Day 3 - Pizza and Wine?!

Ah...rest.  On rest days I'm usually preparing for my next run.  Probably tomorrow (Thursday) and may have to be back on the treadmill - booo!  Today would have been a good day for a run and I'm bummed I'm "wasting" sunshine and 50 degrees on resting!  Such is the life of a runner.

My running partner also has a rest day which means we had more time to make dinner together.  Here is what "rest" looks like at our house:

PIZZA AND WINE?!  First off, that pizza is made with a cauliflower crust and is pure veggies (and some mozzerella cheese for protein).  Here's the recipe and it's delish!  Husband tells me I need the antioxidents in wine so it's all good...

Though we are not "running together", Husband is also training for the Borgess Half.  We are not the same type of runner so he is doing a different training plan which involves easy runs, tempo runs, intervals and long runs.  I'm just trying to keep my legs moving for all my miles!  Having someone around to push me is what really matters.  Someone who askes how my run was, tells me to get my run on and encourages me to do my best is all I really need.  Plus, it's kind of fun to literally kick him out of bed to get on the treadmill in the morning.  Here's another photo that motivates me - my sister and husband standing around for over 2 hours waiting for me to cross the finish line at my first half (note, Sister did a half before either of us and I wish I would have been there and Husband will accomplish in May):

Day 3 - no almost hits or waves due to REST

Day 2 - Additional Motivation

I had no intentions of running today - going to rest.  However, all day the sun was shining, snow was melting and I was convincing myself it'd be a great day for run number two this week of 4 miles.  I checked the hourly weather around 1:30 to see that it was going to cloud up right around 4:00 which is when I'd be ready for my run.  Awesome, thanks again, Mother Nature!

But, being in training I know I have a certain number of runs and a certain number of miles to do each week.  I wanted to run so a little cloud cover and slight breeze wasn't going to stop me.

Yesterday I had my snailmail as motivation.  Today I received a text from a faraway friend reading this, "so I was thinking that since you are running the half marathon on my bday and since I am a GOTR supporter that one particular mile should be run in my honor!"  WHAT A FABULOUS IDEA!  I already have my SoleMate participation driving me but how awesome will it be when I reach Mile X (likely 9 or 10) and think to myself, Happy Birthday, Friend - this mile's for you!

Today I uploaded my snailmail donation and a donation of $100.00 which I've collected from pop cans and spare change over the past couple weeks.  Believe me when I say a little bit goes a long way!  Another way I'm currently raising money is through a March Madness Bracket.  Don't tell me you don't like picking teams, watching games and hoping you win big because everyone does!  If interested the link's below to sign up, $10 entry fee and $2 of each entry goes to Girls on the Run with the other $8 of each entry being paid out in winnings!  Plus, I know a lot of my friends are Spartan fans and there's a big game on later tonight!

March Madness Bracket - password is "gotr2012"

Day 2 - number of vehicles that almost hit me - 1, apparently he had to pull out of the drive as I was ready to cross it and couldn't wait 7 seconds for me to pass

Day 2 - number of vehicles I gave the wave to because they waited for me - 2, THANK YOU!

Day 1 - The Dreaded Treadmill

I hate running.  Well, I used to hate running - now I do it to stay in shape and feel good about myself.  A couple years ago my cousin, who I grew up with, went to high school AND college with (so he knew me PRETTY well) said, "when did you become a runner?"  My simple answer was, "when I stopped having friends around all the time to play with."  Seriously, anything that was NOT running was my favorite...volleyball, softball, basketball, dodgeball.  I know they all include running, but they are not focused around being good at running.

After a successful 2010 where I got married, dropped almost 30 pounds, and ran my first half marathon, I got a little bored.  In 2011 I thought I could run the Borgess Half Marathon and started training, but it didn't work out.  Admitting that you can not do what you said you were going to do is tough, but accepting it and moving on is usually better.  I bit off more than I could chew and had a lot of pain as I started running.  Although half marathon number 2 did not come in 2011, I did run the 10K at the Kalamazoo Klassic and ran my first 5-mile race at the Schoolcraft Firecracker 5-Miler.

Instead I focused my energy on assistant coaching Girls on the Run - an AMAZING program devoted to teaching girls confidence, how to live a healthy lifestyle and training toward the end goal of completing a 5K.  Running with those girls each day touched me and knowing they just needed someone to listen to them and understand them motivated me.

This year my sister encouraged me to be a Solemate.  I committed to running the Borgess Half Marathon that will be held on Sunday May 6 in Kalamazoo to help raise funds for GOTR.  No girl is turned away from this program, even if their families can not afford it.  During a data entry volunteer day I noticed how many girls want to participate, and are able to, because of donations raised by the Solemates.

Today was my first official day of my 10-week training plan.  It's been an awesome winter and I've run a lot of miles outside.  Of couse three days ago Mother Nature dumped snow on us and decided to initiate 30 mph gusts of wind today.  So, Day One of training was spent on the treadmill watching The Help which I can barely hear over the noise of the treadmill.  But I ran three miles nonstop (not a huge deal, except on a treadmill) and I'm proud of myself.  My biggest motivation was a GOTR donation I received via snailmail from an old high school friend with a heart-felt note that brought a few tears to my eyes.  It's now posted in the room with the treadmill to motivate me even more on cruddy days stuck inside.

Today I share with you my goals for my SECOND Half Marathon, a short 10 weeks away:

1) Raise at least $1000 for GOTR
2) Run the entire time
3) Cross the finish line sprinting with a smile on my face
4) Beat my time of 2:10:44 set at my 2010 half

Of the four goals listed, the fourth is definitely a stretch.  The Grand Rapids Half Marathon which I completed in 2010 is much flatter than the Borgess I'll run in May.  However, my training will be slightly different and the atmosphere will be amazing being in my "hometown" - besides, goals should be something we SHOOT for, not something we know we can easily attain.

I'm excited to share these next 10 weeks as I document my training, my successes, and undoubtly my disappointments.  But at the end of it I'll know I completed another tremendous milestone and raised money for an awesome cause.

Day 1 - number of vehicles that almost hit me - 0, I was on a treadmill