What's Next? New Goal, and it's SMART!

I read that many people feel a little lost once they conquer their half marathon goal, and I was no different. I took it easy at the beginning of the week, letting my body recover and allowing some aches and pains to subside. In the meantime, I continued to look for races and tried to decide if I wanted to do another half marathon, or if I wanted to tone it down. Neither were good options.

Then I questioned whether or not I even wanted to race anymore. I will never "win" against anyone else. Is it smart to pay money just to run? But then I thought about the few races I've done, and it's been FUN! They each have a flavor and feel to them, and it's a great way to measure yourself against...well, yourself!

So what would it be? I finally figured out my next two races, and from there I made a goal. My next race is in 3 weeks, and it's an 8K. I am not taking this one very seriously. I mean, of course I will do my best, but my goal really is to finish in under 55 minutes. Today I did that easily on a treadmill (OK, not easily, but I did it).

My next race is in my mind "The Big One". It's a 10K on August 25th. At first my goal was to run it in 1 hour. So this morning I read up on it and researched running plans, and I realized THIS IS DIFFERENT than training for the half. For the half, I wanted to finish. Now I've set a time goal, so this is a much different intensity. I have to make my legs go faster. I have to do intervals, speed work, and I'll be honest, I don't know that I'm going to like this. But nevertheless, I made an 8 week plan. The farthest I ever run is 8 miles, which seems really funny to me, but today I did 10K (6.2 miles) at intervals of 10 minutes and 11:20 minute paces (alternating songs, nothing scientific), and it took me 1 hour 6 minutes, which is the best time I've ever run 6 miles in actually. It was an average of 11 min miles (which doesn't make sense either, but who knows...)

Which brings me to SMART goals. I had to ask myself:
S--Specific--yes I have a specific goal--10K on Aug. 25
M--Measurable--yes, I have a distance and time to measure
A--Attainable--Maybe?
R--Relevant--Yes, a good balance of the intensity and distance I desire.
T--Time-Bound--Yes, 8 weeks

So let's visit that A for Attainable. I am not sure that in 8 weeks I can shave 6 minutes off my 10K. I think I can run 6 miles in 1 hour. I don't know if I can get that last .2 in under that hour. So I have come up with a new goal.

On Aug. 25, I will run 10K in as close to 1 hour as possible. I'm actually thinking 1:02 is a good goal. That would be 10 min miles. We will see how these 8 weeks go, trying to train while camping and other summer events.

Again, this is MY goal. I know many people look at this and probably laugh. I'm not laughing. I'm dead serious. In fact, I looked for pictures of myself, and there are very few because I hated to be in pictures. But here are a few.

Aug. 09 Getting ready to leave China

Taking Ty for a walk after palate surgery.

And at my heaviest, 1 year ago, June 2011. This was 6th grade moving up, and I cropped out the students. This one is hard to look at for sure.

And this was last week, one year later, June 23, 2012:

So as long as God stays with me and keeps me healthy, this is my new goal. I'll keep posting when I can. This blog is to ENCOURAGE others because believe me, I have every excuse NOT to work out. I have every excuse to be lazy and lay around. I have every excuse to eat what I want when I want (I DESERVE to eat junk, right?). But my thinking is not about deserving those things...it's that I DESERVE better. My body, my husband, and my kids deserve better. But I have to want it. God has given me a potential, and I'm pretty sure it isn't 7 minute miles. So what is it? There's only one way to find out!

Thanks for reading, and I encourage you to get out there and do it! If I can, so can you, and I truly mean it. It's taken a almost a year to see a true difference. There were/are days I don't want to do it. If you're just starting, and you don't like to run, find an exercise that works! Maybe that's for another post...

Jolene

Half-Marathon--I did it!

The Week Leading Up to the Race

Let me start by saying that this has been one miserable week. Last Friday, I started coming down with something. My son had been sick with a fever, and he ended up with a severe cold and ear infection. He kindly passed it to me, one week prior to my half marathon! I did everything possible--zinc lozanges, airborne to boost vitamins, cold meds...I even went to the doctor to in fact find out I had a sinus infection, but my doc will not give antibiotics for that. Awesome. But he recommended a neti-pot----ewwww! Well desperate times call for desperate measures.

By Thursday I was perking up, but since I had missed my long run from the prior weekend and had been doing much shorter runs, I was nervous. I headed out for 3 easy miles since it was a taper week (or in my case, extreme taper), and it felt much better than the 4 on Monday or the 4.5 on Tuesday. I took Wed off to let my body heal, and I think that was the best decision I made.

And meanwhile...my husband caught a cold and fever! UGH!

Off to Seattle

So Friday, my husband amped himself up with cold meds, and off we went to the big city of Seattle. One of our outings was to eat at the Space Needle to celebrate our kids' birthdays! It was absolutely POURING rain! Great...my week had been going "so well" already, so this would just cap it off nicely. In fact, I thought of backing out since I had been sick and didn't want to make it worse.



Finally, the big day!

I woke up bright and early today, dressed for rain, and off I went to the starting line, which was a 10 minute walk from our hotel. It was NOT RAINING! Praise the Lord! The gun went off at 7am, but it was a corral wave start. I finally started at 8:04. But the nice thing was that the person who facilitated our adoption of Tyson recognized me, and we chatted at the starting line, so that was a real blessing and definitely a highlight of the day for me. Thanks Myriam!

My finishing goal was 2 hours 35 minutes, and I wanted to run all of it; but I did give myself permission to walk steep hills only. This would be just under 12 minute miles. I knew I could do it, but I would have to run steady. So off we went, and it was an immediate downhill, a bit flat, and up a hill. This would be the theme of the day. I started off slow while everyone flew by me. But soon, I was the one weaving and passing. I learned quickly I was corraled with the "walk-joggers" and the crazy thing was, I had moved up in corrals! With hindsight being 20/20, I wish I had moved up even more.

Just before the 5K/3.1 mile mark, I was getting too warm in my jacket. I wore my jacket because I just KNEW it was going to rain after reading all the weather reports. So that meant trying to take off my bib (with 4 safety pins) and re-pin it. I tried doing this while running. I did manage to get the safety pins off...but repinning was another story. So, stop #1--repinning my bib and tying my jacket around my waist, only to start running and have my jacket fall to my feet. So, I stop again and tie that puppy tight! So I lost some time there, and my 3.1 mile split was 00:39:18. EEKS! Not at all where I wanted to be.

And as I was running, I realized I needed a quick bathroom break. It wasn't an emergency, so I just kept my eye out for a short line at the porta-potties. I found one at about mile 4, so Stop #2: bathroom stop. I lost a few minutes there, but it could have been so much worse!

OK, so I then realize I'm at 4 miles and 52 minutes. Oh boy, if I keep this pace up, I won't finish for 3 hours! So I decided to make up time...but then, I round mile 5 to see a HUGE HILL! This was NOT on the elevation map. I didn't expect this at all, and it was like a series of 2-3 steep hills all in a row. Yep, I walked that baby, and then it was just as steep on the other side going back down. OK, time to get back on track.

I crossed the 10K/6.2mile mark at 1:18. WHAT? This is slower than I had been training! Those stops and that hill killed my time. I still had 7 miles to go, and just to double my time would put me 2:36, plus one more mile would be 2:48. OH NO! So I decide right then and there to step it up. I knew more hills were coming, and I'd trudge through what I could. I smiled for the camera at the halfway point, and right after that were blue signs that showed pictures of fallen soldiers. It was an emotional moment--very sobering, realizing that I was running a race and these men and women gave their lives so that I could run that race. Then at about mile 8, my tailbone started bothering me. What was this? This had never bothered me before! It was pretty painful, but I just kept going. The extra hills were getting to me. Then we ran through the I-90 tunnel, and came out at the ramp toward Safeco and CenturyLink fields. I think those two spots were my favorites of the course.

My time at the 10 mile mark was 2:02. Yep, made up time! I ran about 4 miles in 44 minutes, so my pace increased, and I was almost back on track. But still, to get 3.1 miles in 33 minutes, I knew I'd be pushing it, but it wasn't out of reach. And then at mile 10, another hill that was not on the elevation map! Ugh! I had to walk it, I knew if I ran it, I would run out of steam by the end. Again, I lost some time. So at the top of that mile, I decided to push as hard as I could but still have steam to finish without stopping. That was my goal. I had never run past 11 miles, so when I crossed the 11 mile mark, at that point, it was all mental. One foot in front of the other. When I hit mile 12, I knew I wouldn't make my 2:35 time, so I decided I would stay in the 2:30s and NOT hit 2:40. When I first started this journey, my goal was 3 hours. Then about a month ago, it was 2:45. Then two weeks ago, it became 2:35. When I got sick, it became just to finish. The times are in my head, and they may be slow to some people, but for me, they are what I decided to try to do.

The last mile seemed like the longest, and of course, they had to throw in one more hill at the finish line. I crossed the finish line at 2:38:29. 3 minutes past my goal, but under the previous goals I set for myself. AND...if I took out the bib incident and stopping for the bathroom, I probably would have made it. So I'm going to consider today a success, and now I have something else to work toward.


Will I do another half-marathon anytime soon? Ask me when my toes aren't still tingling, knees don't need ice, and tailbone has healed! LOL All in all, what a great experience. Never in my life did I think I'd do something like that. It has helped me lose 44 lbs, eat healthier, and just overall be a happier person. It just goes to show, anything is possible! If I can do it, anyone can! But of course, I didn't do it alone. God has been my ultimate trainer through it all. He teaches lessons that go beyond running. Once again, I am reminded to trust in Him fully and completely, and He always keeps His word!

Don't forget, I'm still collecting donations for little Caleb for a few more days. The link is on the right, and every little bit helps!

Jolene

T-6 days, and I could use some prayers!

I have been on cloud 9...After running 11 miles with hills two weeks ago, then 10 fairly flat miles last week AND cutting 1 min/mile off of my time (ran with someone for the first time! So much fun!), I was feeling ready. Pretty much injury free, knowing that just getting to the starting line would be the only thing that might hinder me...

So Tuesday I ran 5 miles on the treadmill with several longer inclines. Again, feeling good! Wednesday I was short on time, so I ran 4.5 miles...again, fairly flat with 1 slight incline for .5 miles, and I finished with a pace of 10:13. Huh? Me? Yeah! That is slow to most people, but again, this isn't about most people. I'm racing myself, and for me, that was a best time for 4.5 miles.

In the meantime, on Tuesday my 4 year old (almost 5!) son get sick. Fever/cold/cough sick.

So Thursday rolls around, and our son wakes up feeling better. By that evening, his fever was gone. Then I'm swamped. Finishing report cards, daughter has fast pitch practice, and packing the trailer for camping for her tournament for the weekend so we can camp. The plan was that I would wake up early Friday and get an hour run in so I'd be able to enjoy the weekend.

And I did...but something was different. I ran 56 minutes, 4.5 miles. It took me 10 minutes longer to run the same distance as Wednesday. I was stiff, there was no doubt, so I figured I was just tired and since I had just hopped out of bed, that had to be it. But I also noticed I was hacking a bit more...hmmmm...

Meanwhile, I'm off to school, and my husband is home with our son, who was up coughing all night and now the fever is back ON! Long story short, we got our son to the doctor, and he has an ear infection. Who knew? He doesn't feel pain like most people (typical for kids with his background), and we usually don't even know he has an ear infection until there is fluid draining...yeah, gross right?

Clearly, the camping trip was off, and I had to arrange rides to the tournament for our daughter. I felt like "mom of the year" but I couldn't be two places at once. Little did I know, it was all for the best.

You see, on Friday afternoon, I started feeling a chest cold. Every runner's nightmare, right? I slept 2 hours Friday evening (probably due to only sleeping 4 hours on Thursday night) then slept most of the night. By Saturday, I felt like total crap. A little achy, but definitely a chest cold. Since it was a non-running day anyway, I wasn't too worried.

So I've been taking airborne, mucinex, drinking water, and for whatever reason, I have a crazy appetite. I'm a bit better today, but not much in the chest cold department.

I could use some prayers. I don't understand why God would allow this sickness to enter my body when I have used this half marathon for good. In fact, tonight I will post about the little boy I am raising money for. He is amazing, and I got to give him a Western name. I felt so honored, and he is now on the LWB page under that name. More on him to come because he NEEDS and DESERVES his own post!

So any prayers would be appreciated. I can't imagine training for 6 months and not being able to run this weekend. Thank you!
Jolene