Hmmmm ... well just keep reading!
So this week has been an epic week for me. My class that I am teaching is finally over, IRB approval finally came, and I finally found myself a running partner! Yep, I have been running alone for a very very long time, never believing that my prince or princess would come. Always believing I was too slow, and that no one would want to run with me. Thinking... "I think Im fun" but alas just too slow.
Well this week my prince came! So last weekend one of the guys in our training group Larry, decided that he was going to run the long run with me since he was recovering from Gramma's marathon. I was suprised, but glad for the company. The run, although hard, did go much quicker and nicer with a friend to chat to (or yell at)!
Imagine my suprise when he sent me a Facebook msg asking if I wanna run the hills AGAIN this week. I happily agreed. Monday I ran alone and struggled to do 3.5 miles but with Larry by my side I not only crammed out 7.5 miles .... it was 7.5 miles of hills, hills, and more hills. As we were running, he was talking to me about the races he is training for (including a marathon) and how we should start running the hills during the week too. I of course was game... running in the summer is really hard for me!
Unfortunately... I have this problem. I am a highly suggestible person! I cannot be trusted to watch infomercials because I am convinced whatever product they are selling is going to be the best ever. And yes... after 7.5 miles of discussing marathon training, I was starting to believe I could do it. Alas but what marathon to train for. Cellcom is in May ... and I figured to train with Larry for a race in January and then not run one would be depressing.
So off to MFP I went... and as usual my friends were full of nothing but encouragement. See I was worried that I couldnt run the Disney marathon because I will be out of the state the week prior ... but everyone just said ... go for it... so I thought about it.
And today ... was the 9 mile hill run. I laughed when I saw the route because in adding one mile Coach Jim managed to add FOUR MORE HILLS! The bottom of his email said it all "its time to push through another envelope guys."
It was hot this morning, with a bit of a breeze. My pace for me was blistering through 4 miles... mile 5 I struggled a bit. Mile 6 I struggled more... but I just kept pushing through. Coach Jim upped the anti this week by not only coaching us up the hills... but making us RUN up every hill.
Jesus Hill was at mile 8 and OMG I thought I was going to die. Huffing and puffing and just pushing it hard. Coach Jim is hollering "everyone driving by thinks you are f'ing awesome and they wish they could be you" Haha that helped a bit. The last hill of the day at Mile 8.75 I BEGGED to walk ... Coach Jim said "I dont care how slow you run, I care that you run it" I was literally whining like a child. Larry said "I KNOW you can do this" And slowly .... slowly... up that hill I went.
When we finished ... we finished at a pace of 14:35/mile ... light years ahead of what I have ever been able to do! I am feeling completely amazing about this run.
Ok so my news.... thanks to the support of my running husband Larry, my coach Jim, and my wonderful friends on MFP. Its official... I just signed up for my first MARATHON! I am going to run the Disney Marathon the first weekend in January.
We can do anything that we want to! And I am about to prove that ... so who wants to join me and "push through another envelope." What envelope can you push through?
So this week has been an epic week for me. My class that I am teaching is finally over, IRB approval finally came, and I finally found myself a running partner! Yep, I have been running alone for a very very long time, never believing that my prince or princess would come. Always believing I was too slow, and that no one would want to run with me. Thinking... "I think Im fun" but alas just too slow.
Well this week my prince came! So last weekend one of the guys in our training group Larry, decided that he was going to run the long run with me since he was recovering from Gramma's marathon. I was suprised, but glad for the company. The run, although hard, did go much quicker and nicer with a friend to chat to (or yell at)!
Imagine my suprise when he sent me a Facebook msg asking if I wanna run the hills AGAIN this week. I happily agreed. Monday I ran alone and struggled to do 3.5 miles but with Larry by my side I not only crammed out 7.5 miles .... it was 7.5 miles of hills, hills, and more hills. As we were running, he was talking to me about the races he is training for (including a marathon) and how we should start running the hills during the week too. I of course was game... running in the summer is really hard for me!
Unfortunately... I have this problem. I am a highly suggestible person! I cannot be trusted to watch infomercials because I am convinced whatever product they are selling is going to be the best ever. And yes... after 7.5 miles of discussing marathon training, I was starting to believe I could do it. Alas but what marathon to train for. Cellcom is in May ... and I figured to train with Larry for a race in January and then not run one would be depressing.
So off to MFP I went... and as usual my friends were full of nothing but encouragement. See I was worried that I couldnt run the Disney marathon because I will be out of the state the week prior ... but everyone just said ... go for it... so I thought about it.
And today ... was the 9 mile hill run. I laughed when I saw the route because in adding one mile Coach Jim managed to add FOUR MORE HILLS! The bottom of his email said it all "its time to push through another envelope guys."
It was hot this morning, with a bit of a breeze. My pace for me was blistering through 4 miles... mile 5 I struggled a bit. Mile 6 I struggled more... but I just kept pushing through. Coach Jim upped the anti this week by not only coaching us up the hills... but making us RUN up every hill.
Jesus Hill was at mile 8 and OMG I thought I was going to die. Huffing and puffing and just pushing it hard. Coach Jim is hollering "everyone driving by thinks you are f'ing awesome and they wish they could be you" Haha that helped a bit. The last hill of the day at Mile 8.75 I BEGGED to walk ... Coach Jim said "I dont care how slow you run, I care that you run it" I was literally whining like a child. Larry said "I KNOW you can do this" And slowly .... slowly... up that hill I went.
When we finished ... we finished at a pace of 14:35/mile ... light years ahead of what I have ever been able to do! I am feeling completely amazing about this run.
Ok so my news.... thanks to the support of my running husband Larry, my coach Jim, and my wonderful friends on MFP. Its official... I just signed up for my first MARATHON! I am going to run the Disney Marathon the first weekend in January.
We can do anything that we want to! And I am about to prove that ... so who wants to join me and "push through another envelope." What envelope can you push through?
Congratulations on your decision. I decided this weekend to attempt a couple half marathons in the Dallas/Fort Worth area this fall and next spring. Ultimately, I would love to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon in 2013.
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