Your Life Is Now

When I was training for my first marathon it was a leap of faith, follow this training, Saturdays are for the long run and show up at the start line. The leap of faith was would all the work pay off and I'd finish what I started. One thing that stuck with me during the training was that the journey to the race would probably end up more important than actually crossing the finish line.

Every training run I spent at least a few minutes visualizing running the marathon and what it would feel like to cross the finish line. I figured there was a chance I'd cry, scream, hug a fellow runner. I had a strong sense that what I was doing each and every day was ultimately more important than the actual marathon. The commitment and routine of preparing my things the night before, eating and hydrating, getting in bed early and waking before the heat of the day set in. All of these little things would lead up to the final day when I would stand along with many other brave runners to test our bodies and minds to run 26.2 straight miles.

The thing is even when running the race, the only thing that matters is the now. Staying in the moment and putting one foot in front of the other with the faith that eventually those small steps equal to miles and those miles bring you to the finish line. I had an epiphany on my 3 mile run yesterday as John Mellencamp's song came through my ear buds. "You're life is now" sang in my ears. Those words made me think and I realized that even training for a marathon and losing weight with the ultimate goal being to cross the finish line or step on the scale to see my goal weight, the here and now is what is important. Keeping the goal in focus while still living every moment is so important because when I reach my goal I want to be able to look back on the journey and remember how amazing it was.

Your Life Is Now

I'm still running!

It's been awhile since I posted but I am still running. I am struggling with the losing but I'm working on that too. I signed up for The Chicago Marathon again and decided to volunteer to lead the 12 minute group for training. I am feeling very intimidated about showing up to training at this weight. I am really hoping to take off at least 15 pounds of this holiday weight before training starts. Next year I swear I'm not going to do this holiday gain. I say that every year... For the next week I am eating Jenny Craig food to try to help get me back on track. My only problem with continuing past that point is the expense. It seems it has gotten even more expensive that before. I followed Jenny Craig quite a few years back and I lost 78 pounds only to gain it all and MORE back within the year. I did not have any skills to maintain the loss and when life got in the way I resorted back to my old habits. I have a very important weapon now, running! If I keep running I can eat a good amount of calories a day and not gain.

SO my youngest two kids have been running races with me on the weekends. I hope that I can give them the gift of a love for running and they can live fit and healthy lives. My Hope my kids never struggle like I have.

Race T taunt.

I ran on the dreadmill again yesterday. I'm definitely feeling the extra weight I've gained. I did 3 miles in 36:00 and I wanted to quit the whole time. I picked a machine right under the speaker system and it didn't matter how loud I turned my music up, I could not drown out the LifeTime music. I felt so great when my run was over and I took 15 minutes to stretch out well. I used the foam roller on my right IT band and wanted to cry just a little.

I have my Chicago Marathon race shirt hanging on the back of my closet door. It doesn't fit. I ordered it smaller on purpose because of the weight I thought I'd lose training to run the marathon. I want to wear that shirt more than anything so I it is hanging there to remind me to stay on the right track. I'm signing up for 2010 in a few days. I'm already signed up to run The Shamrock Shuffle in March. It's an 8K that follows part of the downtown loop marathon course.

Starting Over

I am weeks away from pre-training for my second marathon. I promised myself I'd run all winter and not lose my base. I knew better. I started out well and kept up until Veterans Day. Somewhere between Thanksgiving and New Years I gained the 10 pounds I lost over the last year. I lost 50 pounds two years ago and running has allowed me to keep that off. Training for the marathon last summer helped me lose the other 10. I had hoped for 30 but I quickly found out that training for a marathon is not exactly a recipe for weight dropping off. I hate how I feel when I am eating poorly and I love how I feel when I am eating well. Why do I eat poorly for days on end? A craving takes over and I give in. Then I feel bad for giving in and I keep eating trying to feel better. It's a terrible cycle. I need a healthy streak. I need to remind myself that my feeling to eat might pass if I'd give it a chance.

SO this is what I had for breakfast yesterday. One egg and two whites with sauteed mushrooms, spinach and red peppers.
Lunch was so delicious. I had a spinach wrap with hummus and a Dr. Praegers veggie burger with some sliced cukes and carrots and a side salad.
I also had yogurt and strawberries and a chai soy latte for snacks. Dinner was rice, kidney beans, sauteed onions and diced tomatoes with some melted cheese. It was a good day of eating. This week I need to run three times during the week and try a long run on Saturday. I loved the long run and I hope to back to that place! Happy Monday!

For the love of the long run.

We had our 12 mile run Saturday. I was beginning to have some self doubt about if I was going to be able to get to the start line on October 11th. I am signed up to run The Chicago Marathon and I am training with CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) This last run was a real test for me because I had in my head that if after this run I was feeling too much pain in my right leg, I was not going to be able to manage the high mileage that is still to come in the next 9 weeks. So, I prepared myself with a good night sleep the night before and I ate pretty clean during the week.

I am so happy to report that I am feeling better, yes better, than before the 12 mile run. I attribute this to a few things. Last week I got a massage, My first massage since I started my training in February and it felt so great. I iced the spots that had been hurting and I found some great stretches online for hips and calves. I sat in a very cold bath right after the run for about ten minutes. I am wondering also if the fact that I didn't sit down most of the afternoon on Saturday helped in an active recovery sort of way?

The longer runs have really surprised me. The first time I looked over a marathon training schedule I saw the daunting distance of the weekly long runs. I was barely making it through 3 miles three times a week. I really didn't see how I was going to be able to run 9, 10, 12 miles straight. A few things helped change my mind. I started to carry water, I experimented with energy gels and blocks and I slowed my pace. I have really come to crave the long, slow distance run and every week I feel a little closer to my goal of getting to the starting line of the 26.2.