It's official...Deer Hunting is full force. I ran with T yesterday morning, and the color BLAZE ORANGE dottted the fields and forests. We were wearing our bright colors as well. No sense in getting shot at (especially since we ran faster than I normally run for an off-season training run) by eager huntsmen. Off season. What does that really mean? It means I don't have any races planned until 2013. It means for the next 4 weeks I make my own schedule up. I have to rely on my ability to feel where I'm at and plan accordingly. It DOES NOT mean I take time off. I spent 11 years of my life NOT running while raising young children. What I do NOT need is time off! People slow with age. Next March, I will be 35 years old. This is the year I'm hoping to run fast enough to be elite status. It would be great to run sub 6 pace for a 10k by the year's end. T says I should run a marathon this coming fall. The time and dedication it takes to run a great marathon is just too daunting at this point in my life. And when I run my first marathon, I want to be READY! Here goes something! Every day brings new challenges, obstacles, barriers. It is our job to face each day with confidence and hope. We are capable of so much once we break down the walls that are keeping us confined to our average selves. Happy Running!

Long day, but we keep on keeping on...

I've had many long hard days. My life is full of those "last minute, get it done quick, wait until your feet fall asleep" kind of days. Days full of so much bipolar you would think I bought stock in antidepressants. But today was different. Because yesterday, I made a conscious effort to just be in the moment and not think so much. After a long day at work (teaching finally feels like an actual job...good, or bad, it is what it is) I'm having a long night at home. I did get 3.5 miles in. My running is taking high priority. For me, this change in my life is positive. Please don't look at this situation like I'm abandoning other responsibilities. The other responsibilities are still important, but do what you love with all your heart. That's a great motto to live by. Tomorrow is a 10 mile hard run with Tony. I have to run it at about 7:10 pace. Not so bad, totally attainable. I'm excited to run with him again. He has taken a lot of time off because of injury. Now that he's back in action, life feels normal again! As I close off this Monday night, I think about the tragedy that is life itself. There is no guarantee that we have another day, and when life gets tough...remember...it's no big deal. If you look at life like your stressful situations are "no big deal" you will see how very right you really are. Yes, life is full of tragedy, minescule and massive; but just keep on keeping on. What you think of as a big deal today, is really "no big deal" at all!

Thinking of Moving While I'm Standing Still

Thinking of Moving While I'm Standing Still I just happened upon my old blog tonight. I was "cleaning" out my favorites and tripped over my blog spot by accident. Just for kicks, I decided to check out the old blog... What is it about moving forward that scares me? Is it the fear of doing something well enough that I have to top that with an even better performance? Is it the fear of eventual failure? Or is it just easier to quit while you're ahead...or maybe not ahead, but close enough you can feel it? Moving forward means you are in motion. Motion brings change and challenge. Change and challenge bring risk and reward. I would rather punish myself. Stopping forward progress is my punishment. Why do I punish myself? Well, I can't tell you WHY, but I can break down the WHAT. 1. I eat before I run, and it's ever so painful to run with a full stomach. 2. I take days off of running for no apparent reason. I have run before when life got stressful, and it has never been an issue. I just make a lot of meaningless excuses. 3. I psych myself out before big races. The end result is usually a decent but less than desired performance. 4. I struggle with my "diet." I would love to be a true Nutritarian, but am way too tempted by junk. 5. My self image is pretty terrible. There are days I feel great about myself, but most of the time I'm insecure and terrified of what others think of me. Punishment. Not moving forward to see how GREAT life could be. Always holding back enough to be average. Never excelling. This post isn't meant to pour pity all over myself. I just needed to put down in writing, what it is that keeps me standing still. I think I would like to move forward now. ~Happy Trails

A Run in the Sun is Much More Fun!

Today was the day! I got outside for a run, and man did it feel good! Let me tell you, I was like a horse chomping at the bit to be set free. Of course, it was freakishly cold out, and my arms felt like they were going to fall off within 5 miles of the run...that's nothing compared to the amazing feeling my new Izumi's gave me. Oh, I LOVE those shoes! My Mizuno's are nice too. Had my arms not gone into a numb state, I'm quite sure I could have run another 4 miles with NO problem.

Wait...I said I was taking this slow. Nice and easy. The run did feel easy. It felt rather effortless with an 8:04 pace per mile. Really, 8:04...I was expecting 8:15-8:30. I am rather pleased with my running at this point in my training. over 6miles in today, and I've already decided my treat twice a week is to get outside for a run (unless it's a really nice day and someone is nice enough to hang out with my boys so I can get out the door!!). I can't WAIT for some sunlight earlier in the day so I can start my morning runs again!

School starts again tomorrow! I'm definately not ready like I said I would be. All these glorious plans to have 2 weeks of lessons prepared over break have been a bunch of wind. That never happened! Here I am blogging while I could be planning. Ah, I rather like the last minute stuff! I don't call it procrastination. That word has such a negative vibe. I like to call it, "life on the fly."

My legs need a little break. I think I'll do free weights tomorrow and give the old legs a day off of running. MAYBE. I should be taking at least 2 days off a week at this point. I predict by March, I will up my mileage, with my long runs being 10-12 miles, and my short runs/workouts at 4-8 miles. By the end of April, hopefully I'll be looking at 12-15 miles for long runs! RACE SEASON IS UPON US!

Thought for the day: If you truly believe you can make great things happen in your life, TRULY believing and bringing positive behaviors and habits into your life, you WILL make great things happen, and great things will happen for you.

Ring in the New Year!

I started the new year by sleeping in a bit. After hearing the dogs WHINE like crazy, I figured...I'll feed them, take them out, and go BACK TO BED!! Well, that's what I did! I suppose I woke up around 8:40 (I think so, but I didn't check). After reading for a while, I got up and started CLEANING THE HOUSE! Oh, this post is so exciting. Hold on to your seats, folks! No, really. Life is boring when you're on vacation unless you're actually ON a vacation somewhere exciting.

Instead of thinking vacation is boring, from now on, I'm going to picture myself somewhere exotic (getting the house cleaned, floors vacuumed, and laundry done of course). That's going to help take the raw edge off the mundane everyday tasks!

I just finished a 4 mile run on the treadmill. Way to ring in the new year! I had just enough motivation to muster up 3 miles, but pushed myself to keep going another mile. I'm HOPING to get outside for a run tomorrow! See, something to look forward to! Peace out!

Thought for the day: Take a vacation in your mind. It's free, you don't have to grip a barf bag, and the only way to get into trouble is if it's on the clock!

The Countdown Begins...

It's almost the new year. What does that mean? Does it mean we scramble to make a bunch of resolutions? Do we dare to try new things and make lofty goals that in the end, just make us feel unworthy and low? No, the OLD me would have said that, but the NEW me says, the new year could bring really great things. It could mean a chance to take chances. Maybe you have resolutions or just one resolution you would like to stick to. I said I wasn't going to have any, and that this year I would just work diligently to keep up my running, eat healthier (low carb, high protein and greens)...But, that's not a resolution because I have been doing that for the past month. No, my NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION IS....

To floss more. Yep, you heard it hear FIRST! I'm going to floss because Dr. Oz said it's good for your heart. I'm a sucker for anything good for my heart, you know! Thanks Oz.

Oh, yeah, my workout. Today I ran a little over 4.5 miles and felt great. It was another treadmill run, but I resolute to not care WHERE I run, as long as I'm running!!

Thought for the day: What doesn't make sense won't make sense the more you deconstruct it...no, it just falls apart. Some things were meant to be an enigma.

Treading The Road

No, not DREADING the road...treading it! I got out for a run today. It was absolutely spectacular. Everything was beautiful, white, and wonderful. Okay, so that doesn't mean I like winter weather or the roads for that matter. The fact is, I have been longing for more road runs. Treadmill runs are necessary to keep me running, but when I can find the time to get out for a run, it's so amazing!

I ran a little too fast for an easy run. Maybe this is because I'm always slow on the treadmill, and once I get momentum and forward thrust, I can kick out a mile much faster. This morning, my average mile was 8:18, and I ran for 6.27 miles. That's pretty fast for a nice easy run, especially where I'm at right now. I was really hoping for a bit slower pace (especially with such unpredictable roads).

Tomorrow, I was going to take the day off, but I'm going to see if I can fit in another early morning outdoor run. Maybe this time, just 3.5 miles. But I'm having too much fun to take a day off. I might take Saturday off. Maybe. Oh, AND my new Pearl Izumi's just came in the mail today. They're the same one's I already have, but my old one's are wearing out, and injury is not a word I would like in my vocabulary right now! SO....hopefully, early morning run with my new zumi's and I'll think about Friday when the day comes...Saturday, probably taking the day off...we'll see.

Thought for the day: Whatever you have, wherever you are, whoever you're with...appreciate it for what it's worth. You could lose it all in the blink of an eye.