Like the Big Bad Wolf

When I run, I huff and puff like the Big Bad Wolf, and sweat like the three little pigs he's chasing after!  I am insanely jealous of other runners that breeze past me on the trail with perfect cadence and even breathing - those people who glisten with perspiration and seem to exude a ethereal glow in the morning light - those people who make it look effortless.  However, I have faith that some day in the not-too-distant-future I will be one of "those people," too!

It was an absolutely gorgeous morning to be out and about: low 60's, slight breeze, clear and sunny - amazing for September in Dallas!  Today's run was scheduled to be a 2.5-miler, but I'm trying to build up my endurance a little more quickly, so I tacked on an extra mile of walking (0.5 mile warm-up & 0.5 mile cool-down before and after the run, respectively), and I was very pleased with my performance:

• Distance: 3.56 mi;   Time: 0:53:22;   Avg. Pace: 14:59;
• Dog Park Loop 9/14/10

It's my birthday, and I won't run if I don't want to!

"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to..."  We all know how it goes.  You get to do things your way on your birthday - and that means no running for me today!

Okay, so if you want to get technical about it, you could check my training schedule and see that today is already a "rest day" for me, but there's something very powerful about saying "It's my birthday, so I'm not going to run today!"

Next run is a 2.5-miler tomorrow morning.  Weather forecast for 7am is temps in the low 60's, with clear skies and 65% humidity.  With the exception of the kinda high humidity (for Dallas, at least) that's perfect outdoor running weather!  I'm actually looking forward to hitting the trail tomorrow morning - I'll post my garmin results when I get back.

Last Saturday's "Long Run"

Here's Garmin's account of last Saturday's "Long Run."  I was playing around with the "Workout" function for run/walk interval training and ended up with 45 laps!
Soccer Loop Run/Walk

Starting the Blog

I participated in the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in 2009 & 2010.  In 2009, I ran the 13.1 "magical miles" in 3:20:19.  In 2010, the combination of inadequate training, freezing temperatures, and a nasty chest cold meant I could not finish the race.  I made it to mile 9.6 and had to flag down a medic on a bike, get on a bus, and be transported to the medical tent behind the finish line.  I didn't finish, I didn't get that oh-so-coveted Donald Duck medal, and I didn't get to experience that incredible high that comes with being able to say "I did it!"  Instead, the emotions swung in the other direction and I cried because I was so upset over not finishing.  I vowed then and there that there was absolutely no way that was ever going to happen again!

So, 8 months later, here I am, with 18 short weeks until WDW Marathon Weekend 2011, and I'm once again feeling unprepared.

So what do I do about it?  I go into full-on planning mode, of course!  I've got my training schedule and my gear ready to go.  Our neighborhood has a great paved multi-purpose trail that connects with many other trails throughout the city and county for good-weather days.  On bad weather days, we have the treadmill, but that only works for about a max 5 mile run before I am ready to die of boredom - no matter what's on the TV in front of it.

I officially started following the above training schedule last week, and have been successful so far in sticking with it.  I'm hoping that posting to this blog will keep me honest, and keep me motivated.  Sooooo...wish me luck, and ready, set, go!