It has almost been an entire week since I have trained and I am not happy about it. The hubby has started summer school, which starts at 7am. Sucks for me, because I will not run before 6am for safety reasons, I do not want to run the risk of being late and possibly jeopardize his job. So, my only option has been to run in the evening. However, I am trying to complete my first two MBA courses, which has taken up more of time night-time than I really cared for this week. So today was the first day I was truly free from my obligations to run in the evening. Now, added to all this, there is a heat wave in KCMO and I am no fool. I maybe able to face my fear of running in the rain, but I am not about to battle it with the sun.
Oh my! How my body has enjoyed this week of rest and have forgotten about training. I know that it can do better than what is gave me today. I walked more than I ran. However, I must say that I was really impressed with my lung capacity because I wasn't out of breath. What did me in for the short run, was the cramp in my side. It seems that no matter how early I try to eat, I keep getting these cramps in the evenings. But this cramp was not as bad as my first one last week. My legs wanted to give out after I ran 2 blocks. Truth be told, my mind was preoccupied with issues that I am dealing with in my life, which will soon be aided by glasses of wine. I am not to keen on consuming more calories than I burn, but I have yet to come across a better way of doing in than by by the glass or chocolate mouthful. Wine and chocolate, there is not better combo, other than wine and more wine. Yet, it was good to get out, work out, and clear my head.
On another note, I finally paid my marathon dues, which is a huge step, because as much as I hate running, I never thought I would be paying to do it. The Dia two years ago, would have much rather used that money for the club. Now, my next task to invest in a quality running shoe, that is of course on sale because this running is no paying full price for something I do not like to do in the first place. So I am planning on going to one of the running stores to get my stride evaluated to find the best shoe for my situation. Ultimately, I am looking for George Jetson shoes that will rocket me to the finish line. Hey, all I can do is hope.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Training Day 8
So my in laws are coming into town and I know that training will be harder to complete because I should be the gracious hostess. Truth be told, Martha Stewart has set that bar so high, I would like to meet any woman who has been able to meet it. Needless to say, I was extra motivated to go farther than my usual 2 miles. So I decided that tonight, after everyone was settled in, I would go for a 3 mile run. As usual, I did not run the entire course, but hey, I was happy that I was out running, which is rare.
I can see that I am building strength. But I am so impatient with results. Maybe my mind is warped from all this instant technology and gratification. Anything I want, I can have it in an instant in this life. I want cookies, I go to the store, I don't have to go through the entire hour of labor to get it. I want to be entertained, I have a TV and internet that will instantly offer laughs. I ultimately want to be able to achieve my goal quickly to start working on the new goal. My goal is to run 3 miles so that I may start working on running 5 miles, without stopping. I feel that I should be able to run 3 miles because I want it badly. However, I have to recognize the limitations of my body. After being sedentary for so long, I have to give it time to catch up with my heart's desire, which in makes my brain what to curse the rest of my body out. I always knew that this would not be an easy process and I am now truly facing the reality.
I can see that I am building strength. But I am so impatient with results. Maybe my mind is warped from all this instant technology and gratification. Anything I want, I can have it in an instant in this life. I want cookies, I go to the store, I don't have to go through the entire hour of labor to get it. I want to be entertained, I have a TV and internet that will instantly offer laughs. I ultimately want to be able to achieve my goal quickly to start working on the new goal. My goal is to run 3 miles so that I may start working on running 5 miles, without stopping. I feel that I should be able to run 3 miles because I want it badly. However, I have to recognize the limitations of my body. After being sedentary for so long, I have to give it time to catch up with my heart's desire, which in makes my brain what to curse the rest of my body out. I always knew that this would not be an easy process and I am now truly facing the reality.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Training Day 7
G-d rested on the 7th day...... and so did I. I know that I cannot run everyday like a mad woman without a day of rest sometime within the week. No one should as it is clearly stated in the good book. So I am taking a cue from the one above and resting. However, I am also using the day for some good. First my body is resting from all the abuse, I mean exercise it has been receiving over the past week. I can already notice that my legs are not sore and feel healthier, stronger, maybe a little sexier ;)
Second, I can already notice the improvements to my mood. Third, I can tell some other changes in me, like dedication, before I would never run in the rain and this week I did. I continue to struggle with waking up at the crack of dawn to eat and stretch 90 minutes before running. I was told that my blood pressure it perfect...what awesome news considering that high blood pressure does run in my family. Lastly, I went from barely running more than a block to being able to lightly jog more than 2 miles...who cares that I run slower than what I can walk! I ran farther than ever before and I actually enjoyed it. Maybe next week I will finally achieve that runner's high.
Second, I can already notice the improvements to my mood. Third, I can tell some other changes in me, like dedication, before I would never run in the rain and this week I did. I continue to struggle with waking up at the crack of dawn to eat and stretch 90 minutes before running. I was told that my blood pressure it perfect...what awesome news considering that high blood pressure does run in my family. Lastly, I went from barely running more than a block to being able to lightly jog more than 2 miles...who cares that I run slower than what I can walk! I ran farther than ever before and I actually enjoyed it. Maybe next week I will finally achieve that runner's high.
Training Day 6
I seemed to not have heard my alarm clock this morning. By the time I woke up, it was already too hot to run. My only option was to run in the evening.
Evening came and my hubby suggested that we make it a family affair. So he loaded our son into his stroller and they walked while I jogged beside them. As I jogged my usual 2.25 mile route, I finally understood what the running websites were talking about when they suggest beginners to jog lightly and that jogging lightly meant running light enough that you can hold a conversation with another person or sing happy birthday. Throughout my entire jog, I talked with my family....dare I might say that I enjoyed my jog :-0 I might also mentioned that I completed the 2.25 mile with one stop on that very steep hill....I can see that this will be an uphill battle.
Although I enjoyed the jog and that I was able to run farther than ever before, I did notice that it appeared that my light jog was as slow as a turtle and that I can probably walk faster than what I ran. But hey, I have to start somewhere. As I was running and we were talking about how slow I had to run to run such a long distance, we couldn't help but compare myself to that old famous fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, where slow and steady wins the race. At this time, I told the hubby, I am not looking to be first across the finish line. In fact I am aiming to be dead last across the finish line, at least that way I can say that I finished the race and didn't quit or drop out. So I will be the big, post pregnancy-weight, tortoise, getting my stories mixed up chanting "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,"running out there with all these other professional runners, aiming for dead last in this race...but to me it will be sweet victory as it will be my first completed half-marathon. That my friends, is something that I am really looking forward to.
On a positive note, my blood pressure is perfect and I am noticing certain articles of clothing are getting less snug...could it be weight-loss! I will let you know when I get to the next size down.
Evening came and my hubby suggested that we make it a family affair. So he loaded our son into his stroller and they walked while I jogged beside them. As I jogged my usual 2.25 mile route, I finally understood what the running websites were talking about when they suggest beginners to jog lightly and that jogging lightly meant running light enough that you can hold a conversation with another person or sing happy birthday. Throughout my entire jog, I talked with my family....dare I might say that I enjoyed my jog :-0 I might also mentioned that I completed the 2.25 mile with one stop on that very steep hill....I can see that this will be an uphill battle.
Although I enjoyed the jog and that I was able to run farther than ever before, I did notice that it appeared that my light jog was as slow as a turtle and that I can probably walk faster than what I ran. But hey, I have to start somewhere. As I was running and we were talking about how slow I had to run to run such a long distance, we couldn't help but compare myself to that old famous fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, where slow and steady wins the race. At this time, I told the hubby, I am not looking to be first across the finish line. In fact I am aiming to be dead last across the finish line, at least that way I can say that I finished the race and didn't quit or drop out. So I will be the big, post pregnancy-weight, tortoise, getting my stories mixed up chanting "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,"running out there with all these other professional runners, aiming for dead last in this race...but to me it will be sweet victory as it will be my first completed half-marathon. That my friends, is something that I am really looking forward to.
On a positive note, my blood pressure is perfect and I am noticing certain articles of clothing are getting less snug...could it be weight-loss! I will let you know when I get to the next size down.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Training Day 5
I woke up early today to run, foolishly on an empty stomach and no water in my system. I know it was foolish and I soon recognized how foolish this was because I marched my behind back home after 10 minutes.
So, I decided that I would try an evening run because I've never run in the evening and thought it would be smart for me to determine which time of the day I would enjoy running more. So about 90 minutes after dinner I decided to go running. I am running as light (whatever that means, as it is all a struggle) as I can and...OUCH, I have a cramp. I continue to walk through the pain, half of me wanting to return home, the other half wanting to complete the workout. I decided with the latter. I walked the entire 2.25 miles I had mapped out through the pain. It felt a little bittersweet because I planned to run the entire time and I simply could not do it because of the amount of pain. Yet, it was sweet because I took the time to really focus on my leg muscles and tried to get the most out of the workout.
I decided that I like running more in the morning than in the evening. Now, I have to try to coordinate a schedule that will allow me a snack and water well before my early morning run, and I am not a morning person. I knew this process would no be easy and that training would require regular sacrifices from me. So, I guess my first sacrifice would be sleeping in. "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man health, wealthy, and wise." I have heard this quote so many times in my life and rarely followed it. Maybe because I stay up late and sleep late, I have not made it to health or wealthy. This, I know for sure, I am willing to make the sacrifice to become health and make it across the half-marathon finish line. And if, G-d wants to throw in some wealth for my efforts, I will gladly accept it as an added bonus.
On a positive note, my legs are feeling better, almost rejuvenated. I have noticed my energy level increase. Some may say that I am spry and have a spring in my step. I can also tell that my mood has greatly increased and I feel more positive about things, more than I had in a long time. This new positive thinking is truly a gift because for many years I have suffered in silence with depression. I am welcoming the changes that running is giving me and I look forward to many more. Do I still hate running? Yes. Have I experienced that runner's high? No, but I will definitely need as I continue my training.
So, I decided that I would try an evening run because I've never run in the evening and thought it would be smart for me to determine which time of the day I would enjoy running more. So about 90 minutes after dinner I decided to go running. I am running as light (whatever that means, as it is all a struggle) as I can and...OUCH, I have a cramp. I continue to walk through the pain, half of me wanting to return home, the other half wanting to complete the workout. I decided with the latter. I walked the entire 2.25 miles I had mapped out through the pain. It felt a little bittersweet because I planned to run the entire time and I simply could not do it because of the amount of pain. Yet, it was sweet because I took the time to really focus on my leg muscles and tried to get the most out of the workout.
I decided that I like running more in the morning than in the evening. Now, I have to try to coordinate a schedule that will allow me a snack and water well before my early morning run, and I am not a morning person. I knew this process would no be easy and that training would require regular sacrifices from me. So, I guess my first sacrifice would be sleeping in. "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man health, wealthy, and wise." I have heard this quote so many times in my life and rarely followed it. Maybe because I stay up late and sleep late, I have not made it to health or wealthy. This, I know for sure, I am willing to make the sacrifice to become health and make it across the half-marathon finish line. And if, G-d wants to throw in some wealth for my efforts, I will gladly accept it as an added bonus.
On a positive note, my legs are feeling better, almost rejuvenated. I have noticed my energy level increase. Some may say that I am spry and have a spring in my step. I can also tell that my mood has greatly increased and I feel more positive about things, more than I had in a long time. This new positive thinking is truly a gift because for many years I have suffered in silence with depression. I am welcoming the changes that running is giving me and I look forward to many more. Do I still hate running? Yes. Have I experienced that runner's high? No, but I will definitely need as I continue my training.
Training Day 4
As I am so new to running, I have decided that I should study the sport, like I would study anything else that I want to get into. So I have spent much of my morning researching how to run, running for beginners, and an appropriate training schedule for me to follow to get me ready for the marathon. What I discovered was this:
Second, I was socked that I was instructed on many sites that I should be running 3 miles for my long-distance run this week, while the rest of the week I should have been running between 2 to 2.5 miles. However, the most shocking advice I received was this: while running the long distance portion this week, I should be running light enough to hold a conversation with someone, or being able to sing the Happy Birthday song. It seems to me, it doesn't matter how "light" I am running, I am always out of breath. I am trying to conserve my energy to survive the run, not trying to hold conversation with people...and I am for sure not trying to sing during this time. Maybe, after I run some more, I will understand what they are talking about...but for now this is a concept I cannot seem to grasp.
Either way I ran/walked the 3 miles in about 1 hour. It felt good to accomplish this goal this week. I am looking forward to the time when I can actually run through the entire workout.
- I should be eating a small snack 90 minutes before running
- I should be drinking a few glasses of water 90 minutes before running
- For my first week I should be running 3 miles as my long-distance run.
Second, I was socked that I was instructed on many sites that I should be running 3 miles for my long-distance run this week, while the rest of the week I should have been running between 2 to 2.5 miles. However, the most shocking advice I received was this: while running the long distance portion this week, I should be running light enough to hold a conversation with someone, or being able to sing the Happy Birthday song. It seems to me, it doesn't matter how "light" I am running, I am always out of breath. I am trying to conserve my energy to survive the run, not trying to hold conversation with people...and I am for sure not trying to sing during this time. Maybe, after I run some more, I will understand what they are talking about...but for now this is a concept I cannot seem to grasp.
Either way I ran/walked the 3 miles in about 1 hour. It felt good to accomplish this goal this week. I am looking forward to the time when I can actually run through the entire workout.
Training Day 3
Day 3 - My legs hurt. I guess it is that "good" pain people are always talking about after having a "good" workout. Either way my legs hurt and I feel like when I sit, I cannot get up because they hurt so bad. Therefore, today's training will consist of a lot of BenGay and gardening.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Training Day 2!
Yesterday I went running/walking at Loose Park. I walked more than I ran, but I felt like I accomplished a small goal of getting out of bed and begin exercising, instead of my usual of getting out of bed and finding something to eat.
Today, it was raining. Before committing to this half-marathon, I used rain as an excuse to get out of any physical activity, especially for being a Black woman. Lucky for me, my hair is curly and I didn't have to worry about my hair being a hot mess after having it rained on. Today, I became one of those "crazies" running in the rain that I have always secretly admired and thought were a little loco. But I have come to have a healthy understanding of why they run in the rain....if you run in the rain you will remain cool. Such a novel idea I never thought of. Today I have already noticed that I can run farther than I had yesterday. However, hills continue to be a huge obstacle for me that I will need to continue working on.
By the way - I am starting out in a size 16. I will get my measurements when I regain my energy to take them. I am very interested is seeing how this will continue to change during my journey and will keep you all updated as well.
Today, it was raining. Before committing to this half-marathon, I used rain as an excuse to get out of any physical activity, especially for being a Black woman. Lucky for me, my hair is curly and I didn't have to worry about my hair being a hot mess after having it rained on. Today, I became one of those "crazies" running in the rain that I have always secretly admired and thought were a little loco. But I have come to have a healthy understanding of why they run in the rain....if you run in the rain you will remain cool. Such a novel idea I never thought of. Today I have already noticed that I can run farther than I had yesterday. However, hills continue to be a huge obstacle for me that I will need to continue working on.
By the way - I am starting out in a size 16. I will get my measurements when I regain my energy to take them. I am very interested is seeing how this will continue to change during my journey and will keep you all updated as well.
What did I get myself in to?
Hi! Welcome to my blog. My name is Dia. I live in Kansas City with my family. I am so happy that you decided to come to my blog and learn more about my journey from being an admitted couch potato to running the half-marathon in 4 months.
Well how did this all start? Well I have almost always been a couch potato and my body showed it. All my life I have either been overweight or obese. The smallest clothing size I've was ever able to fit into was a size 10 and this was after many years of weight watchers and gym memberships. Like many people with weight problems, I was, and probably still am, insecure about the way I look because I have been treated differently, and at times cruelly, because of my weight.
So, I am 6 months away from my 30th birthday...and let's say that I am experiencing something of a midlife crisis. I've realized that I just blew through my 20s not accomplishing many goals I set in my early 20s, one of them being running. Along with all the health benefits, I have heard of people getting that "runner's high" and actually enjoying running. I thought that if I ran enough, then maybe I would be able to achieve these results too....along with an amazing runner's body.
The problem was, I hated running! I still do. I wanted the results without doing the work, which by the way doesn't work in life. The only running I did was to the refrigerator!
So, one night I was at a neighbor's house cooking dinner for all the families when she spoke about her plans to run in the Kansas City 10K and asked if I would like to join her. I immediately thought it was a great idea and told her I would love to join her. Only to find out that this race did not have a 10K...they had a 5K or a half marathon and she was signing up for the half marathon. Well, I didn't want to been seen as weak, so, I joined in and agreed to do it, not realizing that a half-marathon is 13.1 miles!
Now, I am training for the half-marathon and though this would be a great way to finally get into the shape I've always wanted to be in before I turned 30. Along with that thought, I thought that this blog would be a great way to jot my thoughts about running, the good and the bad, and hopefully encourage others who are facing a challenge in life they would like to overcome.
That is the story about me, my life, and my situation. I am looking forward to running across the finish line of this half-marathon and sharing my journey to everyone who is interested in learning how a couch potato is training to complete a half-marathon.
Well how did this all start? Well I have almost always been a couch potato and my body showed it. All my life I have either been overweight or obese. The smallest clothing size I've was ever able to fit into was a size 10 and this was after many years of weight watchers and gym memberships. Like many people with weight problems, I was, and probably still am, insecure about the way I look because I have been treated differently, and at times cruelly, because of my weight.
So, I am 6 months away from my 30th birthday...and let's say that I am experiencing something of a midlife crisis. I've realized that I just blew through my 20s not accomplishing many goals I set in my early 20s, one of them being running. Along with all the health benefits, I have heard of people getting that "runner's high" and actually enjoying running. I thought that if I ran enough, then maybe I would be able to achieve these results too....along with an amazing runner's body.
The problem was, I hated running! I still do. I wanted the results without doing the work, which by the way doesn't work in life. The only running I did was to the refrigerator!
So, one night I was at a neighbor's house cooking dinner for all the families when she spoke about her plans to run in the Kansas City 10K and asked if I would like to join her. I immediately thought it was a great idea and told her I would love to join her. Only to find out that this race did not have a 10K...they had a 5K or a half marathon and she was signing up for the half marathon. Well, I didn't want to been seen as weak, so, I joined in and agreed to do it, not realizing that a half-marathon is 13.1 miles!
Now, I am training for the half-marathon and though this would be a great way to finally get into the shape I've always wanted to be in before I turned 30. Along with that thought, I thought that this blog would be a great way to jot my thoughts about running, the good and the bad, and hopefully encourage others who are facing a challenge in life they would like to overcome.
That is the story about me, my life, and my situation. I am looking forward to running across the finish line of this half-marathon and sharing my journey to everyone who is interested in learning how a couch potato is training to complete a half-marathon.
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