Now What?

I still don't know. My family and I are going to run the Capital 10,000 in Austin at the end of the month so I've been doing some 4 mile runs and will do longer runs on Sunday - just to keep at my current fitness level.

Life has been good here; positive, happy, healthy. I feel truly blessed and am so thankful for my husband and sons. All around me, I see the devastation caused by Satan to undermine the haven of a strong family life. He will do anything to cause suspicion and doubt among spouses and children. It can be as subtle as dirty socks on the floor to as alarming as a drug addiction. He will use anything that causes reoccurring irritation and anger. We must recognize the evil one's tactics. We must remember where true joy comes from. We must fight for our families.

Sorry for the Delay

I finally finished outlining the details of my half-marathon experience. It took a few days to complete as I've had an extremely hectic schedule this week - massage, facial, meeting friends for dinner, haircut - not to mention that I need to ummm, clean my house, which has been last on the to-do list for some time now. I've also been stretching and taking some easy walk/runs this week; gearing up for my next training schedule. What that training schedule is for however, has yet to be determined.

Details, Details

The night before the AT&T Austin Marathon/Half-Marathon was filled with restlessness and excitement. We had to leave for Austin at 4:30am, so I should have just stayed up until then. No one slept very well.

Once we arrived and figured out where to park, we had about a mile walk to the race start area. The weather was cool but not damp, so it wasn't too bad. I had a friend along who was also running her first half-marathon. We had never trained together and she actually hadn't trained over a distance of 5 miles, but she had a super mental attitude which in the end made the difference for her.

The endless view of bodies ahead of us was really stimulating. The first five miles went so quickly. The adrenaline was really pumping and I was moving much faster than I had planned on. About mile six, my friend announced she couldn't keep going!!! I told her there's no way she wasn't finishing. We walked for a short while and then took it nice and easy the remainder of the course, walking up the extreme hills when necessary.

It's hard to describe the joyfulness and sense of release as you cross the finish line. Receiving the finisher's medal from the race personnel was so satisfying. I've been a spectator at these events before and I always felt like such a slug amongst the actual runners. Sunday, I could drink my free Powerade and take my complimentary bagel with no shame; I had earned it.

After my friend and I stretched and changed, we parked ourselves near the full marathon finish line. It was inspiring watching the participants as they summoned their last bit of energy to close out their race. As I remembered how I felt when onlookers yelled my name off my bib, I began screaming for anyone and everyone who passed. There's just something about hearing your name out loud that magnifies the kudos even more. My husband and son were even able to "high five" me as they raced by.

I could go on and on. Sunday, February 18th was a wonderful day. I'd like to express my gratitude and thankfulness to my Maker. I know that He was with me every step of the way and I couldn't have done it without Him. This accomplishment is just one of many that He has planned for me; the choice is mine to succeed.

Awesomeness

I am proud to report that today I completed the AT&T Half Marathon-Austin, TX! It was a wonderful feeling crossing the finishing line and knowing that I completed a major task that I set out to accomplish.

I'm even more in awe of my husband and son, who completed the full marathon today. As I finished, I thought about them and how it would be like me turning around and re-doing what I just finished. Unimaginable.

I am rewarding myself with a real, honest-to-goodness chocolate brownie and a glass of skim milk (gotta cut some fat somewhere). More later on this most awesome day!

Oh So Close

It's Thursday, February 15th, just 3 days away from my first half-marathon. This week's training cut my running way back, to help rejuvenate me I'm guessing. 4 miles yesterday, 2 miles tomorrow and just stretching and weights in between. I am having my usual yo-yo anxiety - one moment I can do this, the next I'm not ready. It's a run for crying out loud; not delicate brain surgery or plans for world peace!! There, I'm feeling better already. I still need to do my weights for today so off I go.....

One More Week

It's almost time for the half-marathon. Only 7 days to go. I'm proud to say I haven't yet skipped any of the suggested workouts outlined on the training program.

On my Friday 5 miler, I cut 2 minutes off my previous fastest 5 mile time. Two minutes - I couldn't believe it. It was a cold, gray day, but it felt familiar and almost inviting as I stepped outside. Mentally, I was battling the usual negative thoughts Satan throws my way. But when I saw my finishing time, I knew the Lord had carried me through.

Today, was a 10 mile run. After the cold misty precipitation stopped and I had made some outerwear adjustments, I was able to concentrate on running. I thought about aborting until the weather cleared, but who wants to do that after you've already headed out?

My time was great and my attitude at the moment is so positive. I never thought I'd run 10 miles ever. I'm sure the additional 3.1 next Sunday will be totally doable. When I returned home, I had a yummy lunch and headed out again for some retail therapy. I'm still looking for just the right outfit to wear on the 18th though. A girl's gotta look good, right?

Feeling Blah

Today was just one of those days. It was cold and gray all day and I just could not get going. I managed to get a light workout in tonight. Tomorrow is another 5 mile day. I'm hoping on a good night's rest and a brighter morning.

Nine Mile Monday

Because of the big game, I opted to run my longer run this morning and do my shorter cross-training workout on Sunday. I must say the 9 mile run went very well. The weather was about 10 degrees warmer than it had been on my previous long run. The sun was shining and traffic was minimal as most of my neighbors were off to work. I even had an iPod upgrade, as my shuffle needed charging so I took my son's iPod Video instead. I was especially pleased because his armband case matched my tennis shoes!

About halfway through the run, I decided my salty Super Bowl snacks weren't worth it. I have to remember to fuel my body more effectively the day before my long run. Thankfully I had lots of water with me.

My time was a little slower than I had calculated, but not much. I think I was holding back a little; fear of the unknown and all. This is the longest I've ever run in my entire life. I'm looking forward to a great week.

Rest Day

I am so thankful; today is my weekly rest day. Not only rest from exercise, but also rest from the daily grind.

I've had two great workouts since my last post. On Thursday, I did a Pilates routine that I hadn't done for a while. I thought it would be a piece of cake, no sweat, easy going..... However, I was very surprised that it didn't take long for me to "feel" my efforts, if you know what I mean. Guess that's why it's called "Bun and Thigh Sculpting".

Yesterday was another 5 mile run. It went very well. I am a bit tired of the cold, gray mornings but they shouldn't last too much longer. I also received my official bib number for the upcoming half-marathon. No turnin' back now!