Healing

My shin splints are feeling better and I'm slowly increasing my distances at a slower pace.

Today I pushed a faster pace and the right shin began to hurt, dropped back to my slower pace and all was well. Glad it hasn't caused it to hurt this evening.

I thought yesterday as I ran about the fact that a year and a half ago I couldn't have done this. I couldn't even run a city block.

This for me is an incredible thing to be doing because it lets me know how far I've come from being obese and sedentary to training for a marathon. I still have weight to lose but I plan to be at my goal, actually the lower end of my BMI, by October 9th.

I was running with a running group a couple weeks ago and it was a tough run. Don't even know why. I had run earlier in the day and it went well but the group run was going horribly. I wanted to give up with ever fiber of my being but then I thought, was the time Shaun T gave us on the cruise a waste? Had I wasted my fitness heros time? What about Team Livestrong? Was I worthy to run this for them? Thinking about that I pressed on knowing I had come to this place for a reason and one thing I've learned from Shaun and from his workouts is mental toughness.

I thank God for Shaun T, for Beachbody and their programs and I thank God for Team Livestrong, their mission and the honor to run October 9th to raise money for them.

Keep cheering for me! I'll keep my mind right and keep pusing forward!

Taking time to get good advice

I started this journey not really knowing what I was getting myself into and with little knowledge about long distance running. I had run cross country in high school but this is quite different.

I learned quickly to ask for advice from people who know more about this than I do. I've made some mistakes already. The first, Nike Air that were worn out and just fit. Price, lost 2 toenails and gained some pretty nasty blisters. Went to the Nike Store and was fitted correctly for distance running after what I felt was a good assessment by an employee there. She put me into Nike Vomeros. Problem solved. She also suggested body glide and Nike dri fit socks. THANK GOD for the new shoes, body glide and socks. All have made a huge difference.

I had the priveledge to workout with and be trained by none other than one of my fitness heros, Shaun T on a week long Caribbean cruise in March before I began training. Shaun is not a distance runner but he was a track star and is an incredible trainer. His workout programs, Insanity and Asylum were what prepared me to begin this training. As I talked with him he told me to ice my knees every night whether I felt I need to or not. That has really helped. The training and workouts on the cruise were the toughest I've ever been through in my life and they have done a lot for me when it comes to mental strenth and this sport requires a lot of it.

Last week I began having pain in the right shin, yep, shin splints. The advice was slow the pace and distance, ice the shin good and Aleve or Advil. Although I wanted to push further I listened to the advice and today I feel good.

I was humbled by a post in our Livestrong group yesterday and while it wasn't really advice, it put this whole thing back into perspective and got me right out of my pity party over the shin splints. I'm doint this for a purpose. I lost both my parents to cancer and it's an honor to run for and raise money for an organization that does so much to help those affected by cancer. There are people who were themselves affected, and very recently and yet they are pusing ahead to their goal and to help Team Livestrong in their mission.

If I can offer one thing to anyone new to this or to anything else it's this. Find people who know what they are doing, listen to the advice and then put it into practice.

I had to consider that if I kept pushing ahead and hadn't slowed down and taken advice would I be out of at least my half marathon July 4th? Sure don't want to have that happen.

What if I hadn't asked for help with the shoes? More blisters? More lost nails? Who knows.

I'm a Beachbody coach and when it comes to exercise and nutrition, there is no one size fits all. I work with my customers to find a workout and nutrition program that will work for them so that they will stick with it. If they don't like bootcamp type workouts then selling them Insanity isn't a good idea.

I've found the same to be true with distance running. You get good advice and then experiment to see what works best for you and you need to push but you must also listen to your body and not push to the point of injury.

Fundraising and Continued Training

I've been writing down some ideas for fund raising and talking with some local businesses. My husband works for Schwanns and they have said they'd be happy to do a truck sale. We spoke to one of the elders at church today and we were told we should make sure it gets into the announcements and planning at church. I am happy about that! We also spoke with the manager of noodles and company and they are willing to donate a basket for a raffle or do a fundraiser night. A friend suggested a bake sale. This week I'll set up these events and think about the bake sale but I'm not "sold" on it yet.

Did distance most of the week. I'm at 8-10 miles which is right on track for my half marathon on July 4th but I think I've got shin splints in my right leg. I'm icing it now as I type. The good news is I've gotten my 100 meter time down by 1 second, I'm also capable of a 10 minute mile but not for a long time yet.

I've found that as a runner, I'm progressing but not as quickly as I'd like. I'm confident I'll be able to run the whole marathon as long as I'm not injured the day of the race but for now I have to resettle my mind on the idea that my time won't be awful but it may not be what I'd like for a first marathon.

I'm goind to ice my right shin and take it easy this week and I should be fine. I'll also be planning some upper body weight training each week so that I maintain my upper body strength.

Feeling Good!

Yesterday's run started out hard again. That seems to be how my body is when it comes to running. I have a rough first mile or so and then I'm set.

Yesterday for the first mile or so my right knee kept warning me to stop but then it got better. I iced the knees last night, got in bed early and after a good nights sleep I feel incredible this morning!

Although it's hard sometimes and sometimes I don't want to run, I'm always glad I do!

I've added a link in the upper right column. I need to raise $1500 for Team Livestrong which is an incredible organization that makes such a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. Please click the link and donate, even a donation as small as $5 will make a difference!

I am training really hard for this, this means a lot to me. Completing a marathon has been a lifelong dream for me.

I hope that as you read this blog you'll see that no matter what your dream is, you can get there with hard work and some goal setting!