"That's Quite an Accomplishment!"

We finished our 5K strong. I suggested that when we got close to the finish area that we just run the rest of the way, even if the interval timer beeped at us to walk. They both agreed and I could tell that it was going to be a good, strong finish for all three of us.

It took us 44 minutes, but we did it. This is my slowest 5K, but it was also my first as a pace group leader (unless you count the races I run with my sister). A little over half way was the most difficult part which included a trail and uphill, two things we hadn't really trained for. It wasn't awful, but different.

My niece wanted to take an extra walk break just after mile 2 (something I told her we would do if needed). I suggested we just go a little slower for the next running interval. We did but then she complained about a cramp in her side. I had us put our arms above our heads and breathe deeply. I really wanted to push her enough to finish without taking extra breaks. I told her that it was her head telling her she couldn't do it and to push through.

She did and ended without taking any extra walk breaks.

I couldn't be more proud of my niece and of my friend.

So why is it impossible for me to be proud of myself as well?

After the race my mom, Isabel and I went to the nearby grocery store to pick up something to eat and a coffee from Starbucks. We had a little bit of time between the race and Emma's soccer game so we went to kill some time. I still had my bib and medal on so the lady at the Starbucks counter asked me what race I just did. I told her the Simi 5K and she said "That's quite an accomplishment."

My initial reaction was to tell her that it's really not. That my normal course is a 5K and I can do it daily. That my favorite distance is a half marathon. That the tattoo on my wrist was for a full marathon. The distance of a 5K is "only" 3.1. That there were people I ran with who completed their first 5K, that my niece placed second in her age group, that they accomplished something that day.

But I stopped myself. I simply said "thank you" because it is an accomplishment. The completion of a race- 5K, 10K, half, full, ultra- is an accomplishment. I will display my bib on my display board that I made myself with just as much pride as the rest. I will hang my medal on my display board that I made myself with just as much pride as the rest. Why? Because it was an experience that I don't want to forget.

Did anything special happen on that race to me in particular? No, not really. But I had a wonderful time. I felt pride in pushing other people to try something they may not have tried. I have a new running buddy that enjoys it just as much as I do. And whether I was participating in the race or not, I would have needed to run 3 miles that day for our training plan.

I really need to start giving myself more credit for the things that I do. I need to stop thinking that what I do isn't as important or impressive as someone else who is doing the same exact thing. I went out and I ran. Bottom line. Regardless of time, speed, distance. I did it.

Night Before Race Day

Tonight is the night before the Simi 5K.

This will be my first race in 6 months and 4 days.

I feel prepared. I feel ready. I feel excited. I feel nervous.

I don't want to say it's "only 3 miles" because I have been known to tell people to never put the word only in front of any amount of miles. Own it. Be proud.

It's three miles! Well, 3.1 to be exact.

That's not what's getting to me. It's not the distance. It's the atmosphere.

I both love and hate the crowds at race day. It causes anxiety which in turn pushes my adrenaline up and I am able to push myself further and faster during the race, most of the time.

I am trying to not let myself get worked up. I was used to this and need to get used to it again since I will be doing this at least once a month for quite some time. I am trying to shift my focus from extremely nervous to extremely excited.

You see, as I've mentioned, this will be the first 5K race for my best friend and the second 5K race for my niece. I am so excited to run with them and hopefully be there for some support along the way. They may not need it, but I'll be there to provide whatever I can. This race is for them.

I'm so happy to get back to racing. It helps me with training to have races set up. It's my main source of motivation when it comes to running. As much as it causes anxiety it causes happiness too and that's where my focus needs to be.

All I can do tonight is have a light dinner, set my clothes out for tomorrow and be ready to cross that finish line and collect my bling. No reason to worry or stress about it because there's nothing I can do at this point to change anything.

Plus, I've run much longer distances with much less preparation, something I do not recommend. This time I know I am more than ready.

Training Schedule- Revised

I discussed our training schedule with my sister over the weekend since I will not be participating in the LA Marathon this year (still having mixed feelings about that...). She's still not sure what her plan is, however she did update our training schedule just in case she does decide to join me on the races I have scheduled. there's going to be a lot of running going on next year..

Some of my half marathons that I have scheduled are going to need to fit in some how, but for the most part I think it works itself out fairly well.

2014  Training Schedule
	Date	Mileage
Week 1	8/31/2013	3 miles (COMPLETED)
Week 2	9/7/2013	4 miles
Week 3	9/14/2013	5 miles
Week 4	9/21/2013	3 miles	Simi Valley 5K
Week 5	9/28/2013	6 miles
Week 6	10/5/2013	3 miles
Week 7	10/12/2013	8 miles
Week 8	10/19/2013	3 miles	Ventura Color Run
Week 9	10/26/2013	10 miles
Week 10	11/2/2013	4 miles
Week 11	11/9/2013	12 miles	Calabasas 5K/10K
Week 12	11/16/2013	4 miles
Week 13	11/23/2013	14 miles
Week 14	11/30/2013	4 miles
Week 15	12/8/2013	SANTA TO THE SEA - 13.1
Week 16	12/14/2013	4 miles	4 miles
Week 17	12/21/2013	5 miles	14 miles
Week 18	12/28/2013	5 miles	5 miles
Week 19	1/4/2014	15 miles	17 miles/Camarillo Half
Week 20	1/11/2014	5 miles	5 miles
Week 21	1/18/2014	6 miles	6 miles
Week 22	1/25/2014	17 miles	20 miles
Week 23	2/1/2014	6 miles	6 miles
Week 24	2/8/2014	6 miles	6 miles
Week 25	2/15/2014	13 miles	23 miles
Week 26	2/22/2014	6 miles	6 miles/Seaside Half
Week 27	3/1/2014	7 miles	7 miles
Week 28	3/9/2014	SAN DIEGO HALF	LA MARATHON
Week 29	3/15/2014	5 miles
Week 30	3/22/2014	8 miles
Week 31	3/29/2014	5 miles
Week 32	4/5/2014	HOLLYWOOD HALF MARATHON
Week 33	4/12/2014	17 miles
Week 34	4/19/2014	6 miles
Week 35	4/26/2014	20 miles
Week 36	5/3/2014	6 miles
Week 37	5/10/2014	23 miles
Week 38	5/17/2014	7 miles
Week 39	5/25/2014	MOUNTAINS 2 BEACH MARATHON
Week 40	5/31/2014	13 miles
Week 41	6/7/2014	6 miles
Week 42	6/14/2014	7 miles
Week 43	6/22/2014	MAMMOTH HALF MARATHON

When It's Not For Me

I have been running for almost three and a half years. Since the beginning of my running "career" I have more often than not been running for someone else. Obviously I'm the one doing the running, but it's been in support of someone else.

My first 5K was with my sister. My first 10K/Mud Run was with my sister. My first half marathon was with my sister. My first marathon was with my sister.

In fact, the reason I started running again was for my sister.

Since I decided to run with her I knew that my pace would be her pace, my finishing time would be the same as her finishing time, my training schedule would fit around her schedule. I was pushing my body to new limits, but I was never really pushing myself to be better, faster or stronger. I never had to because I was comfortable just running with her at her pace.

The Turkey Trot two years ago was my first opportunity to run any sort of race alone. It was a much different experience. Not better or worse, just different. It was weird going alone and knowing that there was no one there to talk to beforehand or celebrate with afterwards. It was just me. And me in social situations = awkward.

I don't believe I spoke more than two words to anyone while I was there. In fact I believe my total word count for the day was two word... "Thank you" to the volunteer who handed me my medal at the end.

I was a little more vocal at my first solo half marathon, the Arroyo Creek half a year ago. Most likely it was because our running group was there and although I ran it alone, I was more comfortable knowing that there were people there that I knew and that were going to be there for me at the finish line. There was one other runner that I spoke to that I didn't know. We pushed each other the last 2 miles or so. It felt great to know that I was helping someone dig deeper since they were doing the same for me.

It felt very different training for these races because I was doing it alone. I was pushing myself to limits I didn't know I had. I was uncomfortable most of the time because I was reaching new top speeds and usually training alone. I had to find something inside of myself that I wasn't aware existed. It felt very different, but the pride I felt when finishing alone was a very different feeling then when I finished races with Rachel. I got to celebrate my finish, not our finish.

To be honest, for a while I was a very selfish runner. It had been mentioned in our training group that there were openings for pace group leaders. At the time it sparked my interest, but not enough. I wanted to be able to go for my long run and focus on myself and not the other members in the pace group. Of course we did talk and we were looking out for one another, but I was able to be focused more on myself than anyone else, and I liked it that way.

And I'm looking forward to doing it a lot more next year. Since I am planning on running a race every month (half marathon distance or further) I will be doing a lot of running alone. That works for me because then I can train at my pace and focus on me.

I wouldn't trade those runs with my sister for anything because our relationship grew stronger and we became closer as siblings and as friends, but it's difficult to want to push yourself and not be able to.

And yet, that's what I'm doing right now. I know it probably doesn't make any sense to want one thing but to do another, and yet that is exactly what I am doing.

I am currently working with my niece to help train her for the Simi Valley 5K in September. This will be her second 5K, but it's been a while since her first and her body needs to get used to running again. Since she is 9 years old and hasn't done much running recently we are starting out at 30:1 intervals and taking it slow. It feels weird to go out there to run and not push myself, but at the same time the pride I have in her for getting out there and doing it takes over and I know that it is so worth it.

I'm not sure if this post even makes any sense, but basically what I'm saying is that sometimes it feels really good to be a selfish runner and go out there for a run that is solely for you. Other times, it is so worth it to pull yourself back and be there for someone else.

I knew back then that I didn't want to be a pace group leader because my heart wasn't in the right place to help someone else. I had already done that for my sister for so long that I honestly just wanted to see what I could do. I've reached so many of my own running goals since then that at this point I am ready to help others. I'm not the most knowledgeable, I'm not the fastest and I'm definitely not the best, but I am willing and I am happy to do so.

And of course, knowing that there are races that will be just for me helps too.

Running Recap

My first run this week was Monday. I decided to run again by Isabel's swim lesson, which works perfectly. Going between work and her lesson gives me a little over 30 minutes to run, which is just enough time. I found that I was able to get in a great run over 3 miles each day and was only 5 minutes late to her lesson.

Patrick and my parents are so awesome in allowing me to go for my run before her lesson. They are so easy going and supportive of my training that I can't even begin to express my appreciation to them.

Monday's run was a new course for me. I've really been enjoying that. It's really good to mix things up every once in a while and when I'm able to make up the route as I go it makes it more exciting for me.

This run had more hills than I am used to and my shins definitely have been feeling it. But I just have to keep telling myself that I love hills and that I eat hills for breakfast. I can't walk up them if I'm on a run interval because that doesn't benefit me (although I do love when it works out to be on a walk interval when I get to a hill).

Each mile got just a little slower, but I am still happy with each miles time. I think that this is the pace I am going to aim to keep for most of the races I have signed up for next year, at least the ones that I am running alone. LA last year I kept a pace under 14:30 for every mile (my slowest being 14:10), so I think that this would be a manageable pace to try to keep for Mountains 2 Beach if I stay consistent with it during training.

Total distance: 3.04mi
Total time: 37:41
Mile 1- 12:08
Mile 2- 12:21
Mile 3- 12:25
Mile 0.4- 0:46
Avg MPH: 4.8mph
Max MPH: 7.0mph

I ran again on Wednesday as scheduled. I ran in the same area by Isabel's swim lesson but went for a slightly different course. Not much changed other than I took out one of the hills (the biggest one) from my run on Monday. I went just a little farther and ended up going a little faster as well.

My shins were really tight again, so I backed off on the third mile in order to give them a break. I still finished the mile with a good time and felt great when I finished.

Total distance: 3.07mi
Total time: 37:34
Mile 1- 12:03
Mile 2- 11:58
Mile 3- 12:36
Mile 0.7- 0:55
Avg MPH: 4.9mph
Max MPH: 7.3mph

On Thursday I was thinking about going for another run. I had my gym clothes with me and I just felt great and ready to go. So I changed before I left work and ended up going for a third run this week. Still on the same general course.

When I got out there though I felt sluggish and it was a tough run physically. I pushed through and was really proud of myself for finishing. Sometimes I can feel like I'm having a great run and it shows and other times I can feel like my run is awful and I end up having decent mile times. This was one of those days.

When I got to the pool to watch Isabel swim Patrick rubbed my shins and calves for me. I even called a local massage school to see how much their sports massages are. I'm not too concerned about the pain, but it is a good idea to take it easy after my long run. As long as I pay attention to my body then their shouldn't be an issue. It may be time to replace my shoe inserts though.

Total distance: 3.05mi
Total time: 38:16
Mile 1- 12:21
Mile 2- 12:22
Mile 3- 12:35
Mile 0.5- 0:57
Avg MPH: 4.8mph
Max MPH: 6.8mph

Views from running this week:

My long run this week was a total of 4 miles. I am slowly increasing my mileage until marathon training officially starts on August 31st. I decided to start training a month early to get my body ready for the 5Ks I signed up for in September and October.

My niece is nine years old. At this point she has done one 1 mile fun run and a 5K which she ran with her mom. She has voiced interest in running a half marathon with me (as has my bonus/step daughter). I figured the best place to start with that is to sign her up for another 5K race since her last one was over a year ago.

She will be joining my best friend and I in September at the Simi Valley 5K. I bought her her own interval timer and decided that I would pick her up and we would run for part of my long run this morning.

We live less than a mile from each other, so the plan was to run to her house, run with her for about a mile, run back to the apartment and then finish up my 4 miles there. I ended up being ready earlier than I had thought I would be, so I went for a mile before I went to pick her up. I ended up being 0.04 miles short of hitting 2 miles when I got to their house, so I passed it and came back to pick her up. I started my run with 1:1 intervals and changed it to run 30:1 with her.

I didn't want to push her too far too fast, so we started with the slower intervals and went for a total of 1.21 miles. I was pretty impressed with her. She did great and I had to pull her back from pushing herself to go faster. I told her that we can work on speed later, but first we have to get to the distance.

Just after we hit mile 1 I asked her if she felt like she could keep going. She said yes with a smile. I promised her that I wouldn't make her do anymore today but that I was glad that she enjoyed it so far. I asked her if she was still interested in running a half marathon with me at some point. Her smile got even bigger and she said yes.

I was really impressed with her for getting up early on a Saturday to go for a run with me and I think that this is going to be really good for us as aunt and niece to get closer and that it's going to be good for her both mentally and physically. I can't wait to keep running with her and to see her improve.

I did really well on this long run to pull it back and to run slower than I did during the week. I didn't feel like I was going too fast and I just let my body do what it needed to do. I think that this is where I would like to be on future long distance runs that I go on by myself (between 13-14 minutes). I am getting excited to get up into the higher miles again and to get to that first start line at the end of September.

Total distance: 4.13mi
Total time: 55:45
Mile 1- 12:46
Mile 2- 13:21
Mile 3- 14:45
Mile 4- 13:04
Mile 0.13- 1:47
Avg MPH: 4.4mph
Max MPH: 6.5mph

Running Crafts

I used to have every single racing bib and medal hanging in our living room in our apartment. I was proud of my accomplishments and wanted to show off.

 

But we never had any visitors and it felt kind of silly having them hanging where they were. I decided one day out of the blue to take down all of my running memorabilia that was in the living room, leaving room on one shelf for my running books and my racing bib, medal, a picture, my knee high sock with "Los Angeles" down the side, my shoe lace and congratulation cards from my first marathon.

 

I kind of thought that it was silly to be bragging about these races. I thought that it was a bit much to show off all of my bibs and all of my medals and to have pictures up from races.

 

But a few weeks went by and I realized that I was missing something. I missed seeing those numbers, those medals, those memories from my accomplishments.

 

I can talk anyone up. If they're having a bad day or are thinking little of themselves for doing something that they don't think is amazing I can put on my cheerleader outfit (not literally- and sorry for that mental image) and wave my pom poms around in order to make them feel better and to boost them up.

 

But ask me to be a cheerleader for myself and I am unable to think of anything positive to say. I can think of a few reasons why this is, and I'm learning how to get out of this way of thinking through therapy but not making much progress.

 

Back to my point..

 

I felt like my races were not anything to brag about because there are so many people out there who have done so much more than I have. But there is no reason why I shouldn't be proud of what I have done, in fact I should be showing them off because there are so many people out there who haven't done as much as I have.

 

I decided to put some of my bibs and medals up on a bulletin board.

 

 

But it's not really doing it for me. So I decided to make my own. I'm still in the process of making it, but I'm really excited about it. I think it's going to be just the right size to not be the center of attention, but I can put it out where people can see it without feeling like it's over taking the room.

 

I have already decided that I'm going to be making a set for a couple people for Christmas, but with different sayings. I'm excited about that too. And my mom has suggested I make a bunch of them and sell them at a nearby craft show. I'm not sure they're that good and I would probably spend more time to make them better, but is it really that far fetched of an idea? I had fun doing it, it wasn't too expensive and it would be awesome to make some extra money... We'll see what happens.

 

 

The hooks I plan on using for my sign.

 

Stencils.

Bling It On.

Find Your Happy Pace

This will be the sign that I hang my medals on.

This sign will be the sign that I hang my racing bibs on (once I get a clip).

My Beloved Interval Timer- Running Recap

Prior to the beginning of this week I had not been running consistently. Shocker, right?

I mean, I haven't really had a good track record with sticking to something, especially a goal that puts me first. So it was only a matter of time before I stopped something completely. I just didn't think it would be running..

I am the queen of excuses and would use as many as possible to convince others and especially myself to not go for a scheduled run. But I feel committed right now to my training schedule and my weekly workouts and that means running rain or shine, outside or on a treadmill, interval timer or naked.

Tuesday was my first run on my current weekly workout schedule. An easy 30-45 minute run around my parents neighborhood and down to the pool where Isabel has her swim lessons. An easy 2ish mile run. A piece of cake.

Except that my interval timer, my convenient little Gymboss timer that beeped at me when it was time to run and again when it was time to walk went missing in action. This would have been the perfect time for me to make an excuse. No interval timer = no run, right? Right?!?

Not this time. Nope. Not when I have a goal in mind.

Instead I ordered a new one yesterday and decided that I would just count my steps for intervals for my scheduled runs until it came in the mail. Every time my left foot hit the ground I would count and I would do so for 100 steps. Then I would walk for 100 steps and repeat for the entire run. Some what annoying, especially going uphill when my mind was going a few different places and I kept recounting the same step (thankfully it was during a run interval so I don't feel like I missed out on my workout), but it worked and I ended up being able to run more than my normal interval time.

The new interval timer I bought myself to replace my plain black one that I've had for two years.

My run was 32:14 and a total distance of 2.54 miles. Not my best time, definitely not my worst. And I surprisingly was able to handle the intervals just fine. This was exciting for me because I've been very comfortable at 45:1 since my running started.

Mile 1- 12:41
Mile 2- 12:34
Mile 0.54-6:58

I averaged 4.7 mph (thanks to my long legs and my ability to walk at a consistent 3.5-4 mph pace) and my top speed hit was 6.6 mph (most likely while going downhill).

Not too shabby getting back into it..

Wednesday was my second scheduled run and it was a little different than Tuesday's because I ended up finding my interval timer (clipped to my hydration belt of all places- and the last place I thought to check). I decided to change things up and instead of running 45 seconds and walking 1 minute I switched it to running 1 minute and walking 45 seconds.

The run felt slower than Tuesday's run and I was sure that I was going to be running 13-14 minute miles. I kind of let go and just let my body find it's pace while still pushing a little. To my pleasant surprise, I ran both miles less than Tuesday's fastest mile. This course was relatively flat the entire time with maybe a very slight incline for the first half and a very slight decline for the second half.

It felt good to be out running too, not forced. I was a little concerned that I would be taking on too much the first week of training, but I have been able to stick with the schedule fairly well and I know that it will soon become a habit. I plan on switching things up every once in a while to keep my body guessing and to keep it interesting, but at least I know what I am capable of without going too crazy.

Wednesday's run was 31:22 and a total distance of 2.49 miles.

Mile 1- 12:26
Mile 2- 12:20
Mile 0.46- 6.36

I averaged 4.8 mph and my top speed hit was 7.3 mph.

My long run was scheduled for this morning. I decided last night that I would allow myself to get up when my body was ready and I would go for my run then. But even though I had the best intentions to go to bed early in order to be up early I knew my morning run was doomed as I watched the clock tick past 10 and then 11 pm.

I was still up fairly early, but was exhausted. I had about an hour long internal debate with myself about whether or not I should go. The voice telling me to just go and get it over with was louder then the one telling me I could wait until this evening, but somehow the lazy side took over and I laid in bed.

The motivation this morning was also cut short when I weighed in this morning. It should have pushed me to go, but instead it did the opposite and I ended up over eating and not tracking today.

That weigh in also put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day and I really just wanted to push off my run until tomorrow. I knew that wasn't a good idea but I was mad about my weigh in, mad about my attitude, mad about over eating, mad about not just going for my run this morning, mad about so many things. Patrick kept pushing me to go (which was irritating me even more) and I finally got to the point where I got frustrated enough to just go.

What a run!

My long Saturday run is supposed to be at a speed 1-2 minutes slower than my weekday and race day pace. This is to try to prevent injury and to maintain stamina on a long distance run. I went out with the best intentions to go nice and slow with 13-14 minute miles. I changed my watch to run 45:45 intervals just to test it out and to hopefully go slower than Wednesday since I would be running less.

Maybe I need to go for a run when I'm pissed off more often...

Today's long training run was 37:40 and a total distance of 3.10 miles.

Mile 1- 12:20
Mile 2- 12:11
Mile 3- 11:32
Mile 0.1- 1:35

I averaged 4.9 mph and my top speed hit was 7.3 mph.

I'm happy with the improvements of my mile times, not just in this week but since starting back running in May, but at the same time I really need to reign it in on my long distance training run. I am hoping that once my niece starts running with me to train for the 5K in September it will help me to slow down a little.

I think I am going to try to make my weekday runs just a little farther in distance, but we'll see what the week brings. My next training run will be 4 miles next Saturday. Since I'm training for a shorter distance race in September I don't need to increase the mileage too much yet. I am looking forward to getting back into the double digit miles, but that won't be for a month or two.

Someone Stop Me!!

I cannot stop registering for races.

It's a sickness.

An addiction.

And I don't regret it one bit.

I mean, I have the money right now. Yes, we are supposed to be saving money, so spending it on races may not be the smartest thing, but at the same time we have made our budget and have set aside some money each month for certain fun things (like races and golf).

We have hobbies and we are lucky enough to be able to save for our future as well as enjoy our present. The problem with this is that I have just been signing up for so many races at one time that my checking account is taking a hit.

I need to take a step back and wait until next payday until I sign up for any more races..

This time I was searching for races in July of next year. And I ended up seeing that the Calabasas Classic was coming up this November. I've participated in this race once before and it is a difficult race considering the distance.

I only ran the 5K, but this year I upped the ante and decided to do the 5K/10K back to back. This is so exciting for me. I have never tried to push my body this far and I am ready to see what I can do. I am ready to celebrate my running accomplishments. I am excited to smile as people say I'm crazy when they hear what I am planning on doing over the next couple of year. And most of all I am so so ready to start training.

I see positive things in my future. Positive things and a bunch of miles being covered by foot.

It's Official..

I am a race addict and I have signed up for yet another race for this year...

I wasn't planning on spending that much time or money on races this year since I have made the goal of running a race a month next year. But there is something that happens when there is a race that interests me or if I am asked to run a race with someone. I cannot say no.

Now, granted there are a lot of other things out there that are a lot worse than signing up for races, but at this point in my life I am trying to save money so that I can buy a house at some point. And I'd rather that some point be sooner rather than later.

Since I have half marathon and marathon distance races through April of next year, it is important for me to remember that signing up for races May-December of next year needs to take priority over races for the rest of this year. That doesn't mean I can't sign up for any, but it does mean that I need to pick and choose which ones so that I can budget in the higher costing races for next year as well.

So, which race has me breaking my budget rules?

The Color Run, of course!

I have been wanting to sign up for this race for over a year, but since it's so popular last years nearest event sold out before I had a chance to sign up. So when I found out that this year they added an even closer location, I knew that it was a race I was willing to fit into my schedule. Better yet, it fits perfectly into my training schedule.

I have heard a lot of great things about this race and am really excited to run it with my best friend. We are trying to decide on what we should wear and are leaning towards making tutu's for the event. It's going to be a run to remember!

In other race related news, I have found the race I want to run in May. It's the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon and registration opens on August 1st. I am still trying to decide if I want to run the half or the full marathon, but I am leaning towards the full. I have officially lost my mind!

As soon as registration opens up I will decide what distance to do. I'll know in that moment. And as soon as the Mammoth Mountain Half Marathon registration opens for 2014 I will be signing up and have half of the year registered for. I am committed to my goal for next year and I know that as soon as I have a training plan in place then I will be unstoppable.

Until then, can someone tell me where I can find my motivation?

Uh Oh...

Rachel and I participated in the Disney half marathon last year and although it has been the most expensive half marathon I have finished, it is also up there for one of the best. Definitely worth the money.

Which is why I put the Goofy Challenge on my bucket list. It was a new challenge, it was exciting and it was something that was worth spending the money on to me. Well, something that was worth saving the money for.

Then this year they added the 10K, which means they added a new challenge. Obviously you know what I'm talking about.

It was pretty obvious to me that after completing the Dopey Challenge (pending I get a spot- which is my number one concern) that I would sign up for the Disney half marathon in September in order to get the Coast-to-Coast medal.

I found out a couple days ago that they have added an extra challenge to the Disney race in September.

It is called the Dumbo Double Dare. 10K on Saturday, half marathon on Sunday. Nothing compared to Dopey. And pretty obvious that this is one challenge that has to be accepted.

I mean, come on!

Completing all 6 races will result in a total of 10 medals.. 10! 5K, 10K, Half, Full, Goofy, Dopey, 10K, Half, Dumbo and Coast to Coast. And that's nothing compared to the experiences I'll have during the races.

This may be the second time I plan on having my racing memorabilia professionally put into a shadow box. The first will be (has yet to be, but sometime soon I hope) my first marathon. I can't just allow 10 Disney medals to be put aside. That needs to be displayed.

5K Registration Fee Increase

There is nothing that pushes me to sign up for a race more than when registration fees go up. Especially when it's a fairly easy course, extremely close to home and relatively inexpensive. Plus, it helps when all finishers get a medal.

I get so many emails a day from racing sources. So many. And for the most part I delete them without looking because I have enough emails coming into my inbox as it is and because I would be broke, in a lot of debt and I would have zero free weekends if I signed up for all of the races that I want to run.

So yesterday afternoon I received an email about a race in my home town. A 5K/10K flat course and the price was going up at midnight. It caught my attention and I spent some time thinking about it. Then I mentioned it to my best friend/coworker. She immediately sparked interest since she has never participated in a race and has been interested. That was enough to sell me to sign up with her.

The only thing better than crossing a finish line is crossing it with a friend. The only thing better than crossing the finish line with a friend is when it's their first race.

I am going to be signing my niece up for the 5K as well. She is 9 and this will be her second 5K. I'm excited to train with her and to cross the finish line with her too. I know that she is looking forward to it as well and I know that it is going to be good for her health as well. It might be good motivation to get her moving and to help her lose the 10 pounds her doctor has suggested she lose. Anything I can do to help, and I know having a motivational goal pushes me...

The weekend of the 5K fits perfectly into training for LA as that weekend is a scheduled 3 miles. Couldn't have planned it better myself!

Dopey Challenge Training

I wanted to know how much time I needed to set aside to train for Dopey.

I went looking on the runDisney website and found a great training schedule by the one and only Jeff Galloway.

This is the training program I plan to follow for Dopey. training will begin the middle of June next year. A year away.

It gives me a lot to think about. There is a lot I would like to accomplish between now and next June, both physically and financially. 

I would like to be in better shape before starting to train and with the way weight loss has been going this go around it may be awhile before I see any progress. 

I am hoping that if I continue to run daily then I should easily earn about $100 a month to put towards my Dopey Challenge Savings. I just have to really focus on getting the daily workouts in and I know as soon as I go back to work and start up my daily walks again on top of my daily run it will be no problem making it to $100 a month.

I'm getting excited to start focusing again on training and when Dopey training starts it's going to be a busy and stressful six months. I think the important thing is to make sure everyone is 100% on board with it. The training doesn't just impact me, it impacts my entire family but especially my mom and Patrick. They are the two people who help me the most during training and are always available to help watch Isabel and to provide support along the way. I do not know what I would do without them.

Training is going to be taking up a lot of time, so it's important to make sure my priorities are straight going into it. There's going to be no point starting the training if I start skipping scheduled workouts like I sometimes tend to do. I think that as long as I keep the goal in the front of my mind then nothing can steer me off course.

And of course, there's no guarantee that I will get a spot in the race. From what I can tell this year Dopey filled up fast. I need to keep an eye and ear open to know exactly when registration is and be ready to get my spot as soon as it opens. I really can't imagine anything worse than looking forward to a race only to have it be full when you go to register. And that is my number one fear for Dopey.

I won't say that I don't fear the distance, but I'd rather look at it like a challenge than a fear. If I fear it then I have a greater chance of not completing it. And I'm sure the fear will truly set in after I pay the registration fee and am actually starting to train for it...

Why I Started Running- Agoura Great Race 3/27/10

(I have so many things I want to write about regarding running and my plans to run the 2015 Dopey Challenge, but in order to focus on my future I want to embrace and share my running past... These race recaps were written for my original blog and have been added here for a view into how I came to where I am now.)

*Originally posted 1/17/12

I completed my first 5K on March 27, 2010. It was the 25th Annual Agoura Hills Great Race and it was on my 25th birthday. I thought it would be fun and I thought 3.1 miles wouldn't be too difficult.

I was wrong.

It could be possible that the amount of time I had to train compared to the amount of time I actually trained had a lot to do with how I felt that day. It could be possible that the amount of running my sister, Rachel, told me we would do compared to how much we actually did had a lot to do with how I felt. It could also be that I ate oatmeal for breakfast. Whatever excuse I want to use, the look on my face when I crossed the finish line is priceless.

Crossing my first finish line.

What happened that day was something I will never be able to describe. I hated running so much prior to and while we were running the race and yet it sparked something inside of me. I loved the racing bib, I loved the finishers metal, I loved running across the finish line, I loved completing something and when I finished I realized that I love running.

Completing this race with my sister formed a bond between us. Although she had completed other races before, this was our first 5K together and it was not only an accomplishment for me to complete it, but it was an accomplishment for her as our finishing time gave her a new personal record. (We have gone on to run other races together including 10Ks, half marathons, and our upcoming full marathon).

I will always be thankful to her for pushing me to do something I didn't want to do. If it hadn't been for her I would have never known I had a passion for something I thought I hated.



Yes, I committed the superstitious sin of running in the race shirt.