New Shoes

It has been decided!

You all voted and to reward myself once I lose these pesky 10 pounds, I will reward myself with a new pair of shoes. Sweet!

I already bought myself a new pair of running shoes (they come in tomorrow!!!!) so I will buy myself a new pair of heels. HOORAY!

Anywho, I did my first 5k of the 2012 year this past Saturday. It was the Savin Rock Half Marathon and 5k. It was absolutely gorgeous out! And even though the wind made it feel a little chilly while I was waiting for the 5k to start, it felt nice when I started running. The course was 1.6 miles out and 1.5 miles back, all along the coast/shore. Yep, I got to spend my Saturday morning running along the beach- it's okay to be jealous ;)
I was dragging from being on my feet non-stop all week long and having worked over 50 hours, but I managed to finish in about 44 minutes. I actually crossed the line before they changed it over for the half marathoners. Go me!

It felt really good to run a race again. I took it slow and just enjoyed the view around me. Such a nice, flat, pretty easy first race of the year for me. I came home, showered, and promptly registered for another 5k in May. It's the Color Me Rad 5k in Hartford. Check it out HERE- how awesome does that look?! I'm so excited for it!

I've got another super busy week this week, but I'm hoping my new shoes coming in will give me the motivation to get back out there and get some runs in. I'm aiming for 2 runs before Sunday.  

That's my goal- can I do it?! What do you think?

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year everyone!

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I hope y'all had a fun, exciting and safe New Years!

Now, in keeping with the time honored tradition of making resolutions for the upcoming year, I have some goals that I would like to accomplish this year. (And, yes, I am going to share them with you! Aren't you lucky?!)

1. I am, sadly, not going to be able to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I'm incredibly upset over this but finance and logistics wise, it wasn't working out. Add onto that the fact that I've been sick for a month now and have fallen so far behind on my training, it would be virtually impossible for me to get on track- it just seems better for my sanity (and stress level) to forego that race this year and save up money for next year.
I am not completely down and out though! Never! Instead of racing that weekend, I will be participating in the Jim Calhoun Cardioraiser! I have joined Kurt's "A-Team" group (which I helped him name), and in keeping with the show, have aptly dubbed myself "HMM" (points if you know which character that is!). It's going to be a great day- the fundraiser is for Autism and I have set a goal of $100 for myself. I feel that is completely easy to reach and hope to go above and beyond. For this $100, I will be doing Zumba! That's right the cardioraiser entails doing your choice of spinning, zumba, or a cardio machine of your choice. I love dancing, so I figured Zumba might be a fun choice. I signed up for only one hour so far but hope to raise enough money to add onto that (I'd really like to be able to do at least 3 hours if not more). So, I need everyone's help! Please go to my donation page HERE and help me start the year off by helping those who need it!

2. According to my DailyMile, last year I ran a total of 251.64 miles. Not too shabby for my first full year of running!! This year, I plan on increasing that total number and hitting 350 miles! Can she do it?! Yes, she can! But, how? Well, that leads me to my next goal....

3. Last year I participated in 4 5k races and 1 half marathon. For 2012, my goal is to do 8 5k races and at least 2 half marathons (with the possibility of some 10k's in there as well, if time and finances allow). Doubling my race schedule means more training miles and overall run miles. I should be able to tack on that additional 100 miles easy!!

4. I plan on saving up money!! Even though I intend on running more races, my goal is to be smart about which races I do and how they affect my finances. I also have to factor in new running shoes, clothes, etc. My new job means better pay so I have to work hard and not blow all of my money on race stuff. I need to save up for Disney and NJ marathons next year (yea, I'm already planning for 2013 too haha).

5. Get healthy. Stay healthy. I'm sooooooo over being sick. It's the first real cold I've had in a long time and it's just lingering in my lungs. It needs to be done. I'm hoping that with more runs and more strength and cross training I can boost my immune system so I won't have to suffer through this sort of thing again. Or, if I do, my immune system will be strong enough to kick it out of me ASAP. I also want to focus on eating healthier again. I'm actually considering going gluten free because lately, whenever I eat pasta or bread, it makes me incredibly bloated and makes me feel sick to my stomach. (Too much info?) Part of this will also include increasing my water and electrolyte intake (especially since I'm going to be running more).

6. Having more "ME" time in my life. One thing I noticed over the past two months was that the busier I got, the more I stopped having my "ME" time nights. I found that I was more stressed because I wasn't allowing myself time to decompress and relax before bed (probably a large reason as to why I got sick). My goal for 2012 is to dedicate one night a week to being by myself- no boyfriend, no work, no running around... just a nice, quiet time to myself. Whether it's a night run, some kettle bell circuits in my room, a self-done mani, etc. It doesn't matter, as long as it's for me.

So, those are my 6 big goals for the year. I think they are incredibly do-able. 

What do you think? What are some of your new year resolutions?

Three Things Thursday

Officially my first Three Things Thursday post!

(Why haven't I done this before?)

1. I was surfing the internet for a new wallpaper for my computer last night because I like to put up motivational running shots to get me going. I mean, what better way to remind yourself of what you should be doing than plastering it all over your computer screen? That way, when I've been sitting too long at my computer, playing on Facebook when I should be getting some training in, I have a little extra push right there in front of me. Anyway, I came across this photo:

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Needless to say, it's perfect for me! Not only is it the background on my computer, it is also now the wallpaper on my phone. I love it!!

2. It is hard to find a pair of green running shoes that are similar to my current Kinvaras. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Saucony Kinvara 2s. They are slightly minimalist (which I feel helps my form a bit) with mesh on top that allows my feet to breathe. Plus, they're BRIGHT PINK! Alas, for the Disney Princess Half I need my feet and legs to be green, which means I need green shoes. As of yet, Saucony doesn't have anything that really fits my needs, so I guess I will continue to look around. (Though on Facebook, Saucony mentioned some of their new products that will be coming out soon! Keep your fingers crossed!).

3. I am finally beginning to feel human again after my half marathon. Here is a list of what hurt- see if you can compare to any aches/pains you had during your first half! Sore and tight calves (to the point where I couldn't touch them because they hurt so much), swollen hands (too much salt in my system?), aching shoulders/upper back (from trying to hold myself upright for so long), chaffed inner thighs (I forgot to put on my anti-chaffing... I will never forget again!) and a wrenched left torso (the muscle that starts at your spine and wraps around your ribs? Yea, I managed to strain that... hurt to breathe). Thankfully nothing too major was pulled/sprained/fell off while running, so I guess I'm pretty lucky.

I Will Survive

Hello all of my lovelies!! 

I hope everyone has been having a great weekend, I know I have been.

We've been having some rather gross and rainy weather (we even had hail the other day!). However, when I woke up yesterday the sun was out and shining. I strapped on my new sneakers and went for a run. I decided not to time myself or plan on any specific mileage- I simply ran. I concentrated solely on increasing my endurance, forcing myself to keep going when I wanted to stop. I managed to run the first 1.45 miles before I took a quick walk break (about 2 minutes) then I picked up the pace again. I ended up only stopping twice to walk during my run.

Out of the 3 miles I did, I ran a total of 2.55miles! 

For me, that is ASTOUNDING!

My finishing time was 45:20 or so but I'm okay with that considering I almost got hit by vehicles a few times and had to wait at cross walks, etc. When I started feeling tired, I would slow my pace down to a trot but continue on as best I could. I'm actually super proud of myself. My new shoes, whether they played a part in my better running endurance or not, are fantastic. My feet were a bit sore after my run (because they are still getting used to the shoes) but my knee has been fine so far. I'm planning on going for a longer run tomorrow- I'm shooting for 5 miles. Hopefully the weather will be better and not so spastic.

A quick congrats to those who ran some races this weekend, including  Wells L who had her Half Marathon. You go girl!

Also, stay tuned because I will soon be having MY VERY FIRST GIVE AWAY!!!

I'm So Pretty!

So, thanks to my income tax refund, I was able to afford my new running shoes!

YAY!

I ordered them Sunday night and they arrived today. Zappos was super nice and upgraded my 3-5 business day shipping to Priority Overnight shipping for free! Holler! (I'm officially a Zappos fan). Anywho, my Saucony Progrid Kinvaras came in and they are BRIGHT pink! I think I'm in love!

Aren't they Sassy?!

As soon as I got home from work and saw the box on the table, I tore it open and put my shoes on. They fit wonderfully! I wasn't originally intending on running today as the rain has been brutal, but by the time I got my shoes on, the rain had slowed down enough that I had time to do a quick 2+ mile run. The shoes feel much different than my last pair. They are a somewhat minimalist shoe (not as intense as the five finger shoes though) with a mesh ventilation on the top and sides of the foot, and is a neutral for those of us who under-pronate. I paid close attention to my feet as I was running and I noticed that there wasn't as much pressure on the outside of my feet as there used to be. Whether that's because of the fact that the shoes were specifically designed for supinators or whether it's because they are minimalist and my feet are just naturally hitting differently, I have yet to figure out. But, all the same, my pinky toes were grateful to not have to be the main pressure points for my push-offs anymore. I will do a full review after I've worn them for a few longer runs, etc. 

In my spending spree, I also ordered two Bondi Bands to try out. I saw on Facebook that they had a Whirly colored band on sale for almost half off, and I've been wanting to try one, so I figured what the heck? These are the two I got: Pink Whirly - Bondi Band and Keep Running (pink ink) - Bondi Band

They are both pretty and I figure the Keep Running one might help to keep me motivated while training. I mean, how awkward would it be to wear that and be walking on the side of the road? Bwah Bwah.  My Bondi Bands shipped today so I'm hoping to get them in by the ed of the week. More photos to come!

During my run tonight I had another upset stomach. Any ideas as to what can help that? It's starting to get annoying, especially because I was going at a good pace and my legs felt good. I had to stop because my tummy was cramping so badly though. Darn stomach!

Questions of The Day:

1. What are your favorite pair of running shoes? Why?

2. What are your feelings on minimalist shoes?

3. What do you do to help get rid of an upset stomach?

Productive Times

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day outside, so of course I spent most of it in the car driving around like a mad woman. I headed out to Target to purchase a multi-vitamin and a short sleeve running top (since it is FINALLY starting to get warmer). While wandering the store, I found 2 duo-dry running tees- one on clearance and one regular price- and I also stumbled across a pair of running shorts on Clearance for $3. Ummm, yes, please! Score! After I snagged those treasures, I headed over to the pharmacy section. The way our Target is set up, one has to meander past the food to get to the pharmacy. I happened to spot some large bags of trail mix on sale- double score! So, I snatched those up as well and FINALLY grabbed my multi-vitamins. I opted for the Women's multi-vitamin, for really no specific reason other than I'm a woman.

All in all, it was a rather productive shopping day for me. When I got home I pre-sorted my trail mix into individual serving size bags (easy to grab on the go and I don't have to guess-timate what I'm eating). I'm actually rather excited about this. It's really the first time I've ever been productive with a healthy snack. Normally I just grab a bag of baby carrots and the whole container of hummus and go. Hooray for being a little bit healthier.

I ended up having a free night to myself (once again- I submit a "Finally") and I took full advantage of it. I did some toning and strength exercises in my room with my free weights and bands. I also got to work on my collage (you remember, the one I have been saying I was going to so since I started this blog? Yep, that's the one).

I think it came out rather well. I'm going to keep building on it over the next few months. I plan on putting up photos of myself throughout my training to track my progress.

I've been doing some research on multiple things: mostly new running routes and running shoes. I'm looking to get a new pair within the next few months so I can start breaking them in for the half-marathon. As for running shoes, I really like these HERE. Anyone ever wear them? I have Saucony Jazz Low-Pro's right now and I love them to death. So I'm debating getting another pair of the same shoe, in a different color, or those other Sauconys. Decisions, decisions.

Tomorrow's long run has to be pushed to Sunday as I am going to be working about 13 hours between 2 of my jobs. Yay! I'm just hoping I won't be too beat to do 70 minutes on Sunday. Oy vey.

Edit: I also just signed up for Runner's World magazine. And by "just" I mean, about 1 minute ago I clicked Order. haha. I'm super excited!