Busy, Busy.

Today I only had to run 5 miles, and since I cannot catch a break, it was on the treadmill. I have to say though, the more I keep running on the treadmill, the more I sort of kinda like it (did I really just type that). As I mentioned before, nothing beats running outside, that's why I can't wait till Saturday's run - 12 miles all done outside! :]

This weekend is going to be pretty crazy for me. Not only do I have to run 12 miles Saturday, I have my nieces Birthday party and Volleyball. Sunday of course is the Super Bowl! What is everyone else doing this weekend?

Since Tomorrow is rest day (YAY) - I will be posting again sometime Saturday night or Sunday to let everyone know how my 12 miler went.

Have a great weekend!!

-Jamie

Winter Running.

Trying to run in winter weather has been pretty challenging for me the past week. Just so everyone knows, I am not a fan of winter - I do not like snow, cold, ice and freezing cold wind. I would move to the nearest warm state in a heartbeat if I could. That's why I have been pretty proud of myself for doing most of this training outside. The past few days though, its just not happening.

I planned on running my 7 miler outside yesterday but, it was such a sloppy and gross mess, I picked the treadmill. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be! I also did my last two miles the fastest. I don't think I will ever be a complete fan of the treadmill but, it really has been a lifesaver for me!

Today was a 6 miler day for training, with my last mile being my fastest. I had planned to run it outside but after seeing how icy some of the sidewalks were, I changed my mind. I jumped on my new friend (at least it seems like that lately) the treadmill and got the miles done, and it wasn't to bad. Later I am going to get back on the treadmill and push out another 1-2 miles. In my training I am supposed to do that 3 days a week. I already did an extra mile Monday night, and I will do it again today and tomorrow. It is supposed to train me to run on tired legs. My legs are SO tired after today's run, so I know tonight is going to be challenging. 

Tomorrow I am running 5 miles and then it is rest day Friday and long run (12 miles) Saturday with Joe. I am really looking forward to rest day! I am tired - but I can definitely tell I am getting stronger and faster so my training is paying off. Can't believe Monday is 4 weeks of training, soon I will be getting into the tougher runs! I am looking forward to it and I am nervous, I know I can do it, but it's defiently scary doing something this big I have never done before.

-Jamie

3 Weeks In! Trail Runner Wannabe.

Hey Everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

I had a pretty good weekend, got to spend it with some great friends on a four hour road trip to Reading, PA, where we participated in Chilly Cheeks Trail Run. The spending time with friends part was so much fun, I definitely needed that - the Trail Run on the other hand, not as much! 

The beginning of the run was my best, I took off from the start - felt amazing, great pace then I hit the first snow covered hill climb. That is where it all went downhill - I fell more times then I can count, slid around like I was on ice (didn't help I don't own trail shoes) and smashed my knee off a rock - not once but twice in the same spot. I seriously felt like turning around and giving up! Thankfully my friend Sarah's husband Kevin stayed with me pretty much the entire time - which I appreciated SO much! He pushed me, taught me different techniques on running trail and proved that even though it was hard I could DO it! 

I am really proud of myself for finishing - it was a tough trail run, and the snow really made it a challenge. I am not completely giving up on trail running, I will run another one - I will also have the right shoes next time. I am a roadrunner at heart but, maybe trail running will find a spot there too someday!

Great Friends Before the Run.

Back to my Marathon training, today is Week 3! This week is getting a little bit tougher then last week. Today I ran 5 miles, with my last mile being my fastest. I ran it all on my treadmill, since the whole state of Pennsylvania is pretty much buried under a lot of snow. I am hoping to get out tomorrow to run my 7 since the snow should be done by then. Hopefully people are nice and shovel their sidewalks!

Thanks for reading!

-Jamie

Week 2 is Almost Done!

Hey Everyone!

I decided to not write a blog post yesterday since my day was pretty boring to say the least. I did get Cross Training in - I did PiYo (It came yesterday and I HAD to try it out) and Hip Hop Abs. Piyo is different from what I expected, a lot of Yoga which was nice because I knew how to do some of the moves. It had some moves in it that looked really tough - overall I think I am going to like it!

Yay it came!

Today was a 6 mile day, and I was to run the last two miles the fastest, which I did. I did today's run on the treadmill since I wasn't able to get outside to run. Overall, the run was pretty good and the time seemed to fly by. I was supposed to run a 10 miler with Joe tomorrow but, decided to switch it up and since I am running Sunday (7 miles at Chilly Cheeks) we canceled it. I am going to try and get some extra miles in Sunday night too.

The past couple days my calves have really been sore and tight. I have been stretching, foam rolling, massaging and using Icy Hot like I have an endless supply - not much has been giving me full relief. Thankfully, I had an appointment today at Mint Condition in Grampian (which I highly recommend) and Jilynn was able to get my calves back to normal. I feel so much better and with a rest day tomorrow, I should feel pretty good Sunday. 

I might post this weekend depending on if I find time - if not I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Thanks for reading!

-Jamie

The Treadmill.

Today I was to run 5 miles with my last mile the fastest - which I accomplished today. It was pretty easy though, seeing I did it all on the treadmill. Today's weather was non stop snow - the sidewalks would of been a nasty mess, so I am glad I own a treadmill and got to stay inside!

When I first started running almost 3 years ago that was how I started - on the treadmill. I had no idea what I was doing and was embarrassed to go run outside. I also was lucky if I could run a minute without being winded. I trained for my first 5k on my treadmill too - I didn't run outside till 2 days before my first 5k and it was an eye opener! The treadmill is a great tool if you are unable to get outside (whatever the reason) but, there is nothing like running outside in the fresh air! Now I only run on my treadmill if I absolutely have too!

I find it hard to get motivated on the treadmill - at least when you are outside you have things to look at to keep your mind busy. I read in a magazine a few days ago to make a playlist on your phone of songs with a common theme, when a certain word comes up, crank the treadmill up and sprint for :30 seconds. Some people like to listen to pod cast's and watch television shows while running. What keeps you motivated on the treadmill?

Tomorrow is Cross Training Day and I am not sure what I have planned to do, my PiYo is supposed to be delivered tomorrow so I might do that. They might also have Volleyball at the church so that is another option.

Thanks everyone for reading - it keeps me motivated knowing the support I have behind me!

-Jamie

One of Those Days.

Today was my 6 mile day and my last two miles were supposed to be my fastest miles. Unfortunately, I didn't meet my goal but, I did hit another goal; I am getting faster with not as much effort. Here is my times with each mile.

Mile 1: 9:37

Mile 2: 9:19

Mile 3: 8:55

Mile 4: 9:18

Mile 5: 9:23

Mile 6: 9:11

I am pretty happy with my times especially since I really didn't feel like running today. I was having an "off" day and running 6 miles sounded like torture to me. Once I started running I was fine but, just getting out of the door and driving to where I was running today took a lot! We all have days like this! I had to remind myself each run I do leading up to this Marathon is helping me reach my goals that I have set.

Tomorrow is my 5 mile day and I will be doing them on the treadmill - it will be the only way I can get a run in, sometimes the treadmill can be a life saver!

I just had to share that the night moisturizer I got from Burt's Bees seems to be working great! My skin is still a little dry on my face but, not like it was - I highly recommend it! Here is the blog post where I talk about my dry skin, in case you missed it.

Thanks for reading!

-Jamie

Week 2 of Training!

Hey Everybody! Today was a pretty easy 4 mile day so I decided to get the miles done on the treadmill. When you have kids sometimes the treadmill is the most convenient place to get a run in. It is now officially Week Two of training - 15 weeks left till the Pittsburgh Marathon.

My legs are still pretty sore from my run on Saturday - I am going to have to pull the foam roller out later today, I know my calves are pretty tight and the foam roller always helps with that!

The runs for this week are pretty similar to last weeks schedule, other then two 4 mile runs I have two 6 mile runs. I am also running Chilly Cheeks 7 mile Trail Run in Reading on Sunday with some great friends - I am really looking forward to it! I know I am going to be exhausted come Sunday night though!!

Finally, I figured I would keep track on my blog of the miles I ran each week and my total miles each week as well. Curious to see what my end number will be!

My total amount of miles that I ran last week were 29.

Miles since starting training: 29.

Thanks for taking time to read my blog!

-Jamie

 

Day 6 - #Megsmiles, Sore Legs & Volleyball.

Today was my long run day in the training plan - 10 miles. Thankfully I have my friend Joe who not only agreed to help me with this Marathon but he even offered to run all the long runs with me (which I appreciate so much). Today's run went good, the weather even cooperated - though I wish it was warmer! During mile 8 my legs started getting pretty sore, I kept at it and once our watches hit 10 miles I challenged Joe to sprint with me (I won hahaha). Doing this really proved to me that even though my legs were sore I still have a lot of energy left in me, which will help me a lot during this Marathon.

Me and Joe ran this run for #Megsmiles and I also wore blue on today's run, which was Megs favorite color. I did not know Meg Cross Menzies, but tragically she lost her life last year training for the Boston Marathon by a drunk driver. Today everyone was supposed to get out and run for her and I am  very blessed that I was able to do just that! I loved seeing all the pictures on my Facebook newsfeed of friends who went out an ran for Meg - the running community is so awesome! 

Tonight I have Volleyball for my church league which I am really looking forward to. I am not very good at Volleyball but, I love playing it and I love being around friends!

Tomorrow is my rest day, so I will probably make it my rest day from writing in the blog too! Week two of training starts Monday and I am really looking forward to it - this is a very exciting journey!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and Thanks so much for reading!

-Jamie

Day 5 - Treadmill & Dry Skin.

Hey Everyone!

Today was a pretty easy day compared to the others. I only had to do 4 miles with my last mile being the fastest. I did today's run on the treadmill since I had some time before picking my son up from school. I was able to do my 4th mile the fastest, I find it's easier to do this on the treadmill since you can control the speed.

One thing I want to talk about today is dry skin - mine is AWFUL this winter! It doesn't help that I have been running outside in the cold, wind and snow. My face is the driest I have ever seen it - is anyone else dealing with really bad dry skin? What have you been using to moisturize? I went and bought the Burt Bees Nighttime Face Cream, I am actually looking forward to using it tonight! I will try it for a few days and will let everyone know how it works. I also bought the hydrating chap stick from Burt Bees - my lips have been really dry and peeling. Winter has not been good to me in the skin department!

Tomorrow is my long run (10 mile) day - Hope everyone has a great day and Thanks for reading!

-Jamie

Day 4 - Cross Training & Piyo.

Hey Everyone! Today is my break from running so I decided to do a workout video, which I did Hip Hop Abs and also did some weights for my arms, shoulders and back - I really need to work on my upper body strength! I also went to my Church and worked out and played Volleyball with a bunch of my friends :] It has definitely been a day full of exercise.

 Me and my daughter (sons in the background) in the Church Gym.

I had posted on my Facebook Group - Western PA Runners and on my Blog Post yesterday that I was looking for Cross Training ideas. I got back a great response but the one I really wanted to try was PIYO. My friend recommended since it is supposed to be a great exercise for runners. I did some research and caved in and ordered it this morning. Not going to lie I am pretty pumped to get it, and try it out! Its supposed to get you lean and strong, which is what I would like to be!

Before I started training for my second Half Marathon I bought myself a training log book from Runners World. I never got around to using it - but as soon as I started Base Training for this Marathon I started keeping track of every run. I don't understand why I didn't do this sooner - I like being able to see how I am improving and to look back at runs. This particular Training Log Book has a bunch of tips and quotes for each week, which I really enjoy looking at. The one quote which really made me think, is what I am going to finish this post with - curious to see everyone's response to it!

"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?' The answer is usually yes."

-Paul Tergat

-Kenyan Marathon; former world record holder; winner of the New York City Marathon in 2005

 Tomorrow is my 4 mile day! Thanks for reading!

-Jamie

Day 3 - Blood, Ice & Honking.

Hey Everyone! Today was a 5 mile day in my training and I was suppose to run the last mile the fastest. This was pretty difficult of a task seeing that every single sidewalk was pretty much a sheet of ice - way more icy then yesterday. I should of made it a treadmill day but, I was determined to get my run done outside and took it slow. Here are my times, not as great as yesterday but, I will take it based on the conditions of the sidewalks.

Mile 1: 10:03

Mile 2: 10:45

Mile 3: 11:29 (I was walking some during this mile - not taking the chance)

Mile 4: 9:50

Mile 5: 9:15

Well I was skeptical I was going to complete my goal of running my last mile the fastest but, thankfully I did! :]

One thing I want to talk about and I am sure it happens to many runners out there but, why do people (mostly guys) feel the need to honk and yell things to you out their window. It's one thing if I know you - and you can just give me a heads up by texting me or sending me a quick message on Facebook or this Blog that "Hey I seen you and that was me in the "so and so" vehicle honking at you." That's cool, no biggie but if I don't know you and you don't know me, its a little creepy to just be honking at some random stranger. Also, if you are yelling at me - 1. I will probably ignore you and 2. I can't hear you with my headphone's in. I know its never going to end, random people just like honking at runners I suppose but, it feels good to get that little rant off my chest!

Finally, I just wanted to share a weird "injury" I received while running today. During mile two my toe started really bugging me, the pain went away so I didn't think much about it. I got home and took my shoe off and half of it was soaked in blood - I was a little nervous to take my sock off and when I did my toes were covered in blood. I have searched and searched and I do not see where the blood came from, no cut - nothing, but my toe is killing me! Odd...

Tomorrow is Cross Training for me, I haven't decided what I am going to do yet and would love any suggestions - just comment below. Thanks for reading! :]

-Jamie

2 Days In.

Hey Everyone! Day 2 and 6 miles of running done for the day. Today's run was pretty eventful to be honest. Lot's of people didn't seem to bother shoveling their sidewalks, so I got to do some cross training in the process; Ice Skating. I didn't fall and I was super careful but, it was a slick mess.

My training goal for today was not only to do 6 miles but to run my last 2 miles the fastest. I was a little nervous if I could achieve this but, I gave it my best try. Here are the stats from each mile:

Mile 1: 10:05

Mile 2: 10:13

Mile 3: 10:35

Mile 4: 10:38

Mile 5: 8:27

Mile 6: 8:09

I was so excited that I did it!! When I seen I got 8:27 for my 5th mile, I really thought to myself there is a slim to no chance I will do better then that for my 6th mile. I absolutely crushed that 6th mile - I couldn't be happier - it just goes to prove that I have it in me and if I put my mind to it I can accomplish anything.

After my run I stopped and got a recovery drink - I tried the Chocolate Muscle Milk, which I have never had before but, I liked that it was Lactose Free. It really wasn't that bad, normally I drink Chocolate Coconut Water. I would love any suggestions on recovery drinks! Tomorrow is my 5 mile day and I am really looking forward to it! 

Also if you haven't already please go like my new Facebook Page! Thanks for reading! :]

-Jamie

The Beginning...

Today was Day One of training and of course the weather in PA was a mess. We ended up getting a wintery mix over night so the sidewalks were a sloppy mess. I decided my best bet was to stick to the treadmill today.
I got my 4 miles done, while running my last mile faster then my first 3. I would say this was a success, seeing that I am not a fan of the treadmill. I would rather run outside any day but, it is a lifesaver when it comes to this unpredictable winter weather. I am scheduled to run 6 miles tomorrow, so my fingers are crossed that weather is "decent" and people clean off their sidewalks before then!

-Jamie

The Night Before...

Hey Everyone! I am so excited to be starting this blog and having you join me on this journey. I never thought I would say in a million years that I am training for a Marathon. When I first started running it was just for fun and for 5ks - that was it. I also said I would never run a Half Marathon and I already have 3 of those under my belt; Never Say Never!

Hard to believe 3 years ago today I was pregnant, unhealthy, overweight but, overjoyed to meet my little girl! My life definitely changed for the better after I had my daughter - I realized I was sick and tired of being overweight and lazy, I needed to make changes. I started by changing my eating habits, and I became a Vegetarian - I also cut out junk food, and stuck to drinking only water. I did the Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred, it was so hard at first but I finished my 30 days. I started running on the treadmill too, at first I could barely do a minute - but I kept at it. I went on to do my first 5k in October of that year! I have come so far since 2012, and hope to just keep achieving my goals and dreams. (I will link an article to my Huffington Post Interview that goes into better detail about my weight loss and journey for those interested.)

My Huffington Post Interview.

Tomorrow is my first day of actual training and I am beyond excited and nervous for everything I am going to be faced with. Before I finish with this post - I do want to give a big shout out to my friend Joe, honestly if it wasn't for him and his wife telling me that I could do this (way back in September) - I would of never signed up for the Full just the Half Marathon. Also, Joe is helping me through this journey by mentoring me and helping me out on long runs - which I appreciate more then he knows!

Well I know I am excited and I really hope you enjoy reading this blog! :]

-Jamie