2+ Weeks

It's been an interesting last 2+ weeks. Here we go:

February 8th - I accomplished something today that I didn't think was physically possible for me to do, run for longer than 2 hours. I think one of the reasons that I had always thought running was so hard was because I couldn't image my body running without stopping for that long. Well on Saturday, Feb. 8th I ran 12.5 miles and it took me 2 hours and 3 minutes. I did walk about 0.45 of a mile all added up throughout the 12.5 miles but basically I can for 2+ hours! It was a milestone for me and one that I really am proud of proving myself wrong.

February 9th - I had my 2nd dress fitting/ kinda 1st because it was the first time she was going to really start forming it to me. When I went in the 1st time she couldn't grab anything and it was super tight. This time she is going to have to take an inch in from both sides and tuck it under my boobs! I lost 7.7lbs in 4 weeks but what I was shocked about was the toning and inches that I had lost. I really can only chalk it up to the running because I hadn't changed my diet enough to make that big of a change, or at least I didn't think so. My seamstress told me I couldn't lose much more as the structure of the dress can only be taken in so far without having to alter it and that is a huge job sooo - that cheeseburger I had been craving for months, I went and got it that night! :) Treated myself to deliciousness.

February 17th - 1/2 Marathon Day! I got up at the butt-crack of dawn 4:10am. Ate breakfast, got ready and was out the door at 5:10am. It was 30 degrees when we left. At 5:35am we parked and I hoped into the car with my future mother & sister-in-law and we waited in the heat. Finally at 7am we got out to visit the restrooms and get to the corrals by the 7:30am start. It was 34 degrees now and I had on running capri pants, running shoes, sports bra, a running tank top and long sleeve shirt, a jacket I planned on throwing off as well as gloves and a hat. While standing in the bathroom lines we found out they were postponing the start till 7:45am because of the traffic to park. We weren't happy but okay. I got to my corral at 7:40 and decided to dump my jacket, I could live for 5 minutes. Well I get in and they postpone it till 8am. I am freezing now! My warm-up was gone by now and my Nike Running App decided to crap out on me so I am also frustrated because I can't get it to work and trying to figure out another app to run with all while freezing. I was suppose to be in the 1st corral to go but they did such a bad job with them I don't leave till the 2nd wave, 8:05am.

The gun goes off and I start running and I literally can not feel my body. I am numb to the bone! Around mile 3 I finally start feeling myself and my knee, which hasn't ever given me a problem while training, only afterwards kicks in ad starts throbbing (it's a swimming injury from my freshman year in college, basically 10 years ago).  I can only imagine it's the cold that aggravated it since we basically started without a warm-up because we waited 40 minutes in 34 degree weather and then started running right away. I had to deal with a knee I wanted to chop off for 10 miles! It was miserable to say the least. To top it off it there was this wind that just would blow right through you and make you shutter. I kept picturing myself laying on a warm beach somewhere basking in the sun. However, I just kept running but did listen to my body and walked a bit too. More than I wanted too, but I knew it was for the best. Finally I saw the finish line and dug deep for anything left in my tank to finish strong. 2:14.25 - not want I wanted but under the 2:15 goal I had set for myself so I couldn't complain. I had finished my very first 1/2 marathon! I couldn't be prouder of myself.

Flash forward, February 17th Evening - I can't walk! My knee is screaming at me and I'm still cold. We are over at a friend's house and all I can think about it laying down and sleeping. Everyone is standing around in the kitchen and I grab a tall boy chair and sit because I physically can't stand any longer. At 8am I head out and go to bed, my body has nothing left!

February 18th - I was one of the lucky people that didn't get President's Day off and had to go to work. I hobble around like an old person with everyone asking me what was wrong. I decide after talking with some runner friends to take the week off and do a small run on Sunday and hit it back the following week.

February 24th - 1st day back on the pavement since my 1/2 Marathon. My knee was feeling much better with the weeks rest. I decide to do 4 miles just easy and see how it goes. Well my stupid butt takes it out way to fast and by mile 2 I'm feeling it. I back off and just finish. My knee feels okay. I am very aware it's there, but it's not throbbing so I chalk that up as a win win! However the outside side of my left foot starts cramping and walking is difficult. Even this morning (Feb. 25th) it's still hurting so I am wearing tennis shoes for support.

New Shoes - After my run on Feb 24th, I decide to go to a local running shop to get fitted for new pair of shoes since the current pair is just about shot (using through my next race, a 15K on March 9th) and I can't find that shoe online in my size anymore. I'm definitely an Asics girl! However while running on the treadmill trying out the new shoes the sales guy asks me why I'm favoring my left knee. I tell him it's been giving me some issues since the Donna. He throws a compression knee brace on me, SOLD that thing is fantastic! Picked out my new shoes but they are on order since they didn't have the color I wanted in stock. Looking forward to getting them soon though!

New Week - This week I am going to get back at it in terms of running. Keeping the intensity down and just getting in the mileage. 3 miles tomorrow, 5 on Wednesday, 3 again on Thursday and 10 on the weekend. The following week is taper down again since the 15K is on that Saturday, March 9th. Here we go again!

7.7!

I am less than a week away from my 1st ever 1/2 marathon! It's this Sunday, February 17th at 7:30am. Here's the course - http://www.breastcancermarathon.com/run/course/.

I really am looking forward to this and the challenge it has brought to me. I finally have found the internal challenge that I have missed from my swimming years. I've experienced starting rough and then getting easier, starting easy and ending rough, starting and end easy with a rough middle all through my training. The tricky part and the part that I have craved for a long time is that internal battle or pushing through that, not letting it take hold and consume the rest of your workout, even if it is at the end. I know on Sunday at some point I will lose the runners high and feel the pain somewhere in my body, I will feel myself drop off a bit on my pace but I know that I can push through - I've done it thus far at 12.5 miles what's 13.1?!

I truly never thought I could run that far. OMG to run for 2 hours straight, that's crazy and there is no way I can do that - that's what I use to say. This past Saturday I officially proved myself wrong, running 2 hours and 3 minutes for the 1st time in my life. I have never been a runner ever in my life, always a swimmer and when we had to run for cardio I bitched and complained and was always one of the slowest (still not that fast but better). I guess I finally proved to myself that just like swimming, if you train and practice you can get there.

Another amazing benefit of the running has been my body is slimming down and toning. My 4 week challenge of losing 5lbs to fit in my dress was blown out of the water - 7.7lbs in 4 weeks! I couldn't believe it when I stepped on the scale this past Sunday morning. 160.0lbs! I had to move the scale all around the bathroom and try it again because I thought maybe the floor was uneven in that spot and the scale was reading it wrong. 7 times at 160.0 (yes 7!) I finally believed it! I then went to the seamstress later that afternoon for my dress fitting and she is having to take an inch off both sides! 4 weeks ago she couldn't even grab anything on the sides! I was seriously shocked! That was more impressive to me than even the scale. I couldn't get over it. She even said I can't lose too much more because im just about maxing out the dress on being taken in without having to really alter the structure of the dress. Needless to say that cheeseburger and fried I had been craving for 4 weeks - went to Poe's Tavern and got it Sunday night! :) I thought I deserved it. haha

Getting Ready for my 1/2

It's been a while since I posted - I know I know! However I have been doing really well! I'm 3 weeks down of the 4 weeks to lose 5 lbs and I've lost 4.6lbs so far. Yay me!

This Sunday I go in for my dress fitting and I can't wait because I have my jewelry too now so I can try the whole thing on. :) She is also going to start the fitting alterations. Thus far it's been the hemming and "Meghanizing" of the dress. I will also have the mock-up of my veil too - I CAN'T WAIT!

As for my "diet" - I hate that word by the way! - I have been doing really well. Making better choices and running A LOT! Granted I have a 1/2 marathon in 13 days so I better be but I know that has helped out quite a bit too.

Last night I ran 11 miles - the longest I have ever run both time and distance in my entire life! I'm a tad banged up though this morning. My left knee is really tight today. Definitely going to need to stretch that out tonight. Also the sports bra I wore too was new and the seeming under the boobs rubbed me raw on both. The weird part is that I didn't even realize it until I went to undress to take a shower and saw blood on my bra, touched the area and realized that hurt a ton. Oh well I will heal fast I am sure. I have decided that when you start getting over 6 miles things start to go a lot more often, it's just the nature of the game so how you deal with them and overcome them is the challenge.

As for this week, it's my last week of hard training running. I keep it up with a 12 miler this weekend. Next week is a nice "taper" just to keep my legs moving to get me ready for the 13.1/ half marathon I have on the 17th. I actually am looking forward to it believe it or not. It's something I never thought I could do and look at me, I ran 11 miles last night! I'm getting ready for that 1/2!!!