Remix Music - Random Share

I am a fan!
Love the remix and will go very well on my running playlist!

Hop, Skip, Run or Walk

As I had mentioned in a previous post, getting back in the habit of running is hard when you take time off. The downside to my five weeks of being ill (besides being ill) is that I lost two minutes on my average mile. In October of 2012 before the coughing, sneezing, I can't breathe so therefore I can't run took over I was able to complete 3 miles in 32 minutes. The bright side to this news is that since I have fallen off the running wagon before I was prepared for the set back. I knew that if I was going to stay true to my new me resolutions I would to take my lumps when it came to the set backs and hop, skip, run or walk until I re-energized my running groove.

My goal for 2013 is to double the mileage I ran in 2012. Since I fell ill before completing 200 miles I decided I would use the "buffer miles" as a warm up plan for 2013. I will officially start tracking my miles for 2013 when I reach 200 miles and my goal would be to hit 600 before the end of the year.

Here is how my week is starting off:

Monday - Mile 193.7 to 195.7
I hit the streets Monday afternoon in order to try out my new winter weather running gear I received from Christmas. My ears, head, and hands were very warm but my lungs still knew that I was outside in the cold. based on this run I could tell how much work I was going to need to do in order to build back my endurance to run the road!

Tuesday - Mile 195.7 to 197.7
Shaking it up on Tuesday or maybe I just didn't want to bundle up to go outside so I opted for the convenience of my apartment gym. Since running on a treadmill is easier than on the pavement I decided to push myself a little harder by adding a 1 point incline. I know that doesn't make up for all the effort you get out of road running but I was airing on the side of every little bit counts. As I expected, because I didn't have the variables of the atmosphere I was able to complete my two mile run without stopping to walk and in 22 minutes.

When I first started running I didn't know there was a difference between road running and treadmill running. For me running was running. I was happy just to have one foot moving in front of the other at a faster pace than most would call walking. Once I got over the hurdle of just lacing up and running I start to inquire more about how to challenge myself, prepare for 5k races and eventually a half marathon (which is on the schedule for 2013.) There are several websites you can visit that will give you everything from technical jargon to the plain Jane information. As a beginner I found this website and explanation to be simple, to the point and it even came with a beginners schedule.
http://skinnyms.com/treadmill-running-vs-street-running/

While reading the website I received a pop notice that I might also enjoy the "tips for absolute-beginners." By clicking this link I found not only the beginners tool book with terms, schedules and recommendation for strength training but I also found inspiration. The video is a MUST SEE!
http://skinnyms.com/running-tips-for-absolute-beginners/

I have the video saved to my favorites on youtube for those not so motivating days. I play it to remind myself that no matter where you start if you stick to it, stay determined, stay focused in the end you will accomplish your goal. Life is hard and it wears you down each and every hour. I have days that by the time I finish with work meetings, personal appointments, planning/cooking dinner and house chores I am tired. I don't want to move another muscle let alone run. People have recommend that I get up early in the morning but anyone that really knows me understands the morning and I are not friends. So instead when I feel like "doing it tomorrow" I use my video inspirations and music selection to set off my own video reel reminding me of why I can't wait until tomorrow. Reminding me to take all my daily frustrations, tireless chores, worries, stress and pound them into the pavement at the beat of my favorite playlist!

2012 end up being the year of challenges and 2013 is going to be the year of being STRONG!

 

 

Happy Running!!

 

"Remember...it is a marathon, not a sprint."

Crawling into the New Year (2013)

As you can tell from the gap between my posts that these feet nor my Nike's have not seen the road, the treadmill or any more mileage for that matter. Unfortunately, my positive energy and spirits were quickly caged after my last run where I felt the "Dog days being over." It fact, I was quite wrong about them being over and the truth was there were starting over. It wasn't but two days later I found myself once again a victim of the wicked illness most commonly known as a cold. This was round two since October 28th and as you might imagine being a walking, coughing, stuffing head, red nosed petri-dish of germs makes it very difficult to resume a workout routine.

Over the last few weeks I have missed the quality time I get with myself when I run. Being that it is the holidays season the air has been filled with everything merry and bright with a little bit of chaos thrown in for good measure. Being healthy and being able to pound out the very long, stressful to do lists in preparation of the holidays would have been a bonus gift I would have liked to give myself. Alas, it wasn't in the holiday cards for me; however, I was given a extra dose of inspiration to kick start 2013 from my family. Even through I haven't been able to run most of this holiday season the ones closest to me understood how important learning to run has become to me and through the gifts of winter beanie hats and ear warmer headbands I felt their underlining encouragement and support for my goal.

Although I won't be running into the New Year I will consider this crawling over the finish line of 2012 only to learn how to walk, run in 2013. Like most average non-runners when you take several weeks off from running your have to crawl before you walk or in this case run. The first order of business is to give an eviction notice to the "Mucinex family" living in my lungs. (see Mucinex commercial for reference)

The next steps are as simple as lacing up my Nike's, plugging in my Iphone complete with a new motivation play-list and starting the race slow and steady.

My running goals for 2013 are simple or one could say "baby steps." I want to re-run two of the 5k races I did in 2012. The Oklahoma City National Memorial and the Color Run are both on the list for a re-run. Not because I am trying to compete for a better time but because I had so much fun! I am hoping to make both of these and annual event. I would like to add a half marathon, running in cold weather and doubling my 2012 mileage. I was hoping to end 2012 with 200 miles under my feet but due to the Mucinex family as I referenced above that won't be happening. So next year, I would like to hit 400 miles before I run into 2014.

Wish me luck on making these goals a reality!

Happy New Me!!  Happy New Year!

Miles 176.6 to 190.2 - "The Dog Days are OVER"

It was time! I had to jump back on the wagon before Santa arrived with his sleigh full of sugar cookies, puppy chow, brownies, and of course sugar plums. I will say that maybe I should have not "jumped" back on the wagon but instead slowly skipped. In the last two weeks I have only been able to put another 13 miles under my belt or should I say under my shoes. I was so excited about getting back into my routine after five weeks of being a walking, coughing, tissue holding germ carrier. I behaved like a little kid on Christmas morning driving right into tearing through the pretty packages without even admiring the ribbons. My excitement and enthusiasm lead me to running three miles that first day and adding fourteen flights of stairs. What can I say the high had taken over and I felt like Rocky climbing the ultimate staircase of success. After my workout I was still riding on the high and finished out my day with a little Christmas shopping walking around the mall. I am sure by now everyone can assume what happened next. When I woke the next morning my legs were on fire! With every step and every bend I could feel my muscles stretch as if I were sling shooting a rubber band. I did my best to stretch but with every movement I was sure I was going to lose the use of my legs.
So much for getting back on the wagon for my "routine." It took my four days of rest and one day of walking before I could attempt a jog. Lesson dually noted!

Today was my second attempt at hitting the treadmill in a full on jog/run to figure out if I was back to my old self. I am happy to report it was successful. The moment I knew I was back is when I heard the beats of the first song and proceeded to run the entire 3.44 minutes before realizing that I wasn't concentrating on the physical act of running. I wasn't having to talk myself into one more minute or one more mile. The sounds, the thoughts and my feet were once again working in harmony!

 

"Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive"

~Lyrics from "Dog Days are Over" Florence + The Machine

Back to the Future

I think before I can bring you to present day I need to finish telling my back story.

Source: Pinterest

Once I had decided that I was going to make the commitment to become a "runner" I had to find my motivation. So I looked to the thing I love most...MUSIC!! Now most "professional" runners would say if you are good runner you shouldn't listen to music while running because you are suppose to be listening to your breathing, etc. I can totally respect that angle; however, I am not a professional and at this point I wasn't even an amateur so I needed all the motivation I could find.

My first playlist:



These are some of the songs that pushed me through learning how to run that first mile without stopping for the occasional walk/run to catch my breath. They are you typical upbeat pop songs that you would hear at any gym; however, for me there were my personal cheerleaders. Depending on the kind of day I was having there would be a least one song that would resenate with me and I found myself getting lost in the lyrics and what they were teaching me at that moment.

My first "kick-butt" song that I quickly made what Nike calls my "powersong" was Kelly Clarkson's "What doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger." Although the song was is written in a relationship format when you are pouring with sweat, hearing your heartbeat behind the bass of the music and wanting to quite the song becomes your personal coach. I would grit my teeth and as I purged all the weak thoughts not only about running but about the stress life was bringing to my door. Because "what doesn't kill you makes you a fighter, footsteps even lighter." ~Kelly Clarkson

Every song on this playlist found it's way there because A) I like the song and B) they became my cheer sections and my inspiration to keep running.

I have now moved onto a new playlists but sometimes when I am feeling like I need a little push I go back to my cheer squad!

Hope you enjoy them and that maybe one will inspire you to be stronger, see the light when there is no light, give you the strength you need to push you, get your kicks pumped up and while doing all of that remind you to have FUN!

Good Luck!!

"Remember...it is a marathon, not a sprint."