Take two.

Last week I ran a total of two miles.  That’s right.  Two.  My weekly goal of 15 miles is turning out to be a lot harder than I imagined.  Of course, I have a lot of excuses.  Last night I even wrote a long post about all of my excuses, you know, instead of running.  Then my computer froze up and I had to shut it down and my post, which had taken me the time to run perhaps three miles, was gone.

Today was the first of February (if by some chance you failed to notice) and I decided, after writing my winey little post last night, that I have to be more committed to training if I’m ever going to run 10k’s, half marathons and yes, eventually full marathons and ultras.  I just wish it were warmer outside and that I could hit the roads and trails more often.  It’s no secret by now, I just can’t seem to completely overcome my dislike for the treadmill.

The thing is I really love to run.  I love the action, I love how strong I feel during it and after it, I love the way my body looks from doing it, I love the pride and sense of accomplishment it gives me.  I love sprinting and pulling ahead.  I love running with others.  I love trail running.  I love my running shoes.  I love logging into runner’s world and entering in my most recent run.

Like tonight.  Over 5 and a half miles.  That’s a record for me running on the treadmill.  I figure it’s a new month and a new chance to reach those 15 mile a week goals. 

2010 Goals

It's that time of year again. Time to decide to quit things, time to make resolutions to change or improve. It's January. There's freeze warnings throughout the East Coast. Man, if it weren't for tomorrow being Bailey and Cooper's birthday I think I could honestly say that I hate January.

You see I made not so much a list of Resolutions but a list of 'goals' for 2010. I tried when thinking of my resolutions to be reasonable and make goals that were attainable. For instance I would love to quit biting my nails and I have stopped for months at a time but I always start back up again so I just left it off the list. No reason to let this year get off on the wrong start. I also thought of adding 'grow hair back that I have lost' but I don't really know how to get back all the hair I have been losing since I had Sean. I don't know if I am deficient in something or if it is normal to lose seven hundred pieces of hair each morning in the shower but I know one can not resolve to just grow back their hair because my husband would not be balding if that were the case. So realistic and attainable, that was the aim.

So here they are in no particular order. (You may notice a certain theme.)

1. To take training more seriously. I vow to run 15 miles a week or 60 miles a month throughout 2010, meeting an overall goal of breaking 700 miles for the year. This goal will require running approximately four times a week. So I must also resolve my issues with the monster, I mean treadmill in the basement. It is after all below freezing in these parts and will be all week.

2. To run a 5k in under 25 minutes. Sure I would like to do it in less than 24 or 23 minutes. But I want goals that are attainable for this year. If I reach 25 minutes than I can make more goals but for now I would like to come in under 25 minutes.

3. To work more with Bailey and Cooper on letters, numbers and colors. Their brains are in the sponge state and we must take advantage of this period. In a few short years they won't be listening to anything I tell them and will refuse that an apple is an apple even if it most obviously is, we must make the most of this time.

4. To reboot the Thomas' financial goals and plans and get savings back on the priority list. 'nough said.

5. My most lofty goal. I would like to run a half marathon this year. The half marathon I have in mind is in September so I have nine months to train for it and if I keep with goal number one it shouldn't be any trouble but I am still nervous about this one more than the others. I will save the 26.2 for 2011. I also want to do the Virginia 10 miler but it falls after the half marathon and if I can pull off the half I don't think the 10 miler will be unattainable.

6. To cook more meals at home and eat out less. This one may actual be harder for me than running the half marathon.

7. To train with and compete with the rest of East Coast Madness in two adventure races this year.

I know things like cutting out refined sugars and sweets in general should be on my list but it isn't. Instead I have started a new blog(read: Yes, I am truly crazy) and have been baking up a storm and am enjoying every moment of it. Also, it makes me want to run more.

I have high hopes for this year.

Why Do I Feel So Old?

Went running again today. Feel so old and out of shape and am only a little over a quarter of a century old. Ten years ago I was in pretty decent shape.

Ten years ago is a long time.

Poor Lucy, she is being a good sport running with this old gal. It was hot today too and that doesn't seem to help and Coop doesn't think much of the double jogger. Bailey slept well in it.

I am hoping to run the Academy of Fine Arts 1 Miler on July 4th. It is less than a month away but a mile seems pretty fast and easy.

Or so I hope.

At least I have begun. That's what I keep telling myself.

I was watching other people at the track this morning and thinking about how after we got married we went to the track quite frequently and even then I wasn't a very strong runner. I am ready to be in the best shape of my life. Family members keep telling me that when I hit 30 my metabolism will plummet. I need to be proactive so that I don't feel twice as old as I really am.

In other news, I got stopped at the High School this morning by a less than friendly lady who told me that I was in the bus zone. The buses WILL write my plate number down and I WILL get a fine of $250 or more. I have run at this track for years, just never at 8 am. Oops. Lesson learned.

I am also, gulp, trying to cut back on My Beloved. I am limiting myself to 2-12 oz cans a day Monday through Friday and giving myself a little more leeway on the weekend. I know I could just switch to diet, but have you ever drank Diet Cherry Coke. I would rather suck on Sucrets, thank you.

-june