That Curl can RUN!

Last week was the week after my first race. Getting back out on the running path was harder than I could have imagined. I only made it out one day! Thursday the temperature dropped and we are starting our days with temps in the 30s. The sun sets around 6:30 and after next Sunday it will set around 5:30; I get home from work at 5:30. Uber-boo. Today i'm optimistic that I can get moving again. I may have to head to the gym and run on the deadmill treadmill. Regardless, I must get back back to it. I started this a.m. off right with my version of black forrest oatmeal. Quick oats, a little brown sugar, chocolate chips and dried cranberries. I'm on a no-caffeine kick right now, and a little jerked that chocolate has caffeine in it, buuuut I'll just have to deal with the little amount. Yummy Black Forrest-ish oatmeal I need to run to get out all this anger from a really bad football weekend. My Sooners lost, my 'Boys lost, I forgot to switch out a QB on ...

I'm sure I had 1500-1600 fans check in for my daily news. But, I don't have any! Today was the first cold day here in my neck of the woods. I strongly dislike cold weather. I was unprepared. So, in my regular fashion I sulked, I whined, I complained. I decided to not run. I also decided to make homemade pizza, which I burned due to long-term whine-baggin' on the couch. Hurumph. Maybe tomorrow... Night!

Yeowza! I trained daily for 3 months doing only 1.6 miles per day, TOPS, then ran a 5k in 37:53. But today! Today, I tried 2 whole miles as training. Just 2! And....D.I.E.D. I am d-e-a-d, dead. Geez running is tough. That next 5k better buy me a present when i'm done, cuz this is gonna be hard. What was your first "wall"? Did you get up to 5-6 miles before it was tough? Or like me, have you been struggling to earn every tenth?

Since I'm not a super blogger (yet), I'm having trouble adding a widget...or a gadget..? A thing. So head on over to www.runeatrepeat.com and join the Pile on the Miles challenge that she is offering up. As runners we need to encourage each other, and RER is top notch at this! Sign in, add your info, and run the challenge with me! ...and if you figure out how to get that darn gidget code to work for you, comment and let me know. Tonight, I'm headed back out on the road to get back into my training. How many miles are you running tonight?

Today was a no-run day. After doing my first race on Saturday,  I was extremely tired yesterday and napped. I ne ver nap. So, that just shows me that a 5k is a real physical event, and i'm not as tough as I thought. Tomorrow it's back to the pavement. I need to look into some new shoes, and maybe some fun extra gear. I'm thinking about Mizunos. And for fun, maybe some compression socks and maybe a SPIbelt. What do you think?

5k #1 down! ORF and I completed our main street 5k a few hours ago. We were not the fastest, but, we finished strong, together, and running. 100% of the course run. 100% of the effort put in. 100% of the glory to God. He gives me strength when I have none. Many of the blogs I follow mention the volunteers in their race recaps. Now I see why. They make a difference! Ours were ready with the water/gatorade. Ready with the signs, applause, cheers, encouragement, directions. Ready with the juice and fruit, burritos, muffins...everything! Thank you volunteers!! Nothing compares to that final corner and seeing the finish line. Now, on to 5k #2, #3, and then a 10k, a half, and maybe a full. Couldn't have done it without ORT and the support of friends and family. Or without the encouragement from other runner blogs. And God!

Preparing for my first 'real' 5K has brought a lot of emotion and mental fighting. I know that I know that I know I can run 3.1 miles. But I also know that my body hasn't been able to get me there all on its own. Usually it is worn out by 1.5 - 2 miles. Even today, 24 hrs from the race, I haven't gone over 2 miles. I have been back and forth with frustration and joy. I have felt successful at 1.5, and I've felt like a failure at 1.5. Last night other running girl and I went for our last pre-race, regular route jog. We did 1.6, like normal. But when we got done, we felt like we could have run a million more! That gave me hope for tomorrow. Hope that I can do the entire 3.1. I'll have my running buddy with me to push me, I'll have 600+ other runners inspiring me, and God will be carrying me mile by mile...by mile. There are only 3, so it should work out. :) Press on runners. Press on!

I guess I should actually talk about running, since I have decided to make this my running blog. Running has always been a goal of mine, but i was unable to commit. Over the last year I have started, stopped, started, stopped, started, ...you get the idea. Enter August 2012. I commited to run every day that I could stand up and put my shorts on. Or, like some days, my tennis skort that never got any use...because I quit playing tennis. Go figure. Oklahoma is suuuuuuuuper hot in August, but, that's just too bad. Shoes on. Hair up. D.O. for my B.O. And GO! I started by just walking what I thought was a 2 mile loop through a neighborhood, with a big downhill/uphill dip right in the middle of it. After a week or so I made small goals to start running here, stop running there, etc. After 2.5 months, I can run the entire loop, without stopping or dying. ....and then I found out it is only 1.6 miles. *blank stare* Great. Well, at least I can do that, and I have to run uphill,...