68 Days To Go

68 Days To Go

Where is the time going? Sixty-eight days to go...wowzers. I still remember typing my first post back in the beginning of May for this blog and thinking how long 200 days was. My, my, my, how time flies. Fast-forward 132 days and here I am confirming hotel reservations, choosing my running "attire" for the big day (the important things, y'know), and realizing this is real and I am in this for the long haul. The 13.1 mile LONG haul - run, walk, or crawl.

A bit of bad news I haven't shared yet is that it is looking more and more like I am running this half on my own, minus the team that emerged after I made my announcement I was training for the half. Most of my friends/teammates had to bow out, and not without good reason. Pregnancy, stress fractures, medical school - I suppose they are all legitimate excuses, right? (Smile.) Now, don't get me wrong - I am disappointed, but I had prepared for this. I went it in this challenge alone and I am prepared to finish alone. This is my journey. I am happy to share this journey, but I can't let it go. I'm attached. I'm committed.

In good news, this past week I discovered a fitness group called Stroller Strides. Do you have one of these in your area? Okay, I'll be honest, I heard about this group a while back but completely underestimated it. I pictured a group of ladies leisurely strolling around pushing jogging strollers, sipping lattes, with an occasional power walk mom-march weaved in. Not the case. This group focuses on interval training - running from one station to another where resistance training, plyometrics, and body strength conditioning take place before running to the next station. This has been a great addition to my schedule on cross-training and stretch and strengthen training days. Not to mention, I get to enjoy a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico during evening classes and some optimal window shopping at the local outdoor mall during the morning classes. You know how I feel about things that involve shopping!

After this week is over I will be moving on to Week Five in the Hal Higdon training (I have done each week twice before progressing to the next). I keep hoping the Fall weather will arrive early before I get into these 7, 8, 9 (oh, it keeps going) runs that I am staring at in my very near future.

Here's last week's recap:

Highlight of Last Week: Realizing I can not wait any longer - it's time to start shopping for hydration belts or some other means of hydration for long runs. I've hit the milestone where hydration is necessary....and I get to shop!

Lesson of Last Week: Don't underestimate and/or be afraid to give new things a try. If you don't like it, don't do it again. I love the addition of the Stroller Strides classes to my training schedule. I should have tried it sooner.

Power Song of Last Week: Rock That Body by Black Eyed Peas. What can I say? I love me some Black Eyed Peas.

Striving to be a Shredhead

104 Days To Go

Just wanted to post a quick wrap-up of last week. It was my second week of the Hal Higdon program and while I am still fighting heat advisories and my infinite lack of sleep syndrome, I'm happy to boast that I finished my week strong. I am, however, especially looking forward to my stretch and strengthen day tomorrow.

I have been using the Jillian Michaels The Shred DVD for my strength training. A few months ago when little monkey was too young to go to the gym with me I was taking a sunset stroll in one my of my favorite therapeutic spots (that's Target, of course) and I strolled through the fitness department as I always do for some inspiration. I picked up the DVD and thought - hey, twenty minutes. I can handle that. Whew! Well, let's just say I was painfully surprised. Don't let that twenty minutes fool you. That Jillian is intense! In that mere 1200 second time span I am panting, grunting, and realizing that I need to vacuum a bit better as I try to distract myself from eating the rug during push-ups. I have yet to complete the workout and not be sore the next day. In even more interesting Shred talk, Run Like A Mother authors recently highlighted a couple of self-proclaimed couple of "Shred Heads" who have documented their loyalty to the uber-aggressive (and obviously effective) tyrant. Their stories were pretty compelling and made me a bit more confident in removing the Yo-Gabba-Gabba DVD that rests rather permanently in my DVD player and pop in The Shred at least a few days a week.

Highlight of the Week: Two days of impending morning thunderstorms made way for a quite delightful breeze to cut through the 90+ degree heat. Oh, and how could I forget, Athena is back!

Lesson of the Week: Baby slobber will ruin your Blackberry. Even when it is your last tool in your arsenal to avoid grocery store meltdowns, don't give in. Another technical devestation on the homefront. Lesson learned.

Power Song of the Week: Hot-n-Fun by N.E.R.D (featuring Nelly Furtado). Download it. You will run.

Next week's training is the same as the first (see "116 Days To Go"). Wish me luck!