Monday, January 19, 2015

Half Crazy= Check!

1
Alright it's a beautiful day and I'm loving this let's rock!

2
Wow already mile 2! feeling goo... uh oh I have to pee

3
Whew so much better! I shouldn't check my time... but ahh best 5k ever! Let's stay strong!

4
Woah how did I forgot we get to run around LSU!?! This is awesome!

5
Oh hello Tiger Stadium you look just as beautiful as ever! I should probably stop and take a selfie... wait I don't like selfies and I don't want to stop!

6
Alright mile 6 this still feels good! Let's keep rocking!

7
Today really is beautiful.  I couldn't imagine anything else I'd rather be doing

8
Woah you're really rocking this Emily! I should probably check my time to see how... Ah one more hour until your goal time and 5 miles to go! You've rocked that out in less than an hour before.  Here we geauxxx!

9
Alright back in the groove not so bad.. wait this is awful what was i thinking...

9.25
Wait where's my happy breathing...Ok distract yourself... (hears crash from behind)... oh goodness someone fell! I hope she's ok... she's got people helping her she's good....

9.5
This is miserable.  Why did I think I like running again? Some motivation... anything....

9.75
Ugh I have to pee again

9.8
If I turn down that street my parents' house isn't that far... ow ow ow charley horse!!

9.9
I don't think this mile could get any worse.  Wait! A bathroom! 

10
So much better! Alright 3 miles! That's an easy short day! You can totally rock this out! Think of the brunch....

11
This still isn't over... There's more... I am never doing this again....

12
ow ow ow charley horse ow ow ow STOP you are not ruining this last mile!

12.5
Where did these hills come from... You've got to be kidding me...

13
I don't think that finish line is real... 

.1
geaux geaux geaux geaux- oh yeah... this is why I love it... when's the next one?



There are so many things that they don't tell you about running a half marathon.  There are so many things that you can't describe until you've experienced them first hand.  I learned more about myself and life during this 13.1 mile trek than I think I've ever learned before in that same time span.  The last 4 miles were the 4 hardest miles I've ever done.  I felt as though everything was piling up against me and I lost my motivation.  As the girl with endless motivation to conquer her crazy goals (I've got a really big 5 year one I can't wait to dive into), being on the course without any motivation for 10 minutes was 10 of the hardest minutes of my life.  I had to really dig deep to find it and bust out the last few miles.



I'm doing my best to focus on the positives of this race.  I ran my fastest 5k and 10k and set new PRs for both!  I probably got overly excited at the beginning and should have slowed down so I had more gas in my tank.  As still a relatively new runner setting the goal to run a half marathon and finishing it is an accomplishment and I can say I did that.  My stubborn and ambitious side fought as hard as she could and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

I absolutely loved the sense of community before, during, and after the race.  As you go along the course I loved seeing the random strangers cheering you on.  No one judges you and everyone is helping give you just a little extra push to help you make it through.  I made quite a few running friends who didn't know we were racing as we went.  We played leap frog throughout the race and I loved feeling as if I wasn't alone

My family eagerly waited for me at the finish line.  I never would have asked them to but knowing they were there (with a results and recovery/protein shake in hand) really helped me push through. I think my dad was more nervous than I was and he was more excited right after I finished (I still couldn't feel anything),



My stomach was a whole hot mess during this entire experience.  All week I had been extra careful about carb loading and tapering my miles.  Next time, I will approach this differently.  I will maintain my regular eating habits and longer runs throughout the week to help maintain my groove.  I felt off almost the entire race and I think that's because of excess fluff that the carbs brought with them.  I also was thrown quite a surprise when my pre-race breakfast was changed at the last minute.  During the race, I also got overly excited about the water/powerade hand outs every mile and a half.  During my training runs I definitely didn't drink that much as I went and it made a huge difference.  My stomach always felt calm while I trained and I want as close to that feeling as possible next time.

All throughout the day I've been plotting my next half marathon training schedule as I foam roll and massage my sore areas.  I know what I want to include and I know what I should avoid.  I know I can find the best training plan that works for me.

Even with all the mistakes and rough patches along the way, I am so excited to cross half marathon off my bucket list and move onto my next challenge!

Thursday, January 8, 2015

10 days out!

Back in September when I was at my Spinning Instructor training (still one of the greatest days ever), one of the friends I made was an avid runner.  Even back then, I find myself asking anyone who has more running experience than I do for hints and tricks to help improve.  With anything involving fitness I find myself wanting to be a sponge and soak up every bit of advice to help me constantly make changes and improve.  Her biggest piece of advice (besides Roctane flavors that weren't worth my time) was to run 3 miles and then spin as part of my training.  Tonight I finally had the opportunity to take her advice and man does it feel good! Tonight was also my first night back teaching and my class probably wishes I hadn't missed them so much.  Throughout the major sweat session (my favorite kind- only way to stay warm when the temperature is in the 20s) I couldn't stop smiling because my heart was literally so happy to be doing what I was doing.

With my race being 10 days away I am a mix of emotions! I'm terribly nervous and anxious and excited all at the same time.  I can't believe the day that I've been planning for since August is actually right around the corner.  This entire training process started out smooth and beautiful before life decided to throw curveballs left and right.  At the beginning my distance goals were easy and I could cruise them through.  Through all the ups and downs I've always had this day in mind and I'm pretty sure I don't know how I'm going to sleep the night before the race!  Knowing that I can tackle this even if I haven't had as many long runs as I'd like helps me remember to just enjoy the entire event.  Work hard, play hard has always been my motto and I couldn't imagine a better way to live!

I feel so incredibly thankful and blessed every day to live a life where I have the opportunities not only to follow my dreams academically, but I've changed my health and reached the point where I am now.  A year ago I struggled to run 3 miles.  While I'm not perfect and I know I still have a long way to go, I am so incredibly excited to have the opportunity to run 13.1 miles and know that it's right within my reach!

Friday, January 2, 2015

Perfectly Imperfect

I knew it was coming before I felt it.  Another rainy day interfered with my run so I decided to bust out the old Plyometrics DVD from P90X instead of push myself on the treadmill.  I felt the familiar sting in my calves and then thought, "Why did I just do to myself?"  I knew it wouldn't last long and it would be fine and yet I was even more sore the next day.  This same kind of pain happened about a month before when I subbed the Monday night spin class.  That sting came on our last hill and I felt like my calf was about to explode.  I immediately started scolding my calves on both occasions! My mind immediately jumped to STOP I NEED THOSE TO BE PERFECT!

After a few too many days of barely being able to not feel the sting in my calves (hello elliptical like crazy) I finally jumped back on my training schedule.  To say I feel derailed from my initial goals is an understatement.  I've had to adapt in so many ways I felt defeated as if I wouldn't make my goals.  I started talking to one of my best friends about these feelings (who just signed up for her first ironman...She's super impressive) and she reminded me that there is no such thing as a perfect training season.  She was a competitive runner all throughout high school and for a year in college.  She reminded me that she is still training and learning new ways to push her body and conquer new goals.  Hearing that she sometimes still struggled with her training schedule put things into perspective.  Here is someone who has been a runner for well over a decade and here I am still relatively new to running.  I was looking at this half as a one time only thing.  I was trying to be a perfectionist and finish my first half without stopping to walk at all and have some incredible time.  I stopped myself and thought who am I kidding! I have years of half marathons ahead of me.  This one is conquering the 13.1 miles for the first time and enjoying it.  I was striving for perfection and then being upset with myself when I wasn't reaching some crazy goals I had set for myself.  This entire challenge is about being better than I was yesterday and I am going to savor every second of being perfectly imperfect.

So my friends, I've decided that I want to take you along with me during my half.  I plan to have a certain someone with me at each mile or half mile (depending on how I narrow it down).  More realistically it'll probably be a song on my playlist.  If you have a favorite running song or just high energy awesome song send it my way and I'll think of you when it comes on!

Here's to embracing being perfectly imperfect and loving every minute :)