Day 15 - One Day at a Time...

I have now been through two weeks of my 5k training and I've learned a few things about myself. 1). I love running with my dog, Toby, when he actually runs with me and not directly in front of me, lol. He can be quite a tripping hazard at that point. 2). So far my running stamina has been decent although the run segments are very short. 3). I have some serious work to do on my leg strength. That is usually my biggest cause for pain when I run. I am definitely using leg muscles that haven't been worked strenuously in a long time, lol. I've started taking one day a week and going through a leg circuit at the gym with about 15-20 min on the stairmaster to finish it off. Btw...I really hate the stairmaster. Though it is a great workout, it will forever be my enemy.

So today I start my Week 3 running segment, which could be a bit of a challenge. My running portions are twice as long as they were last week, so I'm sure this first run will be a struggle. Hopefully, in a few months I will be able to look back at these weeks and laugh at how little I actually had to run. For now, they seem brutal and the thought of running for 2 1/2 to 3 hours still seems downright terrifying. But I have to remember to just take it one day at a time. Just work on getting through this week, then the next week and so on and so forth.

My immediate goal will be to run as much of the Jingle Bell 5k as possible. I should be up to a decent steady run at that point in my training, so hopefully I can make that happen. Yes, I know...a 5k...I did say I was starting from scratch, remember? :-) 

So here's hoping the weather will stay decent and I can sneak in as many runs outside as possible. There is a good chance though that I may have to invest in some cold weather gear soon, lol. I just have to remember...Take it one day at a time...

Day 1 - Registration

Ok, so today was the day...I finally signed up for the Mini Marathon in May. I have to be honest, I was a little nervous/nauseous after I hit the submit button. It started to feel a little more real. This is by far the farthest I have EVER ran, even when I was in peak form, which makes it even more nerve wracking. On that note though, it's an exciting step towards a healthier me...thanks largely to my friend, Jessica. Without her encouragement to participate in the mini with her, the thought would have never even crossed my mind. Haha...of course now that it has, my mind is filled with all sorts of other thoughts too. For instance, how the hell am I going to run a mini marathon?!

Now most people when they think of running the mini, they have already conquered their fair share of 5k & 10k races. Not this girl! Granted, I have participated in several 5k's, but none that I have fully ran. So let's just say for the mini...I am basically starting from scratch. I think over the next 6 months it will be an exciting journey...a grueling one, but exciting nonetheless. This, I guess, is what brings me to the whole purpose of my blog. I need the motivation and I need a place to outlet when I start to struggle. And I am certain there will be struggles!! My hope is that by the end I will be a stronger, happier and healthier person who can say that I have accomplished a seemingly impossible task. For now, only time will tell...