County fun run 5k

So, I’ve fallen off my 5k bandwagon. My goal was 30 5ks before I’m 30 and I’m still only half way done. However..

Coca cola (my third main love in my life) stepped up and sponsored the first 500 registrations for a local fun run the week of September 20th.

So, you know how it goes… I signed myself up. And my nephews. They are always down for free t-shirts. And they have a small fair afterwards and a beer garden (hey!) and everyone knows runners are beer lovers.

I won’t have my son that weekend so I can do it. I lost my running stroller for him when I downgraded from the jeep to my Nissan. It just wouldn’t fit so the car salesman who had a little boy benefited that day.

Excited! I’m such a sucker for packet pick up and the night before the race routine rituals lol. Now, I get to go home after work and tell my nephews they got signed up lol

Training.

The best feeling in the world is having too much on your mind, hitting the road, and coming back with full mental clarity. When you first start running, it’s not like that. That is something that takes some time. It’s what makes running enjoyable. It’s why you become a distance runner.

The places your mind will take you when you run…  You begin to not hear your music playing after a certain amount of time. It’s insane.

After all, anything over 3 miles, your body takes over and it’s just repetition.

Now that my migraine pills are almost done for, and I have more energy, it’s time to run more consistently and get back to my training program. I miss it. I miss obsessing over my runs and mileage and cute outfits I’ll wear to a race. Running makes you feel like a bad ass, and I need more of that in my life.

Shiner Texas, I’m coming for you baby. See you in November!

Medals

Errrbody knows running for medals is my jam. I wish I ran more races that you received one but Meh. My next race will be the shiner beer run in shiner Texas. I’m excited! Beer and running are my favorite things. Well, since I haven’t posted in awhile, I figured I would update my medal collection for you. #runnerslife

Yoda.

I thought taking time off would ruin my future races. A little over a month and I’m restarting. It’s tough but not horrible. I ran an easy 4.5 miles Sunday evening which made me happy. No vertigo issues. With that being said…

I think I have enough time to build up my mileage for the half marathon I’d signed up for later this month. It’s the 26th and a birthday present to myself so I’d really like to do it if I can. Last time I built up to 10 miles and didn’t run for a full month with a stomach virus the week before race day and I still finished. I couldn’t walk for a week but I did it. I’m confident I can do it this time, too. I’ve been running for years where then, I had just begun.

My full marathon I’m not sure about just yet but I have enough time to pull it off. It’s the first weekend in March. I’ve never ran that distance before so I’m a little more nervous than a half.

I’m sure I’ll update more on this topic and time draws near.

after that 9 miler….

Well, my last post was about my awful 9 mile run that sucked.  It was supposed to be 10 miles but ended up not making it there.  7 miles in I got dizzy — and I mean, sea legs dizzy.

This went on to last several days.  Went to the doctor, did a lot of tests and blood work and everything came back fine.  So they sent me to a neurologist.  Several weeks go by without being able to work out.  Everyday I was struggling just to walk bc I was having such bad vertigo issues.

Turns out I have ‘migraine equivalents’ and instead of having a big bad migraine, I have the other symptoms like vertigo and nausea and while I do have headaches and vision problems, the horrible migraine itself isn’t present. 

The good news?  My daily pill is helping, like a lot! 

The even better news?  I can run again!!  I’ve got to take it easy and build back up to where I was but I can run again!!  You cant appreciate running until you’ve been told not to or you might die bc we don’t know what is causing this.

9 miler that sucked.

So my training for my first full marathon has been going extremely well. My times have been improving and I’ve just stayed so excited and motivated until yesterday.

Last Saturday I ended up not running my 8 miler bc we did a garage sale. I didn’t run one of my days this week bc my jeep went to the shop. Excuses I know.

And I paid for it royally yesterday. I thought and hoped that with taking those days off, my body would love me for it. Nope. I was struggling.

I was running a mile slower than normal so my pace was horribly slow. By mile 5 I thought i Was done for. I pushed through. I made it to mile 8 but my goal was 10 miles. I was hurting so bad and could barely run and walking hurt even worse. 9 miles ended in my neighborhood and I barely made it to my house. I told myself I only had 1 more mile to go but sometimes, just sometimes, you can’t go any further.

So 9 miles, not 10. I was so sore yesterday and last night my upper legs were so sore I could barely sleep. I forgot to put Biofreeze on them before bed. This morning I’m barely walking.

I had gotten up to 8 miles so I’m not sure why it hurt so bad? But it did.

Registered.

Well it’s official. I just signed up for the the rock marathon. It’ll be my first (possibly only? Lol) marathon. Everyone tells me it’s not an easy marathon for a first timer but my response is always ‘if I’m going to run 26.2 miles, I want that huge ass medal!’ because errrbody knows little rock has one of the biggest, if not the biggest, finishers medals.

My race bib is going to say Nerd Byrd!

Build up.

Last week started the build up program to the marathon program I’m doing.

My first long run was 6 miles and I ran it a little slower than I’d hoped buuut I ran well and felt really good. I even managed to somehow not get a headache. Normally after my long runs, a few hours later I’m hit with a horrible headache. Not yesterday. I felt really good all day and not drained.

I also shaved 10 minutes off my 10k time. I was pretty excited about that!

At the end of the day, progress is still progress.

Updated playlist

My running play list. I made a special one for speed training too but this is my overall right now. Always trying to add to it.

Super Busy!

Well, I haven’t posted in awhile and I’ve just had a lot going on.

My training is going so well!  I’ve never ran so fast in my life for so many miles.  My last long run actually shocked me.  I was in the best mood bc I didn’t think my body could run so fast.  Ok, it’s not fast at all, but it’s 3-4 minutes a mile off from when I started running 2 years ago. 

So I’m waking up before work and going running bc its the only time of the day I can run and not miss quality time with my son.  Granted I’d love to stay in bed and cuddle him that extra hour but making small sacrifices to see a goal through is part of it, so I choose to run in the morning.  I work hard all day — we are short handed 2 people — and come home and lift weights 4 nights a week with my nephew.  My oldest nephew is getting in to running so in the evening after dinner, my younger nephew rides his bike while my oldest one runs, and I’m pushing a stroller with my son, running.  One day I know my beybey will run with me but for now he gets to enjoy the wind in his hair, not the sweat lol.

When I do get free time, all I want to do is lay in the bed, stretch my legs, and enjoy some arrested development. That shows truly makes me LOL.  #runnerslife