WHAZZUP? I know you guys are busy. Love to read about it!

Hi Mary Kay and everyone else :-)

that's right it's been a busy time... the school year is winding down, everything is just crazy and I am exhausted.... Regarding running, it is interesting.... I am improving and becoming a better runner but at the same time I am frustrated and not 100% happy. Weird!! I am currently running 4 miles at the most. I improved my pace a lot. A week ago I had a record run.... running 4 miles in 37min32sec which was a pace of 9:22. :-)))) Overall my pace seems to be around 10-something on bad days (or 6+1 days) and a 9-fifty-something on good days. So why I am not happy? I guess because often I run a 6+1 style (meaning running for 6 min and powerwalking for 1 min and so on) and I don't feel like a 'true' runner like this (did I mention that I am a perfectionist?).... although I know that this is a really good approach. Also I have been struggeling with weight... I know it is ridiculous because we are talking about 3-4 lbs here ;-) But I had lost so much weight (50lbs) those past 1.5 years that it drives me crazy... Still I was hoping to lose I a little bit more.. I was able to keep my weight through out my injury induced break, ever since May my weight went up again. Thinking about it - I think it went up after starting to workout more seriously again in May... hm, it might be muscles as well... It drives me crazy though because I am used to losing weight by running a lot. But I am still not at the level I used to be - meaning I was so fit that I could run every single day if I wanted to without being sore! or having one or two long runs a week and then medium runs such as 3 or 4 miles.... (but I was a lot slower)... now I run about 3 times a week.... I am faster, and although I don't feel supersore afterwards, my body needs rest days. I am not used to this!  Last week I had pulled my back a bit so I switched to fast walking instead. This made me even more sore than running, it was funny! Thanks to PT the back is almost fine again. The hip injury slowly seems to improve as well, which is great!

Regarding Baby Kahuna, I am overly happy with her :-)))) I am still going on bike rides every other weekend (now during summer break hopefully more often), and I enjoy the rides in the mountains. My only struggle are the hills ... riding uphill is still hard for me, mostly I have to hike my bike uphill... but I think I can see a very small improvement so far. I guess  I have to be patient!

I hope everybody is well!

Happy runs and bike rides to you guys!

Britta

I find that it's less about distance and more about time spent on my feet. Once I start crossing the hour+ threshhold, the run stops being "fun" and becomes more drudgery.

I'm with Britta on the "deeply lost in your thoughts." It's practically meditation time for me!

Britta,

Congrats on the 50lb weight loss!!!  You should be really proud of that!!  I've lost 40 pounds since September.  But it's not from running.  When I did the C25K program last summer, I actually ended up gaining 4 lbs.  I was pretty pissed then, because what the hell- I had been running 3x a week for several months.  When I got really sick for 3 weeks, I stopped running and decided to focus on my diet.  And I mean REALLY focus on my diet.  I read a dozen books about nutrition trying to figure out the right macronutrient ratio - especially for runners.  A friend recommended a book by Gary Taubes and from there I found a book called "Wheat Belly".  From October to March, I wasn't exercising at all except lots of walking because I live in the city, and I lost between 25-30 lbs. I only started running again in March. So what I learned from that is weight loss is less about exercise and more about diet.  Hope that helps.

With that said, I can completely relate to your weight loss frustrations.  But at some point I had a shift in thought, and decided instead of trying to aim for a specific weight, that I would aim for a range of 10 lbs.  That way, I wouldn't beat myself up too much about being a few pounds over my goal every once in a while (which I am now).  I'm still below the high end of my range and I know that with proper eating it'll go back down again (I've been stress eating because of my upcoming HM, at least that's my excuse).  Why is it important that you lose 3-4 lbs?  Weight is just a number.  Someone that is athletic and weighs the same as someone who is not athletic has a very different body.  I honestly had a VERY hard time "seeing" my weight loss.  I knew the scale was changing and my clothes were getting bigger, but it took a very long time to actually be able to tell that I lost 40 lbs.  I can't imagine that losing a few more lbs visually would make that much of a difference - at least to me.  Part of is those few pounds aren't necessarily coming from a specific area (waist, hips, etc).  I took my measurements and found that I was losing weight around my arms, fingers too.  Fat is stored in all kinds of places.  Just don't beat yourself up over a couple of extra numbers.

The other thing is the running/racewalking.  I'm slow...super-slow.  You should be proud of the 10 min pace on your "bad days".  I signed up for the HM that has a 15:00 min/mile max pace (All the others are 13:30) because I'm afraid I'm going to go over the 13:30 pace.  When I ran my first 5k last year, I INSISTED that I run the entire time.  You know what happened?  The runners/racewalkers finished before me.  I decided to throw my hangups about "running" the entire way out the window, and I am PROUDLY going to be running for 4 minutes, walking (slow) for 1 minute for my entire HM race.  I'm proud of that, because I still know I'm going further than the couch potato I used to be.

Okay, sorry - I'll get off my soap box now.

I did my last training run Saturday.  It's the inaugural race, so they don't have past pics or video and just posted the map on Friday night.  So Saturday morning, I went out to run (most of) it.  There is a one mile turn-around loop that I didn't do, but I ran 11 miles, and walked another mile to cool down.  This week went much better than the week before.  I was well fueled and well hydrated and I managed to get up super-early so a) it would be cooler and b) I could be at the race site around the time the race would start next week.  My pace is just at 13:30, but I did stop to help a women who collapsed for a couple of minutes.

Right now, I'm feeling very prepared with the exception of having my race packet.  I practiced my evening and morning routine (including breakfast) and the only thing that took longer than expected was locating one of dozens of sunscreen bottles in my apartment - which at 5:30am is hard to do while trying not to wake up my husband.  I'll make sure to leave the sunscreen out, along with everything else, next Saturday night. 

Hello all,

I'm new to the site and will be running my first HM this Sunday here in Chicago. The Chicago Women's Half Marathon. I just started back running in February after stopping for a few years. I did a 5k in April but I hadn't planned on running a HM at all, but was inspired by several women in my running group. I did my last long run on Sunday. I did 12 miles (the longest I have ever ran before). I missed my running for today, but will get my short, easy runs in tomorrow and Wednesday.

Sabrina

Hi All,

I am taking the leap as well. I only have time for a quick post, but wanted to jump in here. I have done a couple 5ks over the years and now am getting back into running full tilt. I run 4 times a week (2 short, 1 med., and 1 long run) and have worked up to an 8 mile long run once a week. Each week now I will add 1 mile to the long run. I am training for my 1st half marathon in October. But, before that, I am doing a 10k in August as part of my training. Running is my release time; my destress time. And I love it, sore muscles and all. I am not the fastest runner, but I never quit on my runs. My plan is to do a full marathon before I turn 40 next year. My daughter, who is 8, said to me the other day, "Wow, mom! That's a lot of miles. I don't think you could run that many (meaning the full marathon)."  So, now the gauntlet has been thrown down. Sometime next year, I WILL complete a full marathon.

Good luck to you all!!! Happy Running

Good luck Sabrina! Running a half in Fairfield, Ct myself on Sunday.

Mike

Oh cool Jeanine! I live in the south suburbs, so I was not able to do my training in the city. But I am looking forward to the view of running on the lake Sunday! I was starting to get a blister on my large toe, but it was due to me needing new shoes. I have noticed, when I do my longer runs, the tips of my toes are sore. Another lady in my running group told me after she did her first HM, her toes and toe nails were sore and turned black, then eventually came off. So I will make sure all of my toe nails are short come Sunday.

Good luck Sunday!

Sabrina