I AM A RUNNER

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.

-John Bingham, author and runner

I find this quote to be exceptionally motivating for beginning runners.  When I first started running, I didn't consider myself a runner.  I was probably running for 6 months before I actually considered myself a runner. And no, I was not fast.  I was actually pretty slow (think 11 minute miles).  But like Mr. Bingham indicated, it does not matter how fast you run.  As long as you are running, you are a runner.  Don't ever let anyone tell you differently.

As for an update on the running front, Tom and I are registered to run the 12th Annual Silver Comet Half Marathon on October 27.  It will be my second half marathon, Tom's first.  It is a mostly flat course (thank goodness) so it will be a great first half marathon for Tom and I am planning for a PR (hopefully will be easy to do considering I only have one time to beat, HA)!  Training has been good this time around.  I've been running only outdoors (unless it's been storming- I value my life too much to risk getting struck my lightening) which is entirely the opposite of my training for the Publix Half in March; I trained mostly indoors for that which made the race more difficult in deailng with the hills and weather.  Tom and I are training separately thanks to our very different work schedules, but that's okay.  While I would love to have a training buddy, I'm okay with doing solo long runs.  I can check my pace, my breathing, my stride and not have to worry about keeping up with anyone else.  I'm not saying they're easy long runs (are they ever?) but I still find them enjoyable.  I love walking through the front door knowing I've just run 7, 9, 10+ miles.  It's a good sense of accomplishment.  I do have a VERY long run this weekend.  I'll be participating in the ATL 20K (yes, that's 12.4 miles) and the only reason I signed up for the 20K in lieu of the 10K was because of the distance.  It fits almost perfectly into my training plan.  The 12 miler isn't technically due up til next weekend, but I may as well do it this weekend and get a medal out of it!  More to come on those results later!

I know some of you may be tired of me going on and on and on about my running ventures, but running has become something about which I'm extremely passionate!  Going through the struggles we've had over the years (job changes, Tom's addiction, etc.), it's become a great stress outlet and it keeps me sane.  I clear my head and start fresh!  They always say the hardest part of running is the first step out the front door.  I couldn't agree more and I'm incredibly grateful for God giving me the physical ability to participate in something I have grown to love so much and for allowing me to be able to take that first step out the front door.

Run on!

Britt!

You Know You're a Runner When....

Happy Hump Day friends!!!

So I've seen discussion boards titled "You Know You're a Runner When..." and people will comment on things they do that makes them consider themselves runners.  Well I can't say I've quite had an epiphany about me being a runner as I've considered myself a runner for quite some time now, but this week especially I've found myself coming up with my own little additions to the title.

So here are my Top 10 running quirks that have recently occurred that immediately trigger my mind to say, "You know you're a runner when..."

1. I schedule a lot of things around when and where I can run.  For instance, Tom and I are going to California this weekend to visit my parents and grandma (can't WAIT).  My mom asked me last week if I had any specific plans for the weekend.  I told her my weekend consisted of 3 mandatory things: run on *flat* (YAY) ground, eat at restaurants we don't have in Atlanta (In-N-Out Burger is among that list as well as some other local and delicious establishments), and visit with my parents, grandma, and friends out there.  I have mapped out a long run for Tom and me to show him my old high school.  I've already checked out different routes and also invited a friend (and fellow runner) to join me! 
2. I spend more on my running shoes than 99% of the shoes in my closet.  I LOVE my running shoes!  I always try to pick a new pair that is brightly colored and noticeable.  My current shoes are a bright royal blue with light blue trim and a coral Nike swoosh.  
3. I get uber-excited about races.  I didn't run as many races as I would have liked to have run last year, but this year is different!  As mentioned in a previous post, I want to run one race per month while the weather is warm and pretty!  (I don't do well with cold weather running.)  Here's what I've run so far and what I will be running the rest of the year.  Obviously a few months are missing so I will fill those in as I go.
• 3/18/2012- Publix Georgia Half Marathon- Finished in 2:02:19
• 3/24/2012- SFX 5K Fitness Challenge- hardest 5K I've ever done (explanations to come)
• 3/31/2012- Atlanta Color Run- MOST FUN 5K I've ever done (pictures to follow)
• 4/14/2012- Roswell Kiwanis Spring K Classic 10K
• 4/28/2012- Jonquil City Jog to support one of Smyrna's local high schools- still not sure if I'm running this one
• 5/12/2012- Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5K
• 7/4/2012- PEACHTREE ROAD RACE!!!!- The biggest 10K in America
• 10/13/2012- Spartan Beast Race (I got a free entry- I may not even do it as it is a race in South Carolina and I would want hubs to join me; if he doesn't want to do it, I will forfeit my entry)
4. My laundry days are filled with more gym clothes than work or casual clothes.  My running and gym gear almost doubles my casual/work wear.  
5. Every Sunday, I look at the week ahead of me and figure out what days are best for me to run, whether it's better to run in the mornings or evenings, if I'm going to be able to fit in my standard 5 days or if I know that's going to be difficult.  I plan evening events around running.
6. I look forward to the many daily emails from Active.com and Runner's World with little tidbits of helpful running information, updates on events, new running trends and training tips, etc.  (Because of my Active Advantage membership, I get special emails with free race entries- I've now claimed 2 and my membership has been paid for!)
7. I actually get envious when I see runners EVEN IF I've already run that day!  I get antsy and it makes me want to run with them!  
8. I have to remind myself every week that at least 1-2 days of rest is absolutely necessary.
9. On planned trips (such as this weekend's Easter venture to California), I look for races in the local area or I plan my schedule around what days I will be able to run.  It would be a lie to say I didn't look for races in the Fresno area for this weekend.  Even though I had no intentions of doing a race (considering I've participated in events the past 3 weekends), I still went to Active.com to see if there were any events planned for the area...  On free weekends, I look for events I may want to run.  I look for races in other parts of the state (or in other states in general) to see if there is any interest.  I'm on active.com or the Run Georgia calendar (best comprehensive running website for Georgia) looking at events at LEAST once a week now
10. I truly get upset when I can't run or go to the gym.  For example, I was sick all of last week and even though it was HELL, I made myself stay home and rest for 4 days.  I couldn't tell you the last time I spent 4 days out of my running gear, probably the last time I was sick!  It pains me to not be able to run.  I also get bothered on my days off from the gym.  I know I have to let my body rest and recover so those recovery days are absolutely necessary; doesn't mean I have to like it though!

So those are just a few of my running quirks.  My mentality has completely changed about running and working out and living a healthy lifestyle in general.  I never thought I would be able to give you a list of runners' habits that also fit me, but it makes me proud.  A lot of people say I'm crazy for running 20-30 miles a week, but it makes me happy.  Running has become my catharsis and an outlet for stress relief.  I love the way I look now.  I love the way it makes me feel.  I love being connected to nothing but my music and thoughts for 30 minutes to an hour while I'm running.  I take a sense of pride in what I've accomplished and I look forward to continuing my lifestyle and being healthy in the future!  I hope we can instill in our kids the value of living a healthy lifestyle and how it would be SO much easier to start learning those tricks and tips at a young age.  I've wished on many occasions that I would've learned about a healthy and active life but working out, running, and going to the gym didn't interest me when I was younger.  I didn't care about what I was eating; I just wanted it to taste good.  Now that I've learned these things, I hope to carry them over to teach our future babes and I always want to be considered a resource for anyone interested in running and living healthy!

Expect another post soon with updates on the SFX Fitness Challenge and Color Run!  Happy reading, happy Hump Day, Happy early Easter!!

xoxoxo, 

Britt!

Half Marathon Madness!!!

Hey kids!  Happy Thursday!!!!  I hope this finds everyone well and that everyone is enjoying the warm weather that seems to have struck our lovely nation!  I don't ever remember it being 80+ in the middle of March, but I am NOT complaining!  I am SO happy warm weather has finally graced me with it's presence!  

So you may be able to tell from the title of this post that I accomplished a HUGE goal on Sunday!!!!  I ran (and finished) my first half marathon!!!!  The Publix Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon is one of the premiere running events in Georgia and I can VERY proudly say that I crossed that finish line!  My official finish time was 2:02:19 which is even more of an accomplishment for me considering I did not train outside; I'd been training indoors on the treadmill.  I was very nervous about the hills I'd be running Sunday morning as I only did a few outdoor runs over the course of my training plan.  My "training" plan consisted of runs ranging from 4 miles up to 12 miles.  After deciding to run a half marathon, I knew I needed a training plan to follow.  Because I also knew the Publix Half was less than 12 weeks away, I had to slightly tweak my plan and actually entered on Week 7 of the program.  After printing my training program and comparing it to the runs I'd logged from my official start date (Dec 27, 11), I realized my runs pretty closely correlated to those of the training program which made me feel better about training for the half marathon.  The weekend before the Big Race calls for a 12 mile run and because I wasn't planning to run the Publix Half Marathon this past weekend, I never logged the 12 mile run, only got up to 10, which also made me a little nervous.  After thinking about it though, when you've run 10 miles, what's another 5K, right?!  So I didn't do the long run as the training program suggested, but nonetheless, I completed 13.1 miles, something I never EVER thought I'd be able to do!!

Hubs met me at the finish line with  a big wave and a HUGE smile on his face!

When I decided at the beginning of 2012 to run a half marathon, I initially chose the Publix Georgia Half Marathon as my goal.  I didn't think I was going to be able to run it though because the registration fees had become very expensive ($100+) so until the end of last week, I'd pretty much written off my chances of running this event.  Until my great friend Shannon came through to the rescue!  She forwarded me an email from a coworker who was selling her bib for the early registration fee ($55, MUCH more doable for us!) and next thing I knew, I committed to buying her bib!  Thank you thank you thank you Shannon for thinking of me in that moment!  (On the same day, I also managed to register for an entry into the Atlanta Color Run which has been sold out for months- that's next weekend- stay tuned for fun pictures and commentary!)  After I committed to buying the bib and as the next few days progressed, I got more and more anxious, more excited, just READY for Sunday to get here!!  

To prepare myself for the Big Race, I skipped my strength training class on Thursday and Saturday (did do the abs portion on Saturday though), but did an easy 4 mile run.  Friday, I did my usual 5 mile run and on Saturday, did another easy 4 mile run.  After my run and class, I went straight to the Race Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center and for lack of better words, it was one of the coolest things I've ever attended!  There were vendors everywhere, ranging from running companies to representatives for other races (local and far away) to food and nutrition companies, the list goes on!  I did end up buying a few things- a few running shirts that were on a closeout sale from One More Mile Running (including the shirt I wore for the race) and of course my 13.1 sticker for my car (it's tie dye awesomeness) as well as a few magnets!  I also bought some Gu- a nicely packaged gel with a consistency I cannot even begin to describe but contains the perfect burst of energy needed to finish a long run!  I tried it on Saturday to determine if my stomach would accept it's oozing thickness of terrible flavor.  My stomach reacted like normal- no complications!  I then relaxed by the pool with a good book for the rest of the afternoon, ate a nice, healthy dinner with some good carbs, and Tom and I watched movies the rest of the night.  I was so incredibly anxious for the race that I needed distractions throughout the day and sleeping was difficult.  I did finally manage to contain my excitement though and fell asleep but was wide awake after the first alarm went off!  No snooze button needed whatsoever!

Race morning couldn't have come soon enough for me!  After soliciting a few friends in the running community over the previous days, I made a mental note of everything I needed to do.  I ate a protein bar first thing in the morning to give me some energy, drank some G2 for electrolytes and hydration.  I made sure my bag was packed with everything I needed both pre- and post-race.  I made sure I was 100% ready for this race.  On the way to Centennial Olympic Park, Tom and I enjoyed a nice morning car ride together where he offered many words of encouragement to calm me down.  I was just ready to be at the starting line!  After Tom dropped me off, I made that last minute potty break, warmed up a little by running around Centennial Park to the gear check tent, then made my way to my start corral!

View from the Starting Line- 18000+ participants

When the starting gun sounded, I turned on my music (which somehow managed to change playlists and turn off the shuffle- put it back on the correct playlist but didn't care about fixing the shuffle at that point) and when I crossed the start line, it was on!  I paced myself nicely and enjoyed the scenery, volunteers, and spectators along the sidelines.  I ran through parts of the city I'd never been able to enjoy because we passed too quickly in the car.  I ran through 13.1 miles of neighborhoods within the city and some of the architecture I've never been able to appreciate was truly breathtaking.  The course started at Centennial Olympic Park, went through Five Points, Midtown, Little Five Points, Virginia Highlands, on to Midtown and Georgia Tech, finishing back at Centennial Olympic Park!  The crowds were encouraging, especially within the last mile!  I tried to sprint to the finish line and I may have very well been sprinting but I at that point, my legs were the consistency of Jello, so I'm not sure how much of a "sprint" I got in, but I pushed as hard as I possibly could to get across that finish line!  

After finishing, I continued down the finish lane where I found the most wonderful "sprinkler" spraying cold water on anyone that wanted it!  I stood under it for a good 30 seconds before moving on to where I found Tom, beaming with pride and waving like a little kid to get my attention!  He watched me cross the finish line but I was too focused on not trying to trip over the plastic casing that covers all of the cords and timing equipment that I didn't even notice him cheering me on!  After getting all of my things together and meeting up with a few friends that also ran the half marathon, we made our way back to the car to spend the rest of the day in relaxation!

Showing off my finisher's medal post-race!

I love shiny things!

The rest of the day proved to be very relaxing.  Tom and I got home, I took a LONG bath full of Epsom salts!  After that much-needed soak and cleanse, Tom took me to brunch to my FAVE brunch spot- Marlow's Tavern where I felt I could have eaten the entire menu 3 times (I was quite hungry after burning 1600+ calories).  Later that day, I relaxed by the pool with a friend and because my legs were still sore, I got in the icy cold water up to my thighs, which actually helped a LOT!  The rest of my day was 100% dedicated to getting in some R&R- I didn't feel like doing much of anything, just wanted to have a low-key afternoon.

Words cannot begin to describe the sense of pride I still feel about accomplishing such a huge goal.  Until recently, if you asked me if I'd ever run a half marathon, I would've laughed in your face, said something along the lines of "Do you see this body?  No way in HELL it could ever run 13.1 miles!", but look at me now!  I am an almost daily runner, somewhat of a gym rat, and because health and fitness have become such a big part of my life, I look back and laugh at my old sedentary attitude.  I'm still amazed that I was able to finish a half marathon and now that my legs have recovered, I can't WAIT to run another one and hopefully set a new PR!  Hopefully the next course won't have so many hills!  I plan to keep my current "training" schedule and run 4-5 times a week, 5+ miles at a time (4 miles on some days) so that I'm still in half-marathon condition when the next one rolls around!  I also plan to run more organized races this year.  I'm running a 5K Fitness Challenge in Roswell this Saturday (I got a free entry thanks to my Active.com Advantage membership- yesssssssssss!), doing the Atlanta Color Run (5K) next weekend, and plan to run the Historic Roswell Kiwanis Spring K Classic (10K) in support of a good friend's organization mid-April and hopefully will be able to make it to San Francisco for the Bay to Breakers 12K late-May for which my mom signed me up!  I've registered for the lottery for the Peachtree Road Race and should find out soon if our group is selected for that huge event!  I had a goal awhile back to do one race per month but when it got cold, that goal fell off the map- I'm not partial to outdoor cold-weather runs.  I'm hoping to reinstate that for at least the warm months!  I do love races as they are energetic and fun and they support the local community and charities!  Hopefully I can accomplish this goal and be able to check it off my Goal List when winter rolls around!  More to follow on that!

So far in 2012, I've accomplished 2 of my goals and the first quarter isn't even over!  I started my blog (thanks for reading) and I finished a half marathon!  I'm going to start looking into triathlons and hopefully can find a good training program for a good triathlon in late summer/early fall.  If anyone has suggestions, I welcome them!  Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!  Be back soon!

xoxo

Britt!

2012 GOAL #3!!

GOAL #3!!

I want my fitness goals for 2012 to be realistic but ambitious.  I'm no longer in the "losing weight" mentality but rather in the "let's get in even better shape" mentality.  If I happen to slim down while toning more, so be it, but I'm not really trying to lose additional weight.  I'm at a very healthy weight for my height and I'd rather weigh a little bit more and have more defined muscle. It's all about how your clothes fit anyhow, right?!

That being said, my next fitness goal for 2012 is to train for and complete a sprint triathlon.  A triathlon consists of three parts: swimming, cycling, and running.  However, I didn't know until doing a little bit of research into triathlons that there are different types of triathlons because they vary in distance.  The longest is an Ultra Distance Triathlon (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, and a marathon run), which is more commonly referred to as the Ironman Triathlon- no thank you.  It involves running a full marathon and maybe one day I'll do a marathon (let's be realistic though- I doubt I'll ever have the desire to do a full marathon), but at this juncture in my life, I have ZERO desire to run a full marathon.  Next we have the Long Course Triathlon which consists of 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike ride, and a half marathon- still no thank you.  The Intermediate/Standard Triathlon, more commonly known as an Olympic Triathlon, consists of a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike ride, 10K run.  This is doable in the future but I'm talking baby steps here.  Then we have the Sprint Triathlon which is more my style for 2012.  It consists of a 750 m swim, 20 km bike ride, and a 5K.  Assuming I do well on that and don't feel like dying when it's over, I may consider pushing myself a little more and do the "Olympic" Triathlon.

I've always enjoyed swimming.  I used to swim competitively back in the day (middle school era, ha) and dabbled into water polo when I lived in California in my early high school years.  It's a great way to stay in shape and is one of the hardest sports out there.  I haven't done any swimming for fitness though since I lived in Jacksonville, FL which means I haven't swam for fitness since 2008 (we moved to Atlanta in March 2009 and that is still too cold to be in an outdoor pool in Florida).  The next feat would be getting past the bike ride.  Ever since I fell off my bike on a camping trip summer before 4th grade, I haven't really had much of a desire to hop back on the bike!  I know I can still ride a bicycle thanks to my parents owning them and I decided one day to ride the bike down the driveway and around the cul-de-sac.  Keep in mind this was probably in summer of 2009 after they moved back to Atlanta so it's been a few years since I've ridden a bike.  The running part will be no problem because as you all know, I have been running consistently for about a year and a half, so I'm not worried about that.

I think the part of the triathlon about which I'm most concerned is the biking.  I almost have this irrational fear of falling off my bike again like I did when I was 8.  That little spill resulted in 14ish stitches and a nasty scar on my left leg (thank goodness it's faded a lot over the past 19 years).  I wasn't hurt too badly but to this day, it has left an impact on my feelings toward riding a bike.  I don't want to get an injury so I've just always stayed off the bicycle unless it's stationary.  It'd be pretty difficult to fall off of a stationary bike!  To conquer this fear, I am going to start by working on the stationary bike (I plan on looking into a spin class) then I can take that training onto the open road!  Let's hope it helps me get past this little bicycle issue I've had for almost two decades!

I will more than likely put off the training for this until summer so that I can complete the triathlon in early/mid fall as I don't want it to be too hot come race day.  I also need to buy a onesie bathing suit (or a competitive swimming 2-piecer which I think I'd prefer).  Another area of concern is the "transition area" between the triathlon components because I have NO idea how to effectively change from a bathing suit to bike clothes then bike gear to running gear.  I guess I'll learn that when I start a training program as I definitely do not want everyone and their mother seeing all my goodies!  I'm not necessarily worried about how quickly I can finish (even though I am ULTRA competitive and want to be the best at everything I do); I just want the self-satisfaction that I have completed a triathlon, a new milestone in my fitness journey.  If anyone has ANY experience in triathlon training, I welcome any advice!!  I'm looking forward to training for it though!  It will certainly be  tough, but I welcome it!  Just as with the half marathon, I can't wait to say I'm a TRIATHLETE!

More to come when training is underway!!

All my love,

Britt!

2012 GOAL #2!!

Goal #2: Run a Half Marathon


So for those of you that know me, I'm already a runner.  I started running in August 2010.  I never EVER would have thought way back when that I would become a legitimate runner.  I am by no means an Elite runner and never plan to be an Elite runner.  They can run a mile in 5-7 minutes and MAINTAIN that pace throughout an entire race.  That blows.my.mind!  I'm happy with  my 8 minute miles!  That being said, when I started running, my goal was just to simply complete a mile.  I started in baby steps.  I remember the very first time I ran when Tom and I were out on a walk.  We ran the last half mile back to my parents' house (yes, we lived with my parents for a period of time when I lost my job until I found a job and we could get back on our feet) and I.was.dying!  I could not believe how out of shape I had become.  I'd been walking for a few months and I STILL was really out of shape!  But because I was starting to plateau with walking, I wasn't feeling like I was getting in a good workout.  When I'm at the gym or out on a run, I like to sweat.  And I sweat a LOT when I'm running (my trainer makes digs at me because of how I sweat more than a leaky faucet).  A good sweat makes me feel like I've actually done something.  Anyhow, from my half mile running venture, I added small increments of distance (quarter mile to half a mile) every 1-2 weeks, depending on how I felt after completing the current week's distance.  Unfortunately, I didn't know about the Couch to 5K (C25K) program, but I made my own C25K program.  I ran my first 5K on Thanksgiving 2010, Henry's Huffin' for Stuffin'.  I finished in a little over half hour (33ish mins I think), so about a 10 minute mile.  I continued to run my little heart out and build more distance.  My next 5K was the Sacred Journey Hospice St. Patty's Day 5K.  My goal was to finish in under 30 minutes and I did!  Barely.  But I did.  I finished in 29 minutes and some change.  After that, I ran the Kaiser Permanente Corporate 5K in September 2010 and finished in 27 mins and some change.  The same weekend (KP 5K was on a Thursday), I ran the Vinings Downhill 5K and finished in 26:42, 23rd in my age bracket (out of 104) and  89th in the women's division (out of 529).  I don't know though how I did overall as the results weren't broken down that way.  In October 2011, I ran the Spooktacular Chase 5K and finished in 27:34, 74th out of 311 overall and 5th out of 28 in my age bracket.  Because I am entirely too competitive with myself, I wanted to beat my previous 5K time, but I was happy with my results for one reason only: I'd been sick as a dog the entire week prior and it was 28 degrees outside when I ran this.  It probably wasn't my smartest decision to run in those kinds of temps, but I'd already paid for it and I wanted my long-sleeved technical shirt!

Since that last race, I've continued my running journey and I'll be running the upcoming Chattahoochee Road Runners 10K on March 3.  My goal is to complete it less than an hour, which is definitely doable!  Right now, I'm maintaining around 8 min miles (range is from 7:30 on some miles and up to 8:20 on some miles, depending on terrain and how I'm feeling that day).  Even though I'm just now "starting" a training program for a half marathon, I'm planning to run the Publix Half Marathon in Atlanta on March 18 (assuming we're still in Georgia and assuming it isn't too expensive by the time I'm able to register).  I've compared a few training programs and even though I haven't been following a training program exactly to the tee, what I've been doing for the past 6 weeks is pretty close to both training programs (running 4-6 miles on each run).  I'm going to start following it more closely but starting in week 7.  That means I will have an 8 mile run ahead of me on Saturday and it will only go up from there!  I can't WAIT until the day I can say I've completed a Half!!  I have a consistent runner's high now but I'm sure I will be on a cloud in Heaven when I finish my first half marathon!  It will be a huge accomplishment for me considering how out of shape I was a few short years ago!!

Running for me has become a catharsis, an outlet for me to relieve stress, anger, frustrations, etc.  I never in a million years thought I would enjoy running but it just makes me feel so much better about myself.  Living a healthy lifestyle in general makes me feel better about myself!  So for me to go from being inactive a few years ago to where I am today is already a HUGE accomplishment in and of itself!  I love setting new fitness and running goals for myself so the completion of my half marathon will be an even bigger accomplishment for me!  I will let y'all know how I do in the Chattahoochee Road Runners 10K in a few weeks!  I'm very excited to run my first "official" 10K!  I've run 10Ks on my own in the past, but never in an organized event, so I'm looking forward to having an official 10K time!!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!  Updates to follow!!

Love and Laughter,

Britt!