WANTED: Supporters for my crazy endeavor of training for a half marathon in the Southern MD heat! :)

It's been awhile since I've written and a lot has happened in that time. In my running adventure I have officially decided that I am training for the September 22nd  Rochester, NY Half Marathon!

Okay, so actually I didn't JUST decide, I'm actually on training week 4 but I think there is a little trepidation of putting it out there and telling people. I am sure most people think "What happens if I can't cut it?!" Then there you are just that girl who said she was going to run a half marathon but didn't follow through!

I'm pretty sure that is just nerves talking because I know myself, and those who know me definitely know I am stubborn! So pending any natural disaster, injury, or illness I fully intend on making my way to that starting line to accomplish this exciting adventure.

So I titled this WANTED: Supporters from my crazy endeavor of training for a half marathon in the Southern MD heat because did I mention this is HARD!!?

On almost every run I tell myself :

"Wow Meg, so glad you decided to start this training program in the months of July and August where the temperature is comparable to say, oh......death valley." 

So maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but it has been so very hot and humid, to the point that within minutes I find myself with sweat not evaporating but instead just running down and dripping off of every part of my body. This is a new sensation for me, and strange at that!

On every run I tell myself that because this is so hard, I am mentally challenging my will power to continue and that this practice will come in handy when things get hard in the race. I also feel that if Rochester can come produce heat like this in September I would be shocked, so the temp on race day will certainly be much better and comfortable!

Now let's be clear. I am not running at noon in the hottest part of the day. But sadly, it seems that most days even on morning runs the temps are already in the 80's and humidity has been out of control. I'm starting to wake up earlier and earlier but that in itself has been a challenge as I have never been a morning runner. Look at all these new things I'm learning!!

Things I've learned about running in the heat:

1.) Everything SLOWS down! not just your running pace, but even your ability to move your hands and dexterity. I run with a hydration pack and for those of you who don't know what this looks like it is the following picture:

 

The bottles sit on your back area and yesterday just reaching back to grab bottles, or trying to get into the pocket area became a monumental task. It's like my hands wouldn't work and I found myself expending mental energy to complete this task. This shocked me.

2.) Shoes actually stick to the asphalt! not the whole way, but there were spots that must have been new or something because I suddenly found myself peeling my feet off the road as I ran.

3.) Distances such as 1/8 and 1/4 of a mile start to seem as if they are the Rocky Mountains after a snowstorm, AND you are a member of the Donner family. Stuck with no way out.

 (minus the whole eating each other thing of course)

4.)  At some point in the run I have an intense couple of minutes where suddenly I feel as though I am trapped inside a bubble. The heat feels as though it has surrounded  me and is so intense its almost sauna like. It's very strange and eventually passes but what this is, I just don't know!

This accurately depicts what the bubble feels like I think!

5.) Running in the heat makes me appreciate cool weather running SO MUCH MORE! Strangely, Will and I recently returned from a trip to Southern Mississippi where for some reason the weather was actually much cooler and refreshing. I never imagined that Mississippi running could be more comfortable than here...... Interesting.

At the end of the day I'm happy I did it of course. Amazing how no matter how miserable you feel, 15 minutes later you're like: "It really wasn't that bad, I'm sure I could have kept going more if I needed to...."

Today's thought:

"Always do your best! But when your best is not available, (or out for a Margarita) then always do SOMETHING.... because something is better than nothing."


Happy Running!



 

Ah Yes, I did it... I have reached 7 miles!


Monday was the day I hit my new personal record for distance.

It was hot, and humid. I started running about 9 am and it was already 80 degrees!  It was hard, it actually sucked part of the time if I'm going to be honest, but in light of all of that it was truly AWESOME!

I remember thinking that at mile 4 I was over halfway to my goal, and by mile 5 I ran past the same work crew guys that I had passed at mile 2. They just looked at me like "Who's this crazy chick running these back roads!" Then came my mind  saying "you really ARE a crazy chick, why are you doing this?"

and the scary part was that I answered myself: "Because I Can!"

and that is the moment I realized that maybe I was just a little bit crazy.... I think everyone who sets out to test themselves and their body has to be. Then I also realized that I KNOW I am not the only runner who literally talks to themselves as if there is two of me running. I think it is actually absolutely necessary to talk to myself because otherwise I might quit, and I'm not a quitter!

Mile 6: on one hand I thought to myself "wow, you only have to go one more mile to make it".... on the other, I was SO HOT and SO TIRED and for a brief time I actually transported myself to one of those movies where you watch people trekking across sand dunes gasping for water..... only my sand dunes were wheat fields and pavement. This is when I realized I had sorely underestimated how warm it was outside, and the fact that I had not carried any water with me was just stupid. It lay back at my car waiting for my return.

I felt like this camel.... doesn't he look thirsty?! Oh wait, camels aren't stupid and actually DRINK ENOUGH WATER before trekking across wheat fields...I mean deserts.

I will NOT make that mistake again. I learned that 6 miles is definitely the length I can go without any hydration and that was a valuable lesson. Next time, I will have planted water or carried it with me for sure.

But I carried on, and for a few minutes I found myself actually just looking down at my feet. Saying "one foot in front of the other" and being amazed that they were still moving forward. It's a strange feeling knowing your body is kind of just moving forward in a routine motion and you almost feel as though you are disconnected from it.

Finally, mile 7 was reached!!! I heard the GPS tell me so! I think about when I hit 6 miles and kept thinking how will I ever make 7 and then it just... happened. So I suppose that is how I will continue on. Mile 8 will come next and for now that is enough for me to think about. Though I must admit, that 1/2 marathon thought is definitely in my head!

So there it is, my personal win. For that I am proud, because I didn't quit even when I didn't make good choices like camels most certainly always do. :)

Happy Running!

 

Today, my run mattered....

It mattered for this little guy!

Okay, so not this PARTICULAR frog. But clearly they were related because they look like twins! :) So that should matter even more because I saved a valued family member!

Today I saved his life and that made me smile. Yes, go ahead. I can hear the sighs. "Oh Meg, he's just a frog." but really...he was literally about to leap into the path of an oncoming truck! But I intervened, and Mr. Frog went on his merry way. Now, "Frog Hero" can be added to my contributions to the world.

This made me happy, I liked to picture him swimming home, hopping into his little frog hut. Where certainly Mrs. frog had cooked a delightful fly pie....yes, these are the things that come into my mind as I cruise along. Scary, I know. For those who know me well you know how far my imagination can take me :)

Anyway, my run really DID matter today and not just for Mr. Frog! It gave me such a great time to reflect on the 10K race I ran this past weekend and it made me just plain content. The picture below is of  me finishing a satisfying 6.2 miles in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 33 seconds. Not too shabby for my first official 10K and I was proud of that.

Ah yes... and here are my lovely supporters/photographers the Gilbert Family! How great it was to have them there. Steph, Kellen, and Tom were fantastic cheerers! THANK YOU to them for putting me up the night before and being there the day of.


I also have to thank all the wonderful people in my life who wished me well,  and gave donations. Perhaps the highlight was finding out that my own husband and father had wagered a six pack of beer over my finishing time.... classy, I know. Yes, Dad won. So he is proudly waiting for his prize :)

Today I ran just to run, and I love that feeling. I didn't care how far I went, I just went.

The music was playing and my feet were moving, and that MATTERED. I love these days, because any stress or anxiety that comes into my head just flows away. It is possibly the best feeling of control and freedom at the same time. Something I don't find anywhere else.

I don't really know how far I went today, I guess if I sat and figured it out probably somewhere between 2 and 3 miles but it was just great.

"I just felt happy, and that mattered."

So I guess things worth doing are sometimes hard, and sometimes wonderful, but the truth of it is that in  the end it all truly matters. It matters to reach a goal, to fail to make you stronger, or simply produce a wonderful few minutes free of stress or worry. For all those experiences, I am thankful.

Happy Running!

 

Meg Runs for Lola!!!

Hey all, so it's official...I signed up for the Rochester, NY race the "Fast and the Furriest" 10K which will benefit the Verona Street Animal Shelter. I decided TODAY after realizing I could make the trip happen. So...

I'm running for Lola!

 or rather for dogs and cats that were once where Lola was....In a shelter waiting to be loved!

This particular Shelter worked with the Rochester City area to provide a safe place for stray pets to wait for their FUREVER homes!

For those of you who don't know Lola's Story, she was dumped in a shelter in Tennessee before being taken by  Belly Rubs Basset Rescue. She then was transferred after two years with her wonderful foster mom up to ABC Basset Rescue of Rochester in hopes she could find her furever home. That is where she found me....brought to Suburban Animal Hospital (which may I plug now as a wonderful place, with WONDERFUL people) as a boarder until she could be fostered again. But Lola picked me, crawled into my lap and the rest is history...

 Soul basset is found :)

So that is "Lola's True Hollywood 30 second story" and why I am passionate about adopting and helping shelter animals. Please always consider the love a shelter animal can provide!

So can you help support Lola and I with a donation? If so, please click HERE and it should take you to my fundraising page. Please remember: NO amount is too little. EVERY dollar counts!

Thanks so much! If you want more information about the event you can go to Fast and the Furriest

update: It's been brought to my attention that when you go to my fundraiser page there is a $10.00 minimum, if you can help wonderful, if not right now no worries.  Also, there is an "optional $1.00-2.00 add on fee which you CAN remove if you click on the optional fee words at the bottom. Just wanted to let everyone know as I know not everyone is best friends with their computer :)


Happy Running!

Oh morning run.....

Well, my eyes shot open at 5:30 with my mind immediately swirling with thoughts, which is usually not the norm for me in the morning. I decided that since it was supposed to hit 90 degrees today, perhaps I should get my run in before I became a puddle of my former self in the afternoon heat...

So, being as though I am NOT a morning runner I figured I would give this a whirl, "I"m sure it will be fine!" I thought to myself as I slipped out of bed, put on the running clothes and sat down to get a quick oatmeal breakfast in and maybe 1/2 a cup of coffee. Let's be clear: I've become my mother's daughter and without the coffee in the morning I morph into a version of Meg that clearly isn't pretty, I think I may even develop horns and breath fire at times. I feel like this gentlemen inside:

http://community.imaginefx.com

So onward I went, once I put my caffeine monster to rest. I decided today to do a "fun run" at Solomon's Island! What can be better than waking up, looking at the water and feeling the gentle breeze as cruise along the beautiful sites of the area?!  IT WASN'T FUN...

Okay, maybe that was a little bit of a strong statement, I DID enjoy parts of the run and the scenery, etc... however my body didn't think it was fun to run at 6:45 in the morning. In fact, I think it was actually still sleeping. Each step was shocking to my legs this morning and I felt sluggish and tired. I blame the monster above! 

But as I continued, it did get better. I did find myself feeling accomplished about getting out so early in the morning and overall it turned into an okay workout. I expected when I left to maybe get a couple of miles in and feel good... 

What I got was probably 1.5 miles, then walking, then deciding to turn it into some interval speed runs (but only so I felt like I accomplished something) and then walking again. But it really showed me that every day is different. The 6 miles I ran Saturday, felt NOTHING like the couple I did today and that was okay.... because there will always be other days, better runs and worse runs, and all that counts is that I got out there at all. (Insert pat on back here) I was proud of my positive attitude today.

When I left this morning I decide I would try and take some photos on my "fun run" today so I've included a few of what I got.

AH, yes....this is the photo of where I started. Still thinking, "WOW! this is going to be great! little did I know that my legs weren't really on board with me yet...

That's more like it! about 4 minutes in...realizing this wasn't going to be as "fun" as I was hoping...haha. Flattering photo isn't it? The look on my face says it all.....

Then came the duck...to add insult to injury, he was SLEEPING!!! He clearly knew it was too early to be up and about, he never even blinked an eye as I ran by. Thanks duck.

BUT, it got better..

I met this lovely bird lady along my run who was spreading bread out all over the road. Guess what happened next? Insert in your mind a giant flock of sea gulls all around me squawking and eating. I must admit it made me giggle.

I love when I get to see this thing... It is literally wooden driftwood shaped into a sculpture of a horse, pretty sweet if you ask me...

*Sigh* This is what I WISH I was really doing.... looks pretty amazing right? But it certainly was a pretty view to run by...

Moral of the story? All runs are NOT created equal. Some surprise you in a good way, and some bring you sleeping ducks! (I was really jealous of that duck) However there is a silver lining to every run even if it means you just got to see some cool sailboats and run amongst a flock of crazy sea gulls.

Oh and P.S. I learned on my morning show today while listening on my run a random fact for the day: Did you know that you can opt to give birth with dolphins in a pool now?! REALLY? I didn't believe it, but I looked it up and here you go http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/28/woman-to-have-dolphin-assisted-birth/ There really is everything available in America....

Happy Running!

My inner "Forrest Gump"

I started thinking about creating this blog a couple of months ago. I think because I want to be able to share this with friends and family, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that the support and accountability won't continue to help me along the way. So I guess I see this as a two way street, and also a way to get my thoughts out and share the upcoming challenges of training for my goal.

I must start from the beginning in saying that I have always run in the past... sometimes a lot, sometimes not for months but I always find my way back to it after being introduced to cross country in the 9th grade.

In the past I think I always approached it as an "all or nothing" kind of activity. I would find myself running almost every day for awhile...or not at all. I felt that if I didn't run 5 or 6 days out of 7 then I had failed...... now I know this to be absolutely ridiculous.

The last couple of months I have FINALLY found a balance in this sport that makes me happy. I decided to start walking as I had allowed myself to lapse into months of not running again.When walking felt better, I picked up the jogging only this time I told myself I would  run until I felt like I didn't want to anymore. No more telling myself I was a failure if I didn't make a certain time or mileage and miraculously.... IT WORKED!  Every day I did decide to run  it got easier, I felt better, I made better food choices, which gave me more energy, which let me run further. 

 I like to think of it as my inner "Forrest Gump" coming out.

In fact, I am now running further and longer than I ever have. I think it's because I actually let myself enjoy and work hard at my own pace. It's been  a good balance of setting goals but then having days where I literally run just until I don't want to anymore. I find myself pushing the limits of what I thought was possible for me.

As of this past Saturday, I hit the 6 mile mark. A personal best for me. I ran all six miles in 1 hour and 3 minutes and it felt AMAZING. In the back of my head I've always wanted to accomplish a half marathon and I think I'm going to take the challenge on of training for one. With days where I just run "Forrest Gump" style of course!

 

It's official, I've decided to publish this.... *GULP!* I sat on it for two days thinking can I do this? Can I put this out there for other people to read? Granted I choose who to let know about this blog but there is always a chance that I could fail! I could fail to continue on this positive journey I've started, I could fail at training for a half marathon and then I realized......

WHO CARES!?

It does not matter if I achieve all things PERFECTLY and that is exactly the point. One turn in the right direction is a win and I realized that today. A friend of mine contacted me today and said the words that made any future running challenge seem reachable. "You have inspired me" Those four words felt as good as the day I reach my 6 mile mark because I realized that I was spreading some of the positive vibe that has lit a fire inside of me.  She went on to tell me that she decided to run again for the first time since September of 2011 and knowing that I offered her the motivation, and positive thoughts to lead her to this decision feels great. So "friend", YOU have inspired me... to be brave enough to share these thoughts and continue my journey despite whatever results prevail.

So who will you inspire today? 

Some days you'll just never realize that the words you say, the message you send can bring about change in unexpected places. 

 Happy Running!