Running Alone...

It's something I do often. I run alone. I will try and meet up with a fellow runner and run with him/her but often, I run alone. Even when registering for races - we may start together, I run alone. It's not lonely in any way. It's comforting to me. I don't race. I just run. I know that I am not the fastest in the pack nor do I look like the "ideal", but I know that I am capable and I go. Running alone is something I have missed very much in the last two weeks.

Instead - my running and sadly, training is being interrupted by life. This time - in the form of children. My dear, sweet husband is away on a two-week trip with my father and several friends. They've left us for the great North, fishing in parts of Canada - becoming one with nature and the fishing pole, lol. This leaves me with our two little ones. Translation: running only happens when I'm chasing them or when they're asleep.  Factor in that the 4 year old doesn't always want to sleep and bedtime does not go as smoothly as envisioned and I'm too exhausted to get my runs in. Translation: Mommy is quite cranky. Ideally, I would make like Mary Poppins and produce a jogging stroller fit for two and take them with me. I know I put that bag somewhere...

My sister Carolyn and I pre-race.

I did manage to complete the Neon Run 5K but didn't have as good a run as anticipated. I'll recap the event in my next post but I've decided I will not run anywhere near/on the Fairgrounds except to finish the Frederick Half from here on out.  The combination of poor lighting/darkness, unclear course = fallen cones) and unsteady terrain = road, gravel, sand, grass made for a not so good run. I ended up rolling on my left ankle towards the end of mile two, hobbled and walked a half-mile before slowly jogging to the finish line. The  next morning I was relieved to find I didn't injure it as badly as I first thought and was able to put some weight on it with some run/walk intervals on the treadmill during random nap times.  I'm thankful it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been and I'm still able to push forward...and I will.

With two big events looming ahead - the Divas Half Marathon in September and the City of Oaks Marathon in November, I've got much less time to get in the training needed. I feel as though, once again, I will be putting in a bit more of run/walk intervals than I would have liked. It's discouraging at best but I know that a mile is a mile. I will get from start to finish and I will not be the first and quite possibly, the last BUT I will get there.

Never Give Up. 

Disney Princess Training [finally] Begins!

Last Saturday I had my best friend over for dinner.  This might not seem like much, but to me, it's huge. I have not seen her in the flesh since mid-March.  While I appreciate all that Facebook, Face Time and other social media outlets have to offer, actually being able to interact with her in real-time was exactly what I needed.

As some of you already know, we are registered to run the Disney Glass Slipper Challenge this coming February. What you may not know, is that I have not been sticking to my training schedule as well as I should.  As part of the Glass Slipper Challenge, we are running the Enchanted 10K on Saturday February 21st and the Princess Half-Marathon on Sunday February 22nd.  Running back-to-back races is no simple feat, regardless of distance.  However, when faced with the prospect of earning three medals and running through the parks filled with various characters from our childhood?? Take our money, RunDisney! 

In order to prepare, RunDisney provides training plans designed by Jeff Galloway for all of their races, including the challenge events.  In my registration excitement, I downloaded and printed a copy of the Glass Slipper Challenge training plan which covers 19-weeks and has you running twice weekly for approximately 30-45 minutes, with long runs on the weekend.  Looks easy enough.  However, throw in a full-time job, a long commute, a husband working overnights and two little guys under the age of four and this momma is lucky to even get time or the energy to think about running.  Which, let's face it, sometimes just thinking about running is my exercise for the day.  However, thinking and doing are entirely two different things.  Especially when I should be in week 5 of my training and have barely done anything beyond a few short runs and a 10K.  

Reasons and excuses aside, I know I need to step it up - so Sunday, I did.  It took a kick in the pants from my husband and ignoring the guilt every mom or woman faces: "but, I need to..." and just going out to run.  I ran. I ran and I didn't stop until I hit 3.1.  Three miles...and just a little more. Three miles, three months, three medals.  I've got this - whether I feel like it or not, I've got (to do) this.

What about you? Are you struggling or kicking ass with your own training? Even if you're just working on incorporating more regular running...are you running as much as you're thinking about it? What motivates you to get out the door - do you need a reminder on your Google Calendar or are you like me and need your husband (or whomever) to physically push you out the door sometimes?