From fat to Coast to Coast - Challenging myself

[flvy]

I just edited the crap out of this. (1/15/16)

Here's a little redone introduction...

Since I was little I always wanted to be a runner. It's still hard for me to say I'm a runner even though I go out, get it done, and have completed a race. I was never super athletic, a fact my family still will tease me over. I have casually ran a mile here or there for years, but never signed up for a race.

Last year was a slap in the face running wise. I agreed to sign up for Wine and Dine (W&D) on a whim, and just jumped into the pool head first. Whelp I trained hard, went to Disney in May and lost track of myself. I did a 10k that looking back was embarrassing, but I finished. I started training again, and tried to make some positive changes in my life. One was putting my 6 year relationship on a break because it didn't fit another persons standard of what a relationship should be. I lost track again when stress and honestly depression got the best of me. People were pointing out how I wasn't happy and seemed very different. I tried to keep it to myself, but looking back wasn't so successful. By late summer, after an unexpected move and getting my relationship going again I was back on track, but pushing it too far. I got pressured into a 10k I shouldn't have ran and ended up hurt, upset, and frustrated. That was also the final catalyst that caused a very important relationship of mine to implode which has had lasting negative effects. So, there I was a few months from W&D at a low in my life. I manned up, trained and got as far as a 6 mile run on a treadmill under the watchful eye of a physical therapist before leaving for Florida. I was stressed, miserable, and running under trained. I didn't enjoy any of that vacation except for the few days I was there post race. I was there to prove something to people that didn't actually matter, and that can never end well because there is always an empty outcome.

W&D ended up being amazing. Just like my first trip to Disney in May gave me a different perspective so did my first race in Disney. I'm not going to lie the race being cut short was a gift. We had no idea how long the race was till days later, but I mentally knew that less than 13.1 was doable. I went out and got it done. My shin splits were awful because my legs just weren't used to pavement, and the first mile was a joke. I accepted that I might be swept, but pushed anyway. I got to the Osborne lights and realized I couldn't be swept. That's where I cried during that race. I stood on the side of the street, and just lost it a little bit. Finishing that race made me realize running is individual. It's for me, it's not to compete. I'm not a let me be fastest kind of person, I eventually want to go furthest though. That's the fun of running we all want different things for different reasons.

So this is my training journal which will go beyond the c2c medal that I'll be earning in May. I have work to put in and weight to lose, and mental stuff to work through, but I'm ready for it.

2016 Race Schedule so far...

Hyannis Half - Feb 28th (first half!)

Dark Side Half - April 17th

Tinkerbell Half - May 8th

Newport 10 miler - June 5th

B.A.A 10k - June 26th (redemption race)

 

[Ariel484]

You got this. I'm training for GSC and Tink weekend too. Gotta get that pink C2C!

Posting here helps with consistency for sure. There's a great group of people here. Welcome!!

 

[Keels]

Yay! I'm doing W&D in a couple of weeks, as well as going for my Pink C2C in 2016 too!

You've got this! Can't wait to celebrate with you at the Finish Line Party! When do you get here? If you're looking for a park buddy, I've been in Orlando since Monday and I'm always down for a little park touring.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Here's a little introduction...

Since I was little I always wanted to be a runner. It's still hard for me to say I'm a runner even though I go out, get it done, and have completed a race. I was never super athletic, a fact my family still will tease me over, and I have no idea how I caught the running bug. I do really love it, and it's incredibly therapeutic for me.

So where's the challenge? I suck at being consistent. I cannot for the life of me stick to a plan, then I over compensate and get hurt. After getting hurt I'll procrastinate getting back out there. It's not exactly the best way to go about things. I also have about 50-70 extra pounds hanging out on my body that I need to get rid of.

There is also this little thing about support. I don't really have any. I'm a solo traveler, and while I have friends and a significant other a lot of this is just me motivating me because they don't get it.

The challenge

• Follow training schedule - Simple but not so simple at the same time.
• Healthy weight loss - Food and I do not have the best relationship.

Races

• Wine and Dine 2015 - I just want to finish
• Glass Slipper Challenge 2016 - Be ready and hopefully 20-30 lbs of weight loss by then
• Tinkerbell Half Marathon 2016 - Crush it and get that pink coast to coast medal
• 2016 B.A.A medley - Which is a 5k, 10k, and half marathon spread out over the course of the year honestly I just want a whole bunch of unicorns.
• 5k Fun runs - because it is supposed to be fun

I'm going to have to think of some rewards and some longer term goals.

I recently took up running about 6 months ago and also have about 50-70 lbs to lose. I am struggling too. I am signed for for the princess 10k and Tinker Bell half. If you wanna do something like we make goals weekly like by pace or lbs or something I am up to train with you

 

[flvy]

You got this. I'm training for GSC and Tink weekend too. Gotta get that pink C2C!

Posting here helps with consistency for sure. There's a great group of people here. Welcome!!

Yes because honestly why not get that pink coast to coast. Knowing my luck if I put it off they'd take it away the year I could do it. Plus I covet that glass slipper medal. I have since day one haha.

Yay! I'm doing W&D in a couple of weeks, as well as going for my Pink C2C in 2016 too!

You've got this! Can't wait to celebrate with you at the Finish Line Party! When do you get here? If you're looking for a park buddy, I've been in Orlando since Monday and I'm always down for a little park touring.

You have amazing taste for races if I do say so myself haha! I get to DL late on the 4th and I'm leaving the 12th. I had to stretch it through my birthday on the 10th! I'm always down for new friends, and you'll be able to find me post race. I'll be the one sitting with a drink in one hand and the medal in the other not knowing what to do with myself!

I recently took up running about 6 months ago and also have about 50-70 lbs to lose. I am struggling too. I am signed for for the princess 10k and Tinker Bell half. If you wanna do something like we make goals weekly like by pace or lbs or something I am up to train with you

I wouldn't even know where to start. I think that's a lot of my issue. I've committed myself to the Galloway training for the GSC. I'd love to do this with you though and check in even if it's just the weight loss. Accountability and cheer leading are always a great combo!!

 

[flvy]

Training
I had actually planned on running this morning but realized I had only missed a few runs from Galloway's GSC training program. So I decided that tomorrow I'll just pick it up with the 3 mile run, and just enjoy myself. I'm going to do it at my normal 1/1:30 interval which is such a silly comfort zone for me.

Food
I'm still eating left over Chinese. I just refuse to throw it away. Going into next week I'm really going to focus on making my morning meal and my meal at work the biggest, and packing snacks. I'm so bad at actually eating. I can't use a calorie tracker either because I'll get a little too focused on the numbers. I need to eat to run and live and be healthy. I also need an iron and calcium supplement.

 

[flvy]

Last night I had the fun reminder that in order to run I need to take care of myself. I can't go out at midnight slightly exhausted and run on around 650 calories for the day. I did a mile and my head was like NOPE! So I got onto the bike and did about 5.25 miles.

Today I'm resting (working), hydrating, and getting lunches ready for the week. I also plan on a good nights sleep.

Running. I forgot it made me take care of myself. Not exactly a bad thing.

 

[flvy]

Much better run this morning. I just went for 45 min per the GSC training (which I'm having an awful time with travel agents over). I'm counting this as my taper for W&D. My legs felt great, and still do, but as I expressed in the W&D thread I was lucky enough to throw up all my water from the run. Yay!

I feel great though, and my eating as been on point. Weigh in Saturday!!

 

[flvy]

So this was started a little too soon. I needed my Wine and Dine weekend before the real work started. I'm sure anyone interested in the Wine and Dine weekend has taken a look at the thread and noted that it was a bit of a mess. Of course it was still fun and amazing. I do not regret for a second that it was my first Disney race and it sure hasn't deterred me from more Disney races at all. I cannot wait for Tink, and I'm 100% signing up for Dark Side shortly.

To keep myself on track I'll be doing a half marathon at the end of February. That should be very interesting in Mass. I'm honestly not looking forward to training through the winter outside, but I need to. The training I did, post injury, inside for Wine and Dine led to awful shin splints for the first two miles of W&D.

Saturday I'll be creating my spreadsheet with my next training cycle and it'll be starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I could not be more excited. I've had some interpersonal drama around running, and I'm so very happy to finally have it be all about me. There is honestly nothing like the feeling you get after finishing a course. There is no better drug than that feeling of accomplishment and pride. Which is why I'll be freezing my butt off all winter (hopefully literally)

That Sunday will also start a new focus on my weight loss. I want to feel better more than be thinner, but being thinner will help my running. So for the first few months I'll be looking at around a 10lb weight loss monthly. I'm not looking forward to tracking my intake or my weight but it's needed.

I am focused and I am excited.

 

[flvy]

I let this kind of go by the wayside because I thought my C2C dreams were dashed. A few things have happened recently making them a possibility again. Just not in the pink I wanted. You make plans and they change. This is life. I wanted to do Tink and Princess, but Tink and Darkside is an amazing "compromise". I've never been good with planning things anyway. I tend to get ideas that logic or financial reasons float away.

Training has been going well. I love running outside and in bad weather. It almost makes it more fun, and it's obviously much more of a challenge to get it done. Only almost because running in cold rain isn't exactly fun. My pace isn't the fastest but the miles are on my feet which is an amazing feeling. My food hasn't been as good, but it's getting there now. Stopping to take care of myself is still an issue for me. Food is still the biggest one.

I have an extra fire right now to push myself even harder after randomly stumbling across some very negative statements, and even conversations about me. While a part of me would like to exacerbate the situation and post some of my own observations about that person I'm just going to leave it alone. I didn't care to know who you were sooner and now that I do I'm just disappointed in the person you've proven to be.

And now I'm off for a Christmas easy run. It's honestly a beautiful day outside, and there is no better way to enjoy a nice day than hitting the road!

 

[flvy]

"People too weak to follow their own dreams will always find a way to discourage yours."​

Today's run

Basically 60 is my perfect running temp and it was amazing to be running in capris and a tee shirt on Christmas in the Northeast! There's normally snow, and I've been running with gloves on the last few days. So the negatives, I was without a doubt dehydrated. It caused some side stitches, and my throat to hurt. I think I'm still scared of/off about hydrating after that whole puking up water incident. Fuel might have been off as well because when I was rounding in on the half hour mark the fatigue really started to hit me. I had to work on my posture a lot as well. All that made me a lot slower than I would have liked. I was dragging on my walk breaks towards the end. That's what this is for though so I can recognize what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it for future runs. All things said and done it wasn't a bad run at all. The first mile of any run remains the worst thing on earth though. My legs really need to get with the program sooner, .34 miles is just dooooooom. I just need to look up and listen for those beeps from my watch!

I'm loving the info I'm getting from my garmin and the garmin connect site. I've been slowly moving all my training over to that calendar seeing as I already messed up days when trying to keep track through a google doc. I need to be good with a half coming up the end of February, and with my luck I'm sure there will be a foot of snow on the ground.

 

[flvy]

​

Today's Run

It was so cold. I need more winter gear asap. Though running in the cold does motivate me to go faster to warm up. I did put off my LR from Sunday because of bad weather in the morning and just not wanting to run in the gym. Taking the extra day is allowing me to avoid some bad weather tomorrow as well so I guess it all works out. If I'm not at least a little flexible it'll all drive me crazy.

My 3 miles went well I felt fine after. The cold wrecked my throat a little and I was coughing randomly for awhile after. Time for a bandit or something similar. Mile one was still just as awful as it gets. Then the second and third just got better and better. I guess I should be thankful That my warm up is around a mile/mile and a half. I just need to get back into longer runs again. I don't want to push too much too soon though. I think today in the 27 degree weather was a good tell for what the half I'm doing in Feb is going to feel like. Fingers crossed for no crappy weather.

I did get Christmas today though. My family shipped some stuff to me which was very unexpected. So I'm currently hanging out in my new mickey bathrobe and looking forward to playing with my new blender tomorrow.

I also officially booked Hojo's for Tinkerbell. It's all starting to get real now even with over 100 days left!!! So excited!

 

[flvy]

"Do things for you. Don't stick around waiting for them, don't give up your all for them because I guarantee you they will leave."
​

Today's Run

Nope. Big ol' NOPE. It felt awful. I've been complaining about a bad first mile for all my runs but this was the worst. It was enough that I was semi worried about my shoes and my flat feet. I got angry towards the end of my run because the pain lessened and the run started to feel great. SERIOUSLY?! It was just so frustrating. I pushed past the half hour I was supposed to do just to end on a good note. Actually the good note is that I didn't stop. I took two breaks during that first mile, but I didn't pack it up and go home. A few extra 30/45 second breaks isn't the end of the world. I guess I just learned an annoying lesson about pushing through. So annoying though. I've been grumpy about it all day. I can't even focus on the positive parts. There are always positives. Beyond not stopping I did a lot of elevation, like constant longer uphills, which could also be why it hurt so much at first. I pushed my pace as well and it showed in my time, but I'm not really counting it because of the two breaks.

Side note: Spirit of the Marathon made me cry. When they started the race I lost it.

 

[flvy]

Volunteers at races make me emotional. One made me cry in Disney at W&D.
​

Today's Run
5 Mile LR today. At first I was a little disappointed in my pace. Then I looked at the Garmin site. Apparently mile 3 which killed my pace was also the mile where half of my total elevation gain happened. For someone who used to avoid hills I'll take a slower pace with a total of a 109ft gain. Mile 1 to 2 was a negative split by 15 seconds and 3 to 4 was a difference of over 20 because of the elevation. Then it evened back out in the 5th. It was actually a really successful run. That's not to say my lungs weren't burning every hill, and I didn't have a low level side stitch the whole 3rd mile, and that mile 2 wasn't the hell that 1 normally is. Till today I was really worried I wasn't making any progress. Really looking at the garmin site has helped me pick apart my runs and see that I'm actually challenging myself at a normal steady pace which feels so good.

I need to drop some serious pounds though. I'll be mixing in cross training a few days a week starting Tuesday. The gym should be a mess from resolutioners but I want some time on the stationary bike.

​

 

[flvy]

"You're lapping everyone on the couch."
​

Last night's run
If running was a video game I think I might have leveled up last night. I didn't hit a PR, or do a lot of hills (though there were some), but I did go out and get it done even when I didn't want to. I decided in the morning that without having a cover for my face that it was just too cold to go out at 15 degrees F. I had told myself that I'd suck it up and go to the gym that evening. Then I remembered the resolutioners in the middle of the summer it's sometimes hard to get on a treadmill at my gym and I know myself if I go and nothing is open I'll just rage leave. It was a horrible day for me at work, and my legs were already fatigued from standing all day long but I got home bundled up and went out on the street. It was about 27 degrees at that point and not nearly as miserable as it could be.

Night running on a clear night is beautiful. I could see the stars and the streets behind my house were void of traffic. It was almost peaceful. I only took one quick break to tie my shoe and didn't stop. My pace was about 20 seconds slower than normal, but it was supposed to be an easy run and like I said I was going into it with nearly dead and very tired legs.

I think I might be getting closer to calling myself a "real" runner.

 

[flvy]

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Last night's run
Another post work night run. Though this one was a lot earlier so more like post work in the dark run. It was another slow one. And tomorrow's long run will be post work too. I have no doubt that the post work, and the dark are effecting my pace. I am happy to say I don't have too much pain today though so a slower pace helped in that respect as I guess it would. I have to remind myself I shouldn't be pushing every single run that I do. You can't push and push and push with no recovery. It was a solid run though. Hills, no breaks, I didn't get hit by a car, and I didn't fall on ice. Wins all around.

I did manage to pull my neck in my sleep last night. No idea how either. It should be interesting to see if that effects anything tomorrow or not.

I need to start touching base on food more. I'm realizing that even when I keep track of my calories I still have horrible eating habits. The times I eat are still so off so often and it's really working retail hours that's doing that. Eating pasta before bed is still eating pasta before bed, it doesn't matter if it's one serving or not.

 

[flvy]

"If it doesn't challenge you then it won't change you."
​

Tonight's run

My long run from yesterday turned into my long run tonight. It was pouring all day, and I decided to put it off a day rather than run inside. I don't mind running in rain, but cold rain is my cut off unless it's a race.

Tonight I realized I'm just not pushing myself when I should be. It started off slow, like cold molasses slow (it was only 21 out). All I could think was what am I doing? Why am I speed walking? Why am I even trying to run? I'm so slow. Granted I was on poorly lit (I know I need a head lamp) sidewalks, but the shin splints were kicking in and I felt like my legs were weights. So I took a few seconds after that first mile, regrouped myself and got angry. There is no reason why my runs are getting slower and slower. Yes it's night time, yes it's cold, yes it's after work, yes I've worked 6 days in a row, but none of that matters.

I ran the second mile 1:22 faster than the first one, and the third mile 0:31 faster than the second. I had my biggest incline during the run in that second mile, and stopped ten seconds before my walk break started on my third mile because I got a little disoriented with my surroundings. I felt like that third mile was back at slow. It wasn't, it even felt good. I think it could have been faster if I figured out I wasn't lost sooner. I actually had no idea that the third mile was my fastest mile, or that this was my fastest outdoor pace until I got back into my house and hooked my garmin up.

I'm proud of myself.

I also ate nothing but junk food today with a banana and greek yogurt thrown in.

 

[Blue Caterpillar]

Good job on the run! 21 is sooo cold to me, shudder.

 

[flvy]

Good job on the run! 21 is sooo cold to me, shudder.

Thank you for the reply!

Layers help. It wasn't too awful. Once you get moving the only thing that happens is you have to pee because it's so cold

 

[flvy]

Running tonight sadly inside because winter weather finally happened. Just dropping off some inspiration for myself.

"Because you know stuff hurts when you actually run."