Training Day 73: What's Goin' on?

Thank you Running Quotes!


What is going on?
Why am I so off my game? Why can't I focus? Why can't I keep going? I'm better than this! I know I have the will power!

I'M A MARATHON RUNNER FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

...and I need to keep reminding myself that. I think I have forgotten, lost confidence and have become a lazy-ass fattie.

Okay, so I can't run 5miles today. But I will bounce back from this! I'm going to do it! Then I will run my half marathon and finally my marathon.

Okay. Tomorrow. Picking up. I can do this! I've got this!

RunnerKE

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Thoughts before Running a 5K

I am very, very, very excited about tomorrow's run. I think it's because I am confident that I CAN DO IT since i have been able to run more than a 5k already as I've been training for the marathon.

So my RUNNING clothes are laid out, running shoes, running socks, as well as the breakfast of runners.

This is going to be fun because a lot of people in the community are part of this. I cannot wait!

Running a 5k and running STRONG,

-RunnerKE


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Training Day 54: I AM A RUNNER

I need to remind myself why I am doing this. Thankfully, @RunningQuotes did that for me.








I had to remind myself that there are times when we relapse and revert back to old habits. Mine would be sleeping late, waking up late, drinking coffee, and overindulging in sugary sweets. For two weeks now I've been slacking on my training. So much so that when a colleague asked how my training was going I didn't know what he was talking about.

"Training for what?" I dumbly asked.

Then another encounter with a random person it dawned on me that I was losing confidence in myself.

"Are you a runner?" I was asked.

I actually stopped and pondered on the question.

"Trying to be." I whispered.

THE ANSWER IS YES! Yes, I am a RUNNER! I am a long-distance MARATHON RUNNER! And I train everyday! I never get tired! I LOVE TO RUN!!! I feel good after a run and look forward to the next run pushing myself to the limit!

I AM A RUNNER! No time for pondering, I am a runner! My goal is to get back: back into training everyday, sticking to the plan, and enjoy my runs. I can do this, even if I have to remind myself why sometimes, I KNOW I CAN DO THIS!










Back into Running Strong,
RunnerKE

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Training Day 49: Slacking

This is my last day for slacking.


SINCE TRAINING I NOW CAN:

•Climb numerous flights of stairs without feeling tired.
•Run longer
•Sleep better
•Focus
•Eat more carbs (and have a reason to).

WHAT I CAN DO TO IMPROVE MY TRAINING:

•Be consistent
•Go back to eating healthier and lighter
•Remember to stretch after
•Stay hydrated
•Less sweets
•Sleep more

Since I've been using my knee as an excuse to not train I have been running into old habits like:
1. Sleeping late therefore, less rest
2. Eating for comfort instead of fuel
3. Not drinking enough water
4. Not pushing myself
5. And finally, drinking coffee. Over the weekend I didn't get enough sleep so I consumed 24oz at one time!

I need to focus. I need to stick to my routine/training plan. I bees to be consistent and eat for fuel. KEEP HYDRATED.

My new mantra:
I AM A MARATHON RUNNER. I RUN 4 times a week and never miss a training. I run strong and can run forever. I eat foods that nourish my body and fuel me. I drink plenty if water and I am always well-rested and ready to run. I am a marathon runner.

-RunnerKE


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Training Day 41: 10miles minus 3

Today I learned something new about myself...


I learned that when I run, I usually start with a bit of a negative mindset:

"Oh, the pain in my is going to come back."
"I can't stand these shin splints; this is so hard!"

But after the second or third mile I'm telling myself,

"Woah, good job on the weight training!"
"Look how strong my legs are right now!"
"3 miles ALREADY?"
"Only 1 mile to go?"
"I can do this!"
"I'm so strong right now!"
"I feel NO pain!"

And then another mile later, I've completed my run. If only only was all butter.
-RunnerKE

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Training Day 38: WT + 5 miles/Sprint Drills

As proud I am of myself, I am also determined to work harder now from this point onward regardless of how I feel or the lack of energy I have. Of course, I will make sure to take care of myself to avoid injuries; that's just a given. But today was such a good day because I knew I had a goal to accomplish with today's run and even if I walked mostly during my first mile, I still did it and kept going. So let me break down my run because the exciting thing I discovered are sprint drills (even if on the treadmill, it's still doable):

Mile 0.00 - 0.25: Jogging at a nice 4.1 speed but having to stop and walk. At this point I'm really struggling to continue. My energy is low, I just lifted weights...feeling weak.

Mile 0.26 - 0.50: Stopping...now power walking.

Mile 0.50 - 1: Hitting the emergency STOP to take a bathroom break. (What an inconvenience!)

Mile 1.1 - 1.5: Lots of walking and less running. I'm starting to lose steam. I think to myself, I probably won't finish this run today (Talk about a let down!).

Mile 1.6 - 2: Okay so I've made it this far. Maybe I can keep going even if it means I have to walk the entire mile.

Mile 3: No longer liking the music so I switch to Pandora and Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" comes on. Energy is RESTORED. Ready to SPRINT. So I start by jogging at 4.3 speed then every time the beat gets faster I hit it up to 5.9 how exhilarating!

Mile 4: Another runner uses the treadmill next to me. I go at her pace and keep going. It's like a race now and I'm not stopping for anything.

(FINAL) Mile 5: It looks like I won!


So since Monday's run, I have been nursing my right knee. Today, I took my time in stretching and did not feel any pain. What I noticed is that when I slouch during my run I tend to add much weight from my knees down hence causing the pain to act up again. As soon as I straighten up and swing my hips more the pain is no longer there. I will still meet with a doctor to see what's up but it looks like I know what's causing the problem and I'm kind of relieved.

Today was a good run. Now I can conquer tomorrow's.

-RunnerKE

Training Day 34: 8 miles

Running has made me (a day) STRONGER.



I was going to skip it. I was going to not run today. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. So then I decided "okay, I'll take a walk." 1.5 miles later I end up at my gym so I think, what the heck! I'll run a couple miles. It was rough, so rough at first and I was listening to an audiobook that wasn't motivating me. So I tuned into C.Lo Green and got a second wind. I knew music would help and once again I switched to DJ SteveBoy PodRunner and kept going. So 2 miles turned into 4 miles and so on.

My only concern now is that I started to feel an ache in my knee actually, a rather sharp pain. Which I will have checked out. I haven't come this far only to be injured!

How do I feel right now? Like I need a shower...oh and like I'm on top of the world!

Running Strong,
RunnerKE

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Training Day 21: REST

Race Countdown:




My body's changing.

I know that it has only been 21 days but already I can see some shape forming as the fat melts away. Even though weight-wise I have been fluctuating, I understand that muscle tends to weigh more.

I'm also getting stronger.

I now have so much more energy these days and I owe it to running. Tomorrow is my first day at weight training class. I decided if I'm going to do this, I'm doing it right and under some supervision and guidance. The last thing I want is to be injured before my races. It means too much to me to achieve my goals so I need to be smart about my training. I enrolled in a Weight Training PE class at the community college. It's 50 minutes (3) three times a week from 6:30am - 7:20am. Crazy, I know. But since all my races are in the morning, it's only logical. I figured that I need to keep a routine going and that includes conditioning my body to be up at a certain time, eat at a certain time, run/exercise at a certain time.

Discipline: That is what one needs to succeed.

I'm recovering well now. Still feeling a bit achy but I am better.

Running Strong,
RunnerKE

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Training Day 12: 30-min Jog

Next week I will be working on BETTER NUTRITION.

"Come run with me!"

This what I've learned to say when I start to struggle with something while running. Be it pain or just that mental resistant attitude. Thanks to book, "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer" I have been using this as a
Mantra as well as:

"But it doesn't matter, does it!"

I ate pretty crappy food yesterday which made this run a bit of a challenge. 'But it doesn't matter does it? SO KEEP RUNNING!' This was also what I kept reminding myself as I went on the numerous excuses as to why I couldn't and wouldn't run for 30-minutes today. But to my amazement, I completed 2 miles under 30-minutes. When I hit that 2.0 mark I was so happy I stopped running. I thought, this is awesome! But then I shortly realized that today's goal wasn't 2 miles, it was 30 minutes so I still had time. Away again I went! It was worth it!

I was so happy. But I also realized that I need to do something about my "fuel". So I'm working on starting...NOW. Since tomorrow will be a 7-mile run. I'm quite excited because I have someone to run with and it will be outdoors. Tonight I must prepare by:

• eating well
• eating light
• drink plenty of fluids and
• sleep early

Good luck to us!
Thank you DJ Steve Boy PodRunnner for great music, "Cool Running".

RunnerKE

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Thoughts on Running

This is me. Age 25. INSPIRED.


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Training Day 8: 40-min Jog

Getting there...


Today started out quite as planned. I slept early last night and woke up at 6am as soon as my alarm went off. I got enough sleep and was feeling energetic and pumped to run. But of course, I had to fuel up first starting out with Pecan Praline Granola with unsweetened coconut milk and banana and 2 glasses of water.

The run was rough at first, I had to constantly keep talking myself thru it. In fact, I said to myself, if I can only run for 20 minutes than so be it! It's okay, I'll run the next 20 later today. But as I got closer, My energy remained high and I kept going. Granted, I allowed myself to stop (like 3 times) and walk it out for a couple minutes (and not any longer). I would start running again as soon as I would "catch my breath" so to speak. Then 40 minutes later, 2.7 miles had past and I was still on fire!

Warming up and stretching really helped me today. Again I cannot stress how important this is before and after a run. To think, I had contemplated just going for it (also in the fear that once I leave the treadmill to stretch someone else would take it).

No audiobook today. Special thanks to PodRunner, DJ Steveboy for the running tunes. Today it was "Cool Running".


So now it's 11:15 am and I've already had breakfast, got to train, had a recovery shake (2 scoops whey protein powder from Trader Joe's with coconut milk), had lunch, and even washed my car. It does make a difference to start your day out early. Now it's nap time.

Till tomorrow,
RunnerKE

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Training Day 6: MILEstone

Amazing.
I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am today. I know for some it's not a big deal. What's a mile compared to 26.2 miles? But it's the beginning for me. Now I know I can do more. I had to focus and really push myself. At 4.1mph I was at a good pace I could breathe and I wasn't overexerting myself.

Next week is the beginning of training proper here we go!

RunnerKE

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Training Day 1: Baseline Day 1

Total Run Time: 10 minutes
Distance: 0.67 miles
When: Lunch Break
Where: Gym
Speed: 4.0 mph
I didn't know I had it in me to run today.
Setting aside the self-pity (juice fast), lack of energy, and crankiness, I was really looking forward to running/jogging today. Really. As insane as that sounds. I was worried I wasn't going to consistently run throughout the whole 10 minutes and so I paced myself. But as soon as I hit the 5-minute mark and I wasn't huffing and puffing, I new I could do 5 more minutes. This may not be a big deal for many but for someone who has been sedentary for quite some time is and is overweight, this is a BIG deal.

I decided to listen to an audiobook today instead of music. Music seems to distract me more than motivate me. So I looked through the audiobooks I had already purchased but never "had the time" to listen to. "What I Talk about When I Talk about Running: A Memoir" Unabridged version by Haruki Murakami Narrated by Ray Porter . I suppose this couldn't be a better occasion to start listening. First thought that came to mind was, 'do I really want to listen to a memoir? I really should finish listening to "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter". But thankfully, it was not a mistake. In fact, it was rather entertaining. Murakami is humorous and rather entertaining. I appreciate his insights.

So far, I feel pretty good. A bit hungry but good. Till tomorrow! -KE

"4 Months to a 4-Hour Marathon"

It is because of this book that I am both inspired and motivated to run a marathon. I know that I wanted to get back into shape and I even started this blog, a twitter account, bought a running diary just to motivate me and keep up with it. Well, truth be told, without the right kind of incentive (as if losing weight isn't enough already), I hit a wall. A very large, very thick wall of cookies and ice cream; of late nights in front of the TV and the computer. It was hard to get around that wall and perhaps even harder to knock it down. But I am determined to do so. It will be my saving grace once done.

At this very moment, it is official! I am now registered with the California International Marathon. It falls on a Sunday, December 4th, 2011. I won't lie, I'm a bit nervous and terrified. But I am determined! Just so that I won't just jump into it, I am preparing myself with mini-races. First, a 5k then a 10k. It's quite an ambitious feat but I am ready to train bloody hard to finish these races.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Total Run Time: 7 minutes 34 seconds
Distance: 0.48 miles
When: Lunch Break
Where: Gym
Speed: 4.0 - 4.2 mph

To be quite honest, I wasn't feeling as energetic to run today anyway which explains why I was running at a slower pace and resulted to a longer time. I probably shouldn't even be focusing on those things and really just concentrate on my run. Running longer, more efficiently which I really, really tried to do. I started at 4.0mph to (in my mind) conserve energy then when I felt like the right time to run faster. Well, the fastest I got was up to 4.2mph.

What should I do differently? I wonder.

I could sleep "earlier" and work out in the morning. I suppose that the pressure of having to complete x amount of miles within a 30-minute lunch break stresses me out and therefore affects my running. So new game plan for next week:

Work out in the morning where I'm not in a certain time-frame.

Okay, giving it a go! Have a great weekend everyone! Get as much sunshine as you can!

Running Thoughts: Taking Myself Through it.

6:43 PM before the run.

Me: I really don't want to run today.

Me again: Aw, but you didn't run yesterday. You should run today. You'll feel better afterwards.

Me: But...I'm dreading it and there are tons of people on the fitness floor right now...intimidating!

Me again: Yes, but they're doing their own thing. They won't bother you!

Me: I really don't want to...

Me again: Yeah...you do. You should!

Me: Why? When I really don't want to.

Me again: Because then you can have a great feast tonight!

Me: Okay, point taken!

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Running Thoughts

I won't deny that yes, I am a bit frustrated with myself. I feel like I've wasted a lot of precious training time over my dark and lazy days. It just hit me,

"I could be running a 5k by now!"

But, I will get there. I just need to keep at it! Keep going! Keep training and maybe, just maybe I'll reach my goal!

Breathing through it,
K.

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