And It's Been A While...

So after a long, long vacation from running I'm back in step with my mom on the streets! This past Tuesday June 8th, I woke up again at our usual time of O-dark-thirty to find that the stars would once again greet me. After a mishap of misplaced running shoes we were on our way. I was a little worried that after such a long period off my running would be shot and that I would be starting back from scratch. Mom had gotten herself up to the seven mile marker the weekend before, and the farthest I had ever run was five miles.

Once we got started running it was very slow going for me, but once we got started talking the running came back as if I had never taken a break. The first mile and a half I didn't even feel, then came the second half of our neighborhood jaunt. I started making running deals thanks to the light. I told mom I'd run our flat trail so long as I could skip doing a hilly loop in the neighborhood. However, once we got near the end of the trail I remember the horribly overwhelming stench of flowers that covered the last leg. So this time I asked if rather than taking that I could do the hilly neighborhood once. Then the most surprising thing happened, by the end of the the loop I was ready for more! So we added on a little extra by going backwards through our run, up another large hill. About the time I got down to the hill the my legs were beginning to hurt and I was running through a painful cramp in me side. Then came in mom, my wonderful running partner who sticks by my side through anything. She got me through the hill with our secret to running, fired up conversation. Anytime we get caught up talking about something that we have a lot on our mind about, we get so distracted from running that we don't even notice how far we've gone. By the time she got me to the top of the hill I was ready for the downhill, and ready to finish the run strong.

As we were heading back I asked her how far we had run so far, and after a long moment of hesitation she told me we had run 4.3 miles. It was then I decided to make my goal another five miles. Mom helped me out as always by telling me we were going a longer route to the house and that I was going to run it all. She said to me, "We're so close to the end, I won't let you stop now." and no matter how slow I would have to go she was going to stay by my side. By the time we made it back to the house, which involved yet another hill, and were walking our cool down we had run 5.23 miles! My farthest run ever to date!

So what I really want to share today is that no matter how long it's been, you can always jump right back in. Just because there were some problems that kept you from doing something, doesn't mean you should give up on it entirely.

Looking at the future for this month, my mom and I are looking at doing two more 5k's, maybe a 10k. So as always, keep an eye out for another update(hopefully much, much sooner than this one took!)

Our First 5k!

Today was our first run, a nice 5k to start off May. At 9A.M. we arrived at the Indiana University Stadium to get registered and ready to go. My Dad and my Fiance, Ryan, tagged along to watch with coffee's in hand. We can't get them to run quite so early in the morning, or late at night either. It had rained all morning up until 7:30 just before the bikers were scheduled to begin their ride. By the time we arrived it was overcast and chilly but the rain was nonexistent. We lined up at the start line and at 10A.M. we were on our way.

It was a nice out and back run with a water station a mile into the race thanks to the IU woman's basketball team. The first two miles of the race seemed to be basically all up hill the entire way, and slightly never-ending! However by the time we got back around to the last mile and a quarter it was smooth sailing, all downhill. Mom was pushing me to keep going near the end where my shins were spiking up the most, at one point she had to turn around and get me because I had fallen back some 25 feet. In the beginning of the race we said that we started this together and we would finish it together, and that's exactly what we did.

When it came down to the final sprint we kicked it up as fast as we could. In an all out run we picked off three of our competitors! We had nothing left by the end but we did it, we completed our first 5k in just under 36 minutes. An amazing feat in my opinion for two people who hadn't run in years. We didn't come in first by any means, but we never gave up.

Were hoping to run another 5k in about two weeks. With our goal being to finish even faster than before, always pushing ourselves one step farther.

Humidity Is Not My Friend

My parents finally returned from vacation down in Texas last week. They went to see my eldest brother in Texas for his winging ceremony. While I was unable to attend I was told it was a very nice ceremony. Of course, the Monday after they returned we got right back into the swing of things.

It was rather difficult to start up again after our nice four day break, but we went none the less. It was a tough first run, we went about three miles slow as can be. Wednesday had begun to get a little better, finally getting back into our groove. For our third day last week we decided to skip Friday and instead run on Saturday so we could run on the trail just outside of our house. We had planned to start our run around seven but due to rain we had too postpone until around ten-thirty. Unfortunately, the rain led way to humidity. It was warm and very humid as we hit the trail. We ended up running for four miles, which was filled with my complaints, and walking the last mile home.

This week it has been raining most of the week so we haven't had the chance to get in our first run. It seems that every morning it rains but by mid afternoon it takes a very overcast break. Unfortunately with my work schedule and finals coming up next week the evening is not an ideal time to run. However, not matter how the weather is this weekend we have our very first 5k of the season! It is a Bike/run/walk for cancer and we will be there running along with many other exercise enthusiasts. It is scheduled to rain through the weekend but it is both my moms and my hope that the rain holds long enough for us to make it through the run. It's the only run coming up this month for us, so we have decided to start a training regimen for a 10k in twelve weeks which should put us well on our way to our end goal for next May!

Wish us luck this week as we participate in our first race, and I'll have the results posted here as soon as I can. Till next time, happy running!

The Journey Thus Far

My mother and I decided this year that we wanted to do something healthy, active, and fun. Naturally, we chose to run! Beginning in early March we set our sites on running as many 5k's as we could this year. However, after we began running it became clear that this goal was just the tip of the iceberg. Within two weeks we had already jumped to running 3.2 miles. So we decided to set ourselves a new goal to work towards. This is how our Mini-marathon goal was set. Together we would run our way to 13 miles by May of 2011!

As our today: April 14,2010 we have made it up to 4.42 miles at the steady pace of an 11 minute mile.

We didn't start with any sort of experience, we just decided to go and try. From sitting on a couch watching TV one day to running three mornings a week. Every day we run we get up at 5A.M. and stretch. By the time we get out the door it's 5:20A.M. our neighborhood is very hilly and very bumpy. Yet there's nothing I like more than finishing a run with my mom by my side pushing me to go further than I thought possible.

I never want to wake up and run any morning. After all, who wants to wake up at 5 and go run three miles? Yet I do, and when I'm done I always love it. There are times it's harder than others, most mornings I complain until the first mile is done. My mom puts up with me through it all. It's a great experience to get up and do this though. I've learned just how hard I can push my body, I've learned it can go a lot further than I ever expected.

Today we ran 4.42 miles, our longest run yet. We woke up an hour later than normal and run on the trail by our house as the sun was rising. At our usual 3.5 mile marker we both felt amazing and did not want to stop our run. We pushed through everything and ran our way back through our neighborhood. It was exhilarating! To push our bodies so far, to break through and go farther than you ever thought possible. As usual my shins were pounding and my calves were burning, my mom stayed by me the entire time never letting me stop to walk. She claims that I push her as much as she pushes me, but most days I wonder how true that is. I could never run as much as we do without her. I'm so glad that we are doing this together.

For this week our runs are done, but come next Monday we'll be out running the streets again to see just how much our bodies can handle.