Runner's High

Running two half marathons, I have experienced the "Runner's High" both times. But rarely do I get the pleasure of reaching that point in a training run. I'm not sure why, maybe there's too much on my mind and no one else around me... but yesterday I was attempting to run 7 miles... (attempting because I didn't get that far) but around .5miles my brain was working against me. I had to fit the urge to stop and go back... I kept hearing a voice say "If a half mile is this hard, you can't possibly do a mile let alone seven." I hate that voice... that voice likes to dominate my thoughts.. "you can't do it, stop trying" but yesterday I said, NO NO NO... i have run 13 miles before, this isn't as hard as I'm pretending it is... and I kept going... around 1.5miles I felt it... that moment when you feel like you've reached the pinnacle and the rest is downhill (even though it's up and down on the trail) ... I started to feel STRONGER! And more comfortable... the parts that hurt at 1/4mile started to loosen up... and while I only did a total of 4.4miles... it was probably my best training run in a very long time...

Lesson learned: NEVER GIVE UP AT THE START OF THE RACE!

Just do it...

Wow... I have to say I am impressed with myself... for many of you, waking up early to go for a run before work is normal. For me, well... let's just say I rarely wake up early these days since I haven't had a full time job... but today I set the alarm for 7:30am... and only snoozed once! I was out running by 7:47am!! I did 2 miles in 25 minutes, which isn't great but it's better than ZERO!

Gotta be ready for Saturday's 11k!... stay tuned

It's been too long

Hey, readers and friends!!

Sorry it's been so long since I blogged... just life getting in the way...

but I ran my first race in Vibrams on Saturday... the Race for the Cure 5k in Winston-Salem, NC...

I was a little nervous because I had not run that far in the vibrams yet, but I was determined to push through the pain (if there was any) and run to the end...

Here's the thing... the entire first mile was UP HILL... at a fairly steep grade... so I had to stop towards the top and walk up because I was not going to sprain my ankle for a charity 5k...

All in all it was a good race... a lot warmer than I am used to for races... in the 70s!! so I was happy with my 37mins finish...

My thoughts about the vibrams.... I'm definitely happy I have them... and will continue to train, hopefully running the Philly in them in November... but weirdness in the muscles in my feet... and strange blister on the side of my foot... I need to keep working with them... I'm not particularly happy that they are super tight on my ankle and i have to wear bandaids so they dont cut the back of my ankle/heel... but that could be my fault for buying the clearance ones online instead of the $100 in-store that I tried on...

so... vibrams... To Be Continued....

Running in gloves...

Both of my half marathon triumphs have been held during the winter, so running with gloves is nothing new to me. Although, around mile 2 or 4, I typically ditch those gloves. The gloves I ran in today were on my feet! I know?! Today was my first official vibram fivefingers run!!! I went 1.6 miles in 16 miles!! I learned a lot in my first attempt:

1.) if you run on a rock/stone you will feel it immediately and attempt to over correct

2.) The road is super rough

3.) it definitely feels different to run in vibrams than in nikes

4.) my ankle isn't completely healed from the 5 mile sprained run in DC...

I'm sure I will continue to learn new things every time I strap on my vibrams and venture down the trail/road!

But it is nice to be out and running in the shoes that inspired my running goals... Born to Run and it's emphasis on the benefits of barefoot running was why I registered for the Philly Half Marathon last April before having set out on my first "jog"...

I am excited to continue training in my vibrams and race my first 5k in minimalist running shoes on May 7!

Running in unfamiliar lands is fun

My family's life has been struck by tragedy... so training has rerouted itself to NJ for a few days... running is one of the best ways I have found to relieve the stress of life... and this week has brought more unexpected stress than we could have anticipated...

I ran an unfamiliar trail near my sister's home in Haddon Heights, NJ... it was along a stream... I had no idea where it would lead or how long it was, I just started running and followed the path... it was nice to break the routine of NC training... and if it's not a monsoon in the morning, I will explore the other side of the park and possibly the large lake as well...

running in new places is always fun, you don't get board because you've never seen it before... I think that's why I do well in races because I don't know how far I've gone or how far i have to go, and I can be distracted by the scenery...

Although i haven't run in the fivefingers yet, I have worn them to Ruby Tuesday for brunch and out to pick up my nephew from school... my feet are getting more used to them... soon I will attempt to run...

The next step in my running career...

Vibram Fivefingers....

Since I am rapidly becoming a running officianado (lol!) I needed to pay homage to what started this wild fascination....

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall was the beginning of something amazing. I read this book on recommendation from a fellow running friend... and halfway through I signed up to run a half marathon six months away. Having been an avid anti-runner for many many years, I had a lot going against my ambitions, but I allowed near insanity to guide me from couch potato to mildly competitive runner in just six long months of training.

In this book was the first time I saw the words "Vibram Fivefingers" and the name itself fascinated my curiosity. I had to know what all the fuss was about. These are the funniest shoes I ever laid eyes on. I had seen them on some super crazy running people last March at the DC Marathon (I was a finish line spectator, really in it to see my friends and have brunch lol). I had to leave my job and move to a new state, but my goal was to buy these fantastic shoes with my first paycheck at my new dream job. And then I was officially unemployed for six months (eek!).

(Disclaimor: I am an independent Arbonne consultant, so I had a home business, but moving to a new state where you don't have any connections makes relaunching a network marketing business super difficult, not impossible, but harder than a guaranteed paycheck to use toward new running shoes... now my business is booming but it took work to get here!)

So, I ran two half marathons without my coveted vibrams but I was not discouraged. One day I knew I would be a minimalist, a barefoot runner, if you will. There are not too many things I am confident about regarding the future, but that was one. In walks my mom. She's the best. It was her birthday yet she said to me "For finishing the race in such a great time, I'm going to buy you those crazy shoes you want." WHAT?! I love her! She isn't the richest woman in the world, and she doesn't have to buy my shoes for me when I'm 28years old. But this is mom's way of showing how proud she is of me, how much she supports what I'm trying to do for my health. She is fantastic. And then a facebook post led to a friend finding VFs for $50!!! OMG. I placed my order monday, and on Friday... they arrived....

My first outting with my new friends will be Monday afternoon... details to come... :)

Back on the trail

Yesterday, I stopped by my local "Fancy Gap Outfitters" to try on some vibrams so find out my size.... so I could order them for 35% off online... the sales woman was VERY good at her job, had me trying on a bunch of minimalist shoes... gave me a free book on Barefoot Running... so I put both shoes on hold... left the store... regained my sanity... came home, ordered my vibrams for $50 online... and sat contemplating what to do about those amazing NB minimalists waiting for me in Mt. Airy... they felt so good... like love for my foot... like my feet had met their sole mates.... it was beautiful, I think I heard birds singing and saw fireworks (or I heard Katy Perry singing "firework").... so what to do?? Do I invest $100 in a pair of running shoes, to cross train (if you will) with my new fivefingers, or do I realize that I am out of contacts and it will likely cost double the amount of those PERFECTO shoes to get new ones (considering I need to have an eye exam to get those nifty eye ball fixers)? Oh the dilemmas of a baby runner....

also... there are people starving around the world... and I'm considering spending $100 on yet ANOTHER pair of shoes... shoes that will allow me to feel like i'm running barefoot... Am I insane?

---

In other news... I ran 2 miles on the track today... it felt good... I'll probably keep those 2 miles up every other day or so to get ready for the 5k in May... and then focus on Philly... :-)