The Right Goals

Miles Run Today: 3

This week I bought some new swim goggles and ran three separate times (twice outside). I can tell that I'm on the right track because I'm finally anticipating my runs instead of dragging them around on my millstone of a "To Do" list. Having a reasonable plan, even one I haven't started yet, makes me feel like there is specific progress to be made. More importantly, having a goal that feels more attainable than possibly fatal has definitely improved my spirits. I feel like I am back on track to rescuing the Athlete Me. One more week of "practice" before I start my half-marathon training plan next week. I'm really looking forward to it.

A New Year and A New Race, A New Plan

Miles Run Today: 2.5

Yes, it is a new year and a new month and no, I am still not running regularly. I'm lucky if I get out once a week and didn't run at all for the two weeks surrounding Christmas. I was pleased to get new warm running clothing from Tom for Christmas (as requested) and extra happy to get a chance to run while visiting my parents- on the trail I used when I trained for the Detroit Marathon five years (a million years?) ago. But no, no routine yet.

I did crank up the stakes though, by registering for the Martian Half-Marathon on April 14. I will be completing this race in 14 weeks! Plenty of time to train for it if I start now. Which I shall. Here's my plan:

Half Marathon Training Schedule: Novice 2

Week	Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
1 (1/22)	Rest	cross	3 m run	3 m run	3 m run	Rest	4 m run
2	Rest	cross	3 m run	3 m pace	3 m run	Rest	5 m run
3	Rest	cross	3 m run	4 m run	3 m run	Rest	6 m run
4	Rest	cross	3 m run	4 m pace	3 m run	Rest	7 m run
5	Rest	cross	3 m run	4 m run	3 m run	Rest	8 m run
6	Rest	cross	3 m run	4m pace	3 m run	Rest	5-K Race
7	Rest	cross	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	9 m run
8	Rest	cross	3 m run	5 m pace	3 m run	Rest	10 m run
9	Rest	cross	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	10-K Race
10	Rest	cross	3 m run	5 m pace	3 m run	Rest	11 m run
11	Rest	cross	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	12 m run
12 (4/14)	Rest	cross	3 m run	2 m pace	2 m run	Rest	half

This is the Novice 2 Half Marathon plan created by Hal Higdon, which I've tweaked to fit my schedule. I've had tons of success training with Mr. Higdon's plans from 5k up through the full enchilada. (Sidenote: I actually met him at the Chicago Marathon Expo back when I lived there and had my photo taken with him!) This may sound negative, but I am certain I won't get in all these workouts- particularly the midweek runs. But, I've positioned the workouts so that it is theoretically do-able (insert God laughing with me, not at me). Kid #1 is at day care on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I can do my crosstraining on Mondays. I imagine swimming for days I get to the Y, biking when I don't. Both will require some prep- I currently have no goggles (gasp!) and my bike has a punctured tire, is resting in the laundry room with one wheel off and is covered in (a lot) of dust. It needs to get put back on the stationary trainer and receive some TLC. Maybe I'll use Netflix as an incentive- I can finally watch Glee! Then my mid-week long run I will do at the Y on Wednesdays. I purposely split up the weekend stuff so that I would only have one workout during Sat/Sun. That way I can just aim to get it done on the day that works for us and won't have another workout to juggle or more time to spend apart from the family.

I think this should work! The good news is that since this is a 12 week plan and I have 14 weeks till race day, I have two weeks to "practice" this schedule and get myself into a groove.

Ready, set, go!

Some Days I'm Just Tired

Some days it still takes me by surprise that I'm a mom. That God trusts me with these two little people. I mean, my husband at least came into this relationship knowing what he was getting into. And theoretically, he can leave if he wants. But these little people- they are so LITTLE. And trusting. And fragile in every sense. And they are so... very... DEPENDENT. It exhausts me to just think of it all some days.

And I'm already exhausted.

That's the catch. I keep setting these goals and I still, STILL think of myself as just myself. I know what it takes to motivate myself to work out and I totally have it in me to go that far. The problem is that I forget that I am not just myself anymore. Or more accurately, I am a new "myself". Not to get to philosophical here but the truth is that regardless of my strategies and my superstar co-parent-er, I am totally exhausted. I haven't had a day "off" in a very, very long time. It takes as much energy to get both little people to the Y child care as it does to run on the treadmill and as I do so I am watching the clock and worrying about nap time and lunch time and when will Mara want to nurse and what are we going to do this afternoon? I am sustaining myself AND my little girl with the calories I take in and burn off. I can't nap because the second I do I hear a baby crying even if it is only a motorcycle engine down the street.

And these are not complaints (ok, sort of) they are just my reality right now. I'm eventually going to have to embrace this reality and get used to it if I will ever be able to be ok with this new "me". All the planning in the world may still not help me get in a long run if Mara has a growth spurt and doesn't sleep or Oren gets an owie and needs comforting or heaven forbid either one gets really sick. They are the priority right now and sometimes I don't like that a lot. It means that I can't stick to the plan "no matter what". It means even when the spirit is willing I still have to put them first.

But our family is wonderful and I am the Mommy. And somehow this Mommy will become a Mommy Athlete and I will find room for all of it. This is merely a chapter and these goals will help me create space in my new "self" for parts of the old. This weekend I get to run my hundredth mile since giving birth. That seems like a small number and at the same time, HUGE.

Plan B - Better than the First!

Miles Run Today: 2

My original plan was good. A marathon, a century ride and a 5k swim by the end of next summer. But the reality is, I'm still not logging the miles or the work outs that I need to be in order to not a) get injured or b) hate myself while training. I don't really see myself doing too many marathons in my life (this will double the number I've done so far!), so I would prefer to enjoy the journey. The fact that I'm already starting to worry about failure or self-destruction is a very clear indication that I am just not ready.

As of tonight, I'm okay with that. I made the goal, I can change it! And so I shall.

The new goal still incorporates the same distances, but I've pushed out my timeline. The bonus is that I've come up with some races on the calendar that I'm really excited about so this will help me get out the door. I was really only so so about my spring marathon options. While browsing, I discovered there is a brand new marathon and half marathon in Savannah, Georgia. One of my very dear friends lives there. This way I would not only get to spend time with her, but I'd also get to do a marathon somewhere neither Tom nor I have raced before. An additional bonus is that Savannah is a beautiful and flat city which should make it a great race for me. The race is part of the Rock and Roll series of races which are (in my opinion) overpriced, but otherwise this is the PERFECT race for me.

The race falls on November 3rd next year. This means my marathon will be the culmination of a year of training my way back from childbirth, instead of at the start of the warm racing season. In hindsight, this makes a lot more sense to me. I'll have more time to train, obviously. Instead of full marathon training, I'm now planning to sign up for the April Martian Half Marathon here in Michigan and follow that with the May Indianapolis Mini Marathon. The Mini was my first half marathon- my mother and I trained for it together in 2001. We have done it many times. It is a fun, fun race and I haven't done it in years. After completing those two races, I'll focus on biking and swimming and hopefully get in a few triathlons. Then I can start ramping up for the marathon. Mara will be done nursing (or shall we say I will be done nursing Mara) sometime before next July (I hope) so that will make getting out for those long, long runs much easier. As will the extra hours of sunlight.

I'm very happy and excited about this plan. It seems so much more rational and more importantly, POSSIBLE. I just got back from a lovely, "the kids are down, GO!" two mile run in the fluffy snowflakes and I'm feeling very optimistic. Hooray. Merry Christmas to me!

PS. Ha ha on me... a half hour later I realized my parents will not be home in Indianapolis the weekend of the Mini Marathon. So much for easy trip with built in babysitters. Mega bummer! Well, Plan B is still a work in progress, it seems. I'm considering the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, instead. I've always wanted to do this race, Tom has family & friends there so it will still be a fun family weekend. Just checked and they also have kids events for both Oren AND Mara. Cool!

Back At It!

November just killed me.  I was having so much trouble even finding time to think about running that I considered throwing in the towel on this entire project.  More than once.

Exhale.

We got back from our family reunion in Las Vegas (with two sets of running outfits, totally unused) and had beautiful weather and three grandparents in the house.  Tom literally shoved me out the door last Friday.  I was happy to be moving but totally feel like I'm starting over again (because I am.... ugh).   I ran in the rain on Sunday and felt much more positive.

And then, tonight I somehow found the motivation to go to the Y after dinner even after a full day of kid entertaining and baby bouncing, even after the rain changed to S-N-O-W, even in the dark, even after my husband changed directly into his flannel pants and my mother in law reached for the ice cream.  STILL MADE IT OUT.  Sometimes, I impress myself.

I'm going to call it a do over.  I don't know if I'm still going to make it to ten miles by the end of the year without killing myself but I have to keep going.  Thinking positive!  December, bring it!

Get Moving!

This time of year kills my mojo.  I really want to want to run, really, I do.  But by the time I have the time it is dark and cold and so very unattractive outside.  Theoretically, I could go in the morning.  (Insert sarcastic laughter).  Oh, it is just so hard to find the time and the interest simultaneously!

Ironically, I dislike (very much) running in hot weather so I actually appreciate cold runs (very much).  The problem is only in the getting out there part of the run.  Once I am Out There dressed the part and moving away from home and worries then I am instantly great.  The key is to focus on this fact hard enough to get body changed and Out The Door.

Haven't found the key to that step yet.  And as such, I only ran three times (total!) in the last two weeks.  Sigh.  I know!  I know!  After such a positive post about my fabulous consistency!  I know.

And once you start missing it is so hard to find a place to begin again.  You feel stuck in "I'm behind/I missed workouts/I'm out of shape/HowDoesThisGoAgain?!" place.  Not a fun place.

So.  Easier said than done but back on track I will be.

Step #1:
Longest run of the week will be done at the Y during the week instead of trying to find time on the weekend.  Weekend will be a short run that could be done with dog or kid, weather depending.

Step #2:
Keep fueling!  Halloween candy doesn't count!

Step #3
To bed, already!  Takes way more energy to motivate an exhausted mama than a well slept (minus middle of the night nursing sessions) mama.  Noted.

Will report back next week.  Peace, out.

Another Goal Met!

Dalmation Iron Mommy pushing the little fireman.

Miles Run Today: 3

On Sunday morning, Oren and I completed our first 5k together.  It was my slowest 5k since my first over a decade ago, but it was one of my favorites.  I have to speak for myself and not for him, but it was really fun.  A majority of the runners were dressed up in Halloween costumes, there was a stage where a dance company was performing "Thriller" before the start, and the weather was great for an early morning in late October.  We even managed to get the four of us up and out together before the race so we had Tom and Mara waiting for us at the finish line.

I was not "racing" this race, which was a good thing- it was tough pushing the kiddo!  I did get my wish for a flat course, but forgot to pray for a straight course, too!  There were lots and lots of turns!  Thankfully my little navigator kept me feeling cheerful about them by faithfully pointing out each corner that we were about to go around.  Also, since I'd started out behind most of the runners so as not to get in any serious athlete's way (serious athletes at a Halloween run?  I hope not, but still...) we spent most of the race catching and passing other runners (mostly without strollers), so that was a boost.  Most of all, I just enjoyed having Oren along for the ride (literally) and did my best to keep up my side of the conversation.  He seemed to get a real kick out of all the people and costume watching ("There's a MOOSE!" he said, identifying a woman with a viking hat) and catching the falling leaves in his lap.  He even got to toss a water cup, so he got the real race experience.  I would love to do another race with him, though I think that our time running together is probably pretty much done until spring.  And by then I'll have my choice of running partners as Mara will be old enough to sit in the running stroller!  Now that's some fun to look forward to through the winter!

Finish line (33:05)

Speaking of looking forward- this mommy needs some new goals!  The upcoming holiday season is always a blur.  We're traveling to Las Vegas for a week before Thanksgiving and when we will get back it will be full on holiday madness.  I'm going to combine November and December to give myself a bit more room within which to accomplish my next steps.  Which will be... (drumroll, please) 1. to increase my long run to ten miles (by December 31st) and 2. do hip/leg strengthening exercises two times a week.  These are totally do-able goals but I really need to do them together and really make the exercises part of my routine without fail.  If I can't strengthen up these joints than I'm going to start doing damage and it will totally derail my big goals for next year.  To fit them in I'm going to have to go back to making the YMCA dates with Mara part of our schedule.  We'd gotten out of the habit of going when she started taking more reliable morning naps.  But now that I've kind of figured her out (God, "Ha ha ha ha ha..."), I think I can just wake her up earlier and get that nap in and then go to the Y after she wakes up.  That's what we did today and it seemed to work all right (I say as I start to hear gurgling from upstairs, better type fast!).

I'm also going to have to start preparing better.  Getting the two of us to the Y is still literally a balancing act with our bags (diaper bag for her, workout bag for me) and her in her car seat.  I really need to be better about bringing a drink and a snack, though.  Today I could have done my exercises post-run, but I was so hungry that I had to leave (and drive through Wendy's on the way home... how's that for ironic and self-defeating?) instead.  I'd eaten a substantial breakfast (Cream of Wheat with a spoonful each of peanut butter and strawberry jelly mixed in) and ate a granola bar (Kashi) on the way there, but still ran out of gas.  Working out combined with nursing cranks up the food burning for sure and there is no way to work out through an empty tummy (at least not for me).  I will get some good snacks and start pre-packing my bag so that there is food along regardless of what I ate in the car on the way to my workout.

Little girl is calling so I'm off!  Keep reading & commenting, it really does keep me going!  Thanks, cheerleaders!