A little motivation please!!!

Today is Wednesday. That means that I spent my morning at the gym with our running coach and group doing a "Wicked Wenesday" workout. Although you would think that these would be getting easier by now, they are still grueling and as the heat heats up here in sunny Florida, my body wants to give up sooner.

Today was a tempo run; warm-up, 5 minutes at race pace, cool-down, and do it again.  We started at 8, but right at the beginning of Summer here, you sweat when walking from your car to the door of the gym! I will spare you the details, but let's just say, my body is arguing with my brain about being outside at all in that heat. It makes me think that is time for a little motivation.

It can be hard to motivate yourself. That's why I don't like to run by myself, but hey, it happens. Motivation can come in many forms, rewards, advice from friends, or "yelling" from your coach. And sometimes it's as easy as reading some quotes from other runners. Here are some I love. They make me want to go run right now (of course I am sitting in the air conditioning right now with the curtains closed. I might change my mind if I go open the door =)

Please share with me if you have another favorite motivational quote. I'd love to hear it.


"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
-William Faulkner


"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."
--John Bingham


It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse."
- Ann Trason


"Runners just do it - they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first." - Author Unknown

  "The trouble with jogging is that by the time you realize you're not in shape for it, it's too far to walk back."
-Franklin P. Jones


To be number one, you have to train like you're number two. Maurice Greene

If I am still standing at the end of the race, hit me with a board and knock me down, because that means I didn’t run hard enough Steve Jones


Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.
T. Alan Armstrong


You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face.
Gatorade ad

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.
Booker T. Washington

Gordie Howe
You find that you have peace of mind and can enjoy yourself, get more sleep, rest when you know that it was a one hundred percent effort that you gave - win or lose.

Accept challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.
       -George S. Patton

I am not a jogger!

I was reading through an old Runner's World magazine the other night and came across an article by John Bingham about why he calls himself a runner. He mentioned an ad that ran in the magazine months before that tried to distinguish between those who are runners and those who are joggers. Many people were offended by it. I guess technically there is a difference, but he, like many of us, calls himself a "runner" for his own reasons. Here are the ones he listed. I agree with so many of them!

I am a runner because my runs have names. I do tempo runs and threshold runs and fartlek runs. I do long, slow runs and track workouts. My runs are defined, even if my abs are not.

I am a runner because my shoes are training equipment, not a fashion statement. The best shoe for me is the one that makes me a better runner. I choose the shoe that goes with my running mechanics, not my running outfit.

I am a runner because I don't have running outfits. I have technical shirts and shorts and socks. I have apparel that enhances the experience of running by allowing me to run comfortably. I can say "Coolmax" and "Gore-Tex" in the same sentence and know which does what.

I am a runner because I know what effort feels like, and I embrace it. I know when I'm pushing the limits of my comfort and why I'm doing it. I know that heavy breathing and an accelerated heart rate-things I once avoided-are necessary if I want to be a better runner.

I am a runner because I value and respect my body. It will whisper to me when I've done too much. And if I choose to listen to that whisper, my body won't have to scream in pain later on.

I am a runner because I am willing to lay it all on the line. I know that every finish line has the potential to lift my spirits to new highs or devastate me, yet I line up anyway.

I am a runner because I know that despite my best efforts, I will always want more from myself. I will always want to know my limits so that I can exceed them.

I am a runner because I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far.

I am a runner because I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not.

Taken from Runner's World magazine November 2007.

Half Way There

Pic of some the NW YMCA Land Sharks who ran the Iron Girl 1/2 or 5k. Nancy, my running coach, is right behind me. Iris, in front with the purple outfit, ran with me. Monica, behind Iris, is an amazing runner. She won a 1/2 recently and has done multiple marathons. Angie, the red-head in the back is the lady who "healed" my legs. She does massages at Advanced theraputic massage of West Chase.

With Iris after the race

A spur of the moment decision led me to an amazing new accomplishment this weekend. I conquered the Iron Girl half marathon with a time of 2:18:15. Because I decided on Thursday to do the race, I had not actually "trained" to do the half. Of course, I have run enough to be considered ready to do it, but mentally it was a little scary to jump into that. After a less than great performance at Gasparilla, I had no idea how this race would feel.

4 a.m. comes very early no matter what time you go to bed. That's what time my day started and I think I am still feeling the effects of not only the running, but the extremely early morning. The ride to Clearwater was fun since I was in good company, but the long wait for the trolley to the starting line left little time to adequately prepare for the start, if you know what I mean!! Opening ceremonies always get me a little emotional and now that I am signed up for my marathon, silly little things get me teary eyed as I daydream about January. The upbeat music helped to get me pumped up, but when the national anthem began to be sung and I contemplated the upcoming challenge of the day and of the year, it almost brought me to tears.

There was not as big a crowd for this race than the last that I did, so after 20 seconds I had crossed the starting line which was right beside the beautiful Clearwater Beach. The course was very challenging and after less than a mile, we were tackling the first of three bridges. It was a challenge, but being able to fly down the other side gave time to recover. From the beginning I knew it would be a good race for me. I felt much better than in February and for the first 10 miles, I never had to stop to walk or even really slow down. I averaged a 10:35 minute mile during the race which is a great time for me while going that distance. (If I can do that at the marathon I will be one happy lady!!) We passed many beautiful houses along the way. The unfamiliar scenery helped to keep my mind busy since I had no music with me on this race. The smell of flowers filled the air a few times and people cheering along the way gave an extra push when needed.

The second bridge was steep but I passed over it without having to walk. I tried not to look to my sides much to see all the water, but stayed focused on the course ahead of me. When I finished mile 9 I looked down at my watch. I had beat my 15k race time and I had not even pushed myself to the limits yet!! It is great when you can get to the point of 9 miles and say to yourself , "only 4 more, no big deal!" even if you have no idea if that is true. Mile 10 felt great too and I was talking myself into speeding up when I reached mile 11 and then to do even more til the end. At mile 11, I grabbed a little to drink and suddenly the cramps hit me. It slowed me down quite a bit and then I saw the bridge that I had forgotten about!! I took a few sips of my own water and decided to tackle it head on. Cramps and all, I was not going to walk any of this. I think I was going as slow as possible, but still jogging, all the way up the bridge. It was not pretty and it was not fun, but I made it and recovered on the way down. I was ready to finish.

The rest of the race was amazing for me. Tears tried to come, but I held them back so I could focus. I skipped the next water stop to try to make up for time on the bridge and started to push myself. This was a total turn around from Gasparilla where I was crawling through the finish line. I kept a quicker pace, but knew that the last bridge and the cramps would probably keep me from beating a 2:15 time which three miles before I thought I could do.  My first goal was a 2:30 but the pace I kept during the first 10 miles made me feel like I could crush that time. Once I saw the 13 mile marker, I pushed as hard as I could and was able to sprint to the finish. I don't think I saw the right clock, but my watch said 2:18 and something seconds. I had done 13.1 miles with very little stopping (by that I mean for water and potty breaks), no walking, and with enough energy at mile 12 to push myself faster! My running buddy, Stephanie, yelled my name as I was getting my time tracker off my shoe. I was never so glad to see her. She did amazing and finished with a time under 2:10. Then I heard my running coach and other fellow YMCA runners call my name. I walked over to them and received hugs from some of them. When someone is willing to hug you after you've run 13 miles, you know they love you!

If you have never run a race, you can not understand the emotion that you feel to be at the starting line, to be running during, and to cross the finish line. This was truly the most emotional race I have done so far. I am finally thrilled with my results and can't believe how good I felt for most of the race. I think back on the last year and a half since I started running seriously and can't believe I am at this point. I was happy with doing 5k races for the first year and never thought that my body could get to this point. I thought that runners were born runners and that I just was not one of them. Now I realize that some may be born with the talent of running, but the rest of us can make ourselves runners with hard work and dedication. 13.1 was AMAZING and now I can not wait til the 26.2, well, I can wait a little. I felt good during the race, but it's going to take a few days for me to recover!

It's Goal Time

How many times have you made a New Year's resolution and then failed to complete your goal??? Happens all the time right? This year my main resolution was to stay away from soda all year. So far, so good, but the problem is that I am making up for it in other ways. My major downfall right now is sweets in the form of sweet tea and candy. Yeah, I make cakes, but I don't crave them since they are around all the time.

I had decided that I needed to put some things in writing for all to see to make sure that I complete some more small goals of mine These are things that I want to accomplish to help my body to be in better shape and to help me fulfill my big  goal, the marathon. That is the point of this blog anyway, right?

So, I was planning on starting today, but I actually got a couple of extra days in since I have been "sober" from my sweet tea since Sunday. My goal is to stay off of it at least until the end of May.  As far as the candy, I say "one step at a time". We'll work on that next month!!

My other goal for this month is to complete the Tri-Y at the YMCA. It is like doing a olympic distance triathlon but you have two months to complete it. I finished it in one month last year so my goal for this year is to do it in 3 weeks or less. I already got rained out of the pool this morning so I feel like I am a little behind!

I want to hear about your short term or long term goals. Is there something that you have been trying to talk yourself into doing?? It does not have to be something that is a huge deal, just as my sweet tea is not. For you it may be similar, some food or drink addiction that you know is hurting your body, or it may a goal of walking around the block everyday. It may be something bigger like running a 5k or joining the gym. Whatever it may be, help yourself by telling someone about it. One of my good friends called me last night to tell me that she had started her running program !!! First of all, I am so proud of her, and second of all, I am so glad she told me so that she feels the accountablilty she needs to keep with it. That may be whats pushes you to conquer your goals as well.  Find someone to push you and encourage you. No matter what you goal may be, it will feel great to say, "I did it!"

Mickey, Here I Come!

I wanted to post a few days ago, but I did not have the chance. I am officially registered for the Disney marathon in Janauary!! I decided to do it right when the race openned to make sure I did not change my mind! Now my goal is to find someone to run it with me. Though I have many family and friends coming to support me, I would love to have someone to actually help get me through. Let me know if you are interested!!

I have heard from many who have been reading and some have shared stories with me about their goals. Some have already started their journeys as runners. Congrats to all of you and good luck. Stick to it! For those who are pondering starting for the first time or are wanting to get back into running, go for it. You won't regret it. Set some small goals or sign up for a race to get started on the right track. And remember, running might not be for everyone, but everyone needs some physical activity to keep your body at it's best.  Make it a priority.

Clearing the hurdles Part II

Whenever somebody asks me about our kids, they always say “I bet they keep you busy!” Of course they do, just as anyone who has kids knows. I am aware that this will only get worse as they get older and involved in more things too. Thankfully I can take them to the YMCA with me and they LOVE it. Makayla is usually upset with me when I go to pick her up from the nursery even if she has been there for 2 hours! I don't have a job outside of our home, so I can run in the morning when they are at school most of the time. The obstacle for me comes when they are sick and we need to stay home and I use that as a reason to be lazy or just can't fit it in because I am taking care of them. In these circumstances, there just isn't much you can do. The kids and family have to be taken care of especially when they aren't feeling well. On the other hand, I don't think that it is wrong to use time for yourself to exercise or spend time doing what you love or to take care of yourself. I am so thankful that my husband is very understanding about that and lets me do whatever I need or want to do. Hope he will feel like that when my 2 hour runs turn into 4!

The day of Gasparilla I blogged about how heavy my legs felt and I was not kidding. Until a week ago, they seemed to feel the same way and I was even suffering from tingling in my legs that would occur during exercise or at any time of the day. My legs felt like they were asleep and that is not good when trying to run. After talking to a few people, I thought that maybe I had pinched nerves and that still may be the case, but after getting a great massage on Sunday, I feel much better. I hope that feeling lasts and that it is the only injury that I have to deal with. I don't have much advice on this subject, but I know that you have to listen to your body. This goes with being sick too I believe. Our bodies need time to recover sometimes and if we don't let them we could miss even more.

What has fear stopped you from doing? I think my biggest fear is usually of embarrassment. What if I can't do it? How bad do I look compared to all those other people? And then there are other fears like the gators in the water throughout the trail (some of them are huge) and the animal noises in the bushes. You may laugh at that, but I seriously have a hard time with those. I get over my fear of the animals by making sure that I am near someone when I am running outside. Then they can hear me scream. By the way, if you are ever attacked by an alligator, poke their eyes or stick your hand inside their mouth and pull on the thing hanging down from their throat. Yes, I have done some research! As far as my other fears, some of them will always be there, but some I can control. My running coach always reminds us that we are not comparing ourselves to others, but to ourselves. As long as I am improving, then I can be happy. I have tried to get over the fear of not being able to do things by determining to just try. The more you try new things, the easier it gets to try new things. And then you get stronger and some of those new things don't seem so bad anymore.

My husband was contemplating joining me at the marathon in January. He thought about it for about 34 seconds the other day and then remembered that he does not like running (those were his words). He thought it would be nice to cross the finish line with me but did not want to have to run the other 26 miles!! Sound familiar? He brought up a very popular obstacle: “I don't have time to train {for a marathon}”. In this case, he's probably right. Both of us training at the same time would probably not be good for our family, but this is what I said to him, “The problem isn't that you don't have the time, but not wanting to use the time you have.” See, by writing this blog and hoping that some will follow it, does not mean that I want you all to run a marathon or even a half or 15k, I just hope that you are using the time you have to accomplish your goals. Even if you only have a few minutes a day to work on your goals, make sure you are using that time wisely.

I just wanted to add a little note here about those that have been following the blog and leaving comments. I am thrilled that you have come along to share this experience with me. You are a blessing!

Clearing the Hurdles Part I

Obstacles come at all of us at different times in our everyday lives.  We struggle financially, spiritually, emotionally (especially us girls) and physically. Since we are talking running here, we'll call them hurdles. I've been thinking about what hinders me from running my best at times as well as what hinders others I know and I thought it would be good to discuss how they can be conquered. I know I don't have the answers to all of these problems so I am hoping that my readers will give their input and share struggles that you face as well. As they say, admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery! This may take a few posts since there may be many, so I'll start with one or two today.

The idea for this post popped into my head the other day because I failed to overcome one of my worst struggles.....SLEEP. I really think that the issue was being tried, not laziness, but some may use these interchangeably. Saturday morning I was supposed to get up and get around 9 miles in, but I never even did one. Since I did not have a “running date” with anyone besides my husband (I will not call him an obstacle, but he has no problem sleeping instead of running =), I decided to sleep in after having stayed up late working on a few cakes.

So that's the problem, what is the solution? The thing that gets me through usually, though it did not on Saturday,  is remembering that getting my workout in gives me more energy, not less. Even yesterday I wanted to relax (nap if I could) instead of going to the gym. I had to talk myself into it knowing that I would actually feel better if I got some exercise in, and I was right. Don't get me wrong, the days I do a longer run, I usually need a nap since my body has not quite adjusted to those distances, but for the most part, exercise makes me feel good.

I know a lot of people who use the excuse that they don't have enough energy to exercise. Well guess what? You never will if you never do. Others say, by the time I get home I am too tired to workout. How about getting some exercise in and then sleeping like a baby that night??

Another hurdle for me is boredom. I do a lot of different workouts at the gym including running, spinning, swimming, Pilates and other classes, but there are still days, especially running days, when I get bored. Most of the time that happens when I am on the treadmill or running by myself outside. The solution should be simple for this one, but “easier said then done” I would say.

The best solution for me is to have a running buddy. I love to run with friends or my hubby. There is always something to talk about, someone to push you, and someone to make sure that you make it back alive! I know that there will be days when I will be running long distances alone, and quite frankly, that scares me!

Mixing up the routine is another obvious solution. Trying different classes helps at the gym, but when it comes to running, different routines are needed as well. There are days for long distances, days for speed work, and and days for cross-training. Mixing up my music helps a lot too and scenery is sometimes necessary as well. A few weeks ago I got to run out near the beach instead of the usual trail, and it was great. Six miles felt unusually short because it was so different.

Even as I write this, I can think of so many more obstacles that I face at times. My next few posts will be about some of them including time, pain or injury, taking care of the family, fear, money, and others that you or I think of along the way.