Hills

So I totally missed my "blogaverissary" last week. Loser :P I started this blog September 2, 2010 and I am somewhat sad to say that I am still in a very similar place to where I was a year ago.

That is not to say that I have not grown and changed in the last year! Certainly not. I am a runner now :) Even if I still can't run a mile straight I am calling myself a runner because of the way I look at things now.

I look at the miles on my GPS from school to the boys' daycare and think how long it would take me to run it instead of drive - and that it is only a mile more than my half marathon distance.

I drive up and down all the hills in my "neighborhood" and wonder - how long would it take me to get up them - and how fast could I run down?

It has become much easier to convince myself to go for a run than to do any other kind of workout. I have in fact been meaning to start Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer series for 2 weeks now and haven't quite gotten there yet. I love her and think she is an inspiring trainer and fitness model - and I love all the stuff she has done for Oxygen Magazine. My goal for today is to finish this post and head over to the campus gym to do my 20 minutes of running (treadmill, yuck!) and do the first day of the Live Fit training. I have not lifted weights or done any serious strength training since my car accident, so it is certainly time to get started.

And as hard as it is, I love my long runs! I love going for 6, 7, 8 or more miles. I love the feeling of accomplishment I get when I am done. I love burning an entire day's worth of calories in one workout ;). I am so excited about going longer and longer distances.

Unfortunately, my training this fall may be somewhat for naught. I will not be able to do the Buffalo Creek Half-Marathon that I have been training for the last 10 weeks. The money is just not there for the drive down, a motel room, and the registration fee. I am hoping to have enough to sign up for the Out of Bounds trail run at Bristol Mountain on October 2nd and then switch my winter training to train for a spring 1/2 marathon (maybe even the Rock n Roll 1/2 in New Orleans if the gods smile upon me). I don't know why, but I feel like the 1/2 marathon is "my distance". A good struggle, something it takes dedication to complete - and not for everybody. It adds to my feeling of accomplishment when I tell people I am training for a half marathon.

At any rate I am going to find some race to run this fall - a 5K a Turkey Trot, a 10K or 1/2 marathon, I will race in something before winter sets in.

Alright - off to the gym!