Sunday I went running again—actually i wouldn’t quite call what i do running—probably more like jogging! :)  

We just recently moved, and I am not used to running around this area.  It is in a neighborhood area, and I am not used to the elevation changing much. Last summer, I pretty much ran on flat ground.  There was very little change in elevation and no hills at all.  Running around the city I live in and neighborhood here is much different, it is not flat, and I can really feel the difference as far as effort goes!

So, Sunday, after a small breakfast I told myself I was going to run for 30 minutes straight.  I ran around the neighborhood and then went into town and ran on main street and I thought I had gone forever! Like more than 3 miles, because I ran clear across town—Just about! (our town is really small) and then Iooked down at my phone and It was only over 2 miles.  It started to get extremely windy and I didn’t make a loop-like a normal person would so they could get back home, I just ran away from home and figured I could call my husband and tell him to come get me at the mcdonalds.  Well, after about 8 phone calls he never picked up and so I started back home—but I walked.  So in all I ran/walked over 4 miles on Sunday! 

It wasn’t horrible, and I wan’t even sore the next day.  I really need to pick up my pace though.  Last year I was between a 10-12 minute pace. So I really want to get back to that! 

I also ended up injuring myself last year because I wasn’t very smart about taking days off of running.  I ran almost every day last summer, but this time I am playing it smart and trying to let my body heal a day after each run, so that I don’t injure myself this time around.  I also have already noticed how much better I feel after I run.  I really have missed that feeling so I am glad I hopped back into the saddle and started running again! :) 

A New Beginning.

I stopped running after my 10k.  I can tell you a million and one excuses why I stopped, but they all seem unimportant and really just that--excuses. 

Last December, my husband signed us both up for a half marathon. 

It's been in the back of my mind since then, but I have yet to start training. Again, I have hundreds of excuses.

Now the race is 11 weeks out and I am scared out of my mind.

In fact, I have real anxiety over it.  

I went for my first run, for like 7 months the other day and it was horrible. 

Every. single. minute. was horrible.  It was cold, windy, and my body was just screaming at me--wondering what in the heck I was doing.   I have been a couch potato for the past 7 months, and my body was shocked that I was actually running again.

The past two days, I have been telling my husband that there is no way I can do this. I am not ready at all and that I should change my race to the 5k.  

I fully intended to switch it over, but I feel like I need to do this. I need to prove to myself that I can indeed do HARD things.   I remember last year that I thought running a mile straight was seriously a miracle in itself.  So I know I can do this.  The only thing stopping me is myself.  More specifically my brain--it keeps telling me--there is no way I can do this.  I might as well not do it, to save myself from failing at something. 

Well, starting today--I am changing my attitude and perspective.  I am doing this for me. I am doing this to prove myself wrong. I am doing this because I AM STRONG.  I am doing this because I remember how awesome I felt all last summer when I was running.  I literally felt like I was on top of the world!  I want that feeling back, because I know I have lost it within the last 7 months.  It has slowly diminished over the course of all these months.  

Last year it was about losing a few pounds, well this time--it's not about the weight.  I am still the same weight I was when I stopped (miraculously enough) I am not going to worry about counting calories, but I am going to eat better.  I am going to try and fill my meals with more vegetables and add in healthier carbs when I can. 

I am keeping this blog as sort of a journal of my progress, and to keep myself motivated.  There are going to be hard days, when those negative thoughts creep back into my brain, and that's when I can come back here and look at how far I've come and can continue to go! 

This is the program I am going to do to help me achieve the half marathon:

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