bonus time for me because then I get to see her!!  She ran her first half marathon in April (the Country Music Half Marathon here in Nashville during a torrential downpour) so this morning we met at Centennial park and ran together a great 4-miler through the Park & Vandy.  We had so much fun catching up, sweating & of course, running!