By now I'm sure you know that I run with MarathonFest three times a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my alarm goes off at 3:45AM. On Saturdays, my alarm goes off anywhere between 3:15AM and 4:15AM depending on how far we're running that weekend and what time my group is starting. I've been averaging about five to six hours of sleep on nights before my runs. Recently, I was asked how I do it. How do I wake up that early three times a week to run?
There are a couple of factors contributing to my success at waking up so gosh darn early. First, I believe that being in good health is a huge factor. I do not feel fatigued every hour of every day like I used to. I actually feel rested even after only five hours of sleep. Believe it or not, I've only been napping after my long runs on Saturday, and the occasional (maybe once every few weeks) cat nap during my lunch break to keep me fresh for the rest of the day. My increased energy and the fact that I feel amazing makes it relatively easy to wake up. Second, I think the fact that it's been easy for me to jump right out of bed when my alarm goes off at an ungodly hour has a lot to do with how motivated I am to train my best for the NYC Marathon. I don't know if I've ever been more determined to succeed. Sometimes I even wake up before my alarm... that's how excited I am to get to train for NYC!
Whether or not I will wake up when my alarm goes off has not been a question. The decision was made when I won the lottery drawing to get into the NYC Marathon. Don't bother asking me if I'm running... the answer is YES! Not counting my surgery and slight recovery in April, I have only missed two training runs and that was due to period cramps. I got a little behind on my long run distance during the couple of the bad runs I had in the unrelenting Florida heat, but I am officially back on track.
When my alarm goes off, I wake up. I don't hit snooze or lay in bed convincing myself to get up. I don't need to be convinced because I understand that getting out of bed so early to run is a good way to train for the race of my life. So far, I haven't regretted waking up early to run. It's always fun to tell my co-workers that I ran five miles before work or to tell them how far I ran over the weekend.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Operation Cross-Train
Sure I just ran 14 miles on Saturday without walking funny afterwards, but I want to get in better shape. I know, you're probably rolling your eyes. Don't get me wrong...it's a beautiful thing to run over a half marathon and not be sore. However, I think I need to add some cross-training into my workout routine. The gym I joined months ago still hasn't opened yet. It's waiting on a final inspection that keeps getting postponed for one reason or another. Yeah, it's annoying. I think it'll be worth the wait when it finally opens though.
Arms:
I bought a personalized tank-top to wear on race day, so I need to start lifting weights and doing push-ups to tone my bat wings. I want to look fit in my race day photos.
Core:
I just tipped the scale yesterday at 158lbs. I've been eating everything in sight and I'm actually gaining weight. I've gained nearly 20lbs in about four months. Dare I say I'm getting fat? Anyway, it's time to start working out my food baby.
Legs:
Since the NYC Marathon will have a lot of bridges and hills, I need to start strengthening my legs outside of my running schedule. I'm thinking lunges, squats, and jumping exercises will do the trick.
The race is a little over two months away. Even though my excitement is building, I find myself slightly nervous for the first time. I don't know if I can explain my sudden nerves. Perhaps it's because running it is starting to seem like more than just a dream. It's moving from a strong desire to run the NYC Marathon, to reality. I'm really going to run across that finish line in Central Park! Someone pinch me. I can't believe I'm really doing this. I know it will likely be the most difficult race I will ever run. For me, the nerves I'm feeling are a good thing because it shows that I hold the race and the course in high esteem. If your dreams don't scare you, dream bigger! I don't know that I'll expressly admit to being scared, but I certainly wouldn't deny it.
Arms:
I bought a personalized tank-top to wear on race day, so I need to start lifting weights and doing push-ups to tone my bat wings. I want to look fit in my race day photos.
Core:
I just tipped the scale yesterday at 158lbs. I've been eating everything in sight and I'm actually gaining weight. I've gained nearly 20lbs in about four months. Dare I say I'm getting fat? Anyway, it's time to start working out my food baby.
Legs:
Since the NYC Marathon will have a lot of bridges and hills, I need to start strengthening my legs outside of my running schedule. I'm thinking lunges, squats, and jumping exercises will do the trick.
The race is a little over two months away. Even though my excitement is building, I find myself slightly nervous for the first time. I don't know if I can explain my sudden nerves. Perhaps it's because running it is starting to seem like more than just a dream. It's moving from a strong desire to run the NYC Marathon, to reality. I'm really going to run across that finish line in Central Park! Someone pinch me. I can't believe I'm really doing this. I know it will likely be the most difficult race I will ever run. For me, the nerves I'm feeling are a good thing because it shows that I hold the race and the course in high esteem. If your dreams don't scare you, dream bigger! I don't know that I'll expressly admit to being scared, but I certainly wouldn't deny it.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Life is Amazing
Life is absolutely amazing at this moment in time! I've been feeling better than I have in over a decade! Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what to do with myself. It's been a while since I've posted, so I'll give an update on life.
Work:
I am really enjoying my job! Even though I'm insanely busy, it's giving me plenty of opportunities to learn. Last week, I worked closely with one of our VPs and afterwards he sent an e-mail telling me I did a great job and thanking me for my hard work... oh, and he copied our CEO on that e-mail. I felt appreciated and proud to know I was praised by executive management! I took my first exam for my C.R.I.S. (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) certification and scored 98%. Look out world, I'm still smart! This first course was a prep course to prepare me for the 5 book curriculum to get certified. 5 more exams to go and I'll be C.R.I.S. certified! I recently got a nice bonus. What didn't go to Uncle Sam or my 401K, I'm using for my NYC trip fund. I am also enjoying having a friend at work, my cubical neighbor! She might be signing up for a 5K before the end of the year and I told her I'd run it with her! Our schedules are syncing up. It's nice to have someone to eat chocolate with at the same time of the month.
Running:
When I focus on how much further I have to go, sometimes it seems impossible and I wonder how I ever did this when I didn't feel as well as I have been feeling. When I focus on how far I have come, I feel strong and satisfied with my efforts. It's rough waking up at 3:45am on Tuesdays and Thursdays to run with MarathonFest, but it's worth it because it's cooler in the mornings and they push me to be a better runner. I recently ran a sub nine minute mile! My running group is the best! Runners in general are a good group of people. I've struggled getting through some of the long runs in the heat, but yesterday I ran 12 miles and it actually felt easy. After my run yesterday, I could tell I'm getting stronger. Do you remember a few weeks back when 12 miles was too difficult, so I stopped after 9 miles? Yeah, well I'm stronger than before! Heck, last night I was running around outside with Savanna. Obviously, I wasn't sore from running 12 miles which is a beautiful thing.
Me:
I'm doing well! I haven't been having any pain or weird bowel habits. *knock on wood* It's like I'm a normal human being. A few weeks ago I met Taylor in Sarasota for the weekend. I love the friendship that we have! She mentioned she'd like me to make time to write more. I've been making a point to take some time every week to sit down and write, plot, or develop characters. Typically, I don't talk much about my writing because I feel it's personal and I'm not ready to be criticized. Heck, I still keep this blog hidden from most of the people I know. One day I slipped when my supervisor asked what I did the previous night. She has this way of making me talk. I told her I wrote most of night. Naturally, she asked me questions about what I was writing. First I vaguely said I was attempting to write a novel. She then asked if it was a romance novel. I couldn't help but laugh out loud and clarified that the genre I'm writing about is fantasy. It's about magical creatures. Now she's been asking me how my novel is going like it's no big deal. I give her as little details as possible, but honestly I think it helps to hold me accountable to keep writing.
Work:
I am really enjoying my job! Even though I'm insanely busy, it's giving me plenty of opportunities to learn. Last week, I worked closely with one of our VPs and afterwards he sent an e-mail telling me I did a great job and thanking me for my hard work... oh, and he copied our CEO on that e-mail. I felt appreciated and proud to know I was praised by executive management! I took my first exam for my C.R.I.S. (Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist) certification and scored 98%. Look out world, I'm still smart! This first course was a prep course to prepare me for the 5 book curriculum to get certified. 5 more exams to go and I'll be C.R.I.S. certified! I recently got a nice bonus. What didn't go to Uncle Sam or my 401K, I'm using for my NYC trip fund. I am also enjoying having a friend at work, my cubical neighbor! She might be signing up for a 5K before the end of the year and I told her I'd run it with her! Our schedules are syncing up. It's nice to have someone to eat chocolate with at the same time of the month.
Running:
When I focus on how much further I have to go, sometimes it seems impossible and I wonder how I ever did this when I didn't feel as well as I have been feeling. When I focus on how far I have come, I feel strong and satisfied with my efforts. It's rough waking up at 3:45am on Tuesdays and Thursdays to run with MarathonFest, but it's worth it because it's cooler in the mornings and they push me to be a better runner. I recently ran a sub nine minute mile! My running group is the best! Runners in general are a good group of people. I've struggled getting through some of the long runs in the heat, but yesterday I ran 12 miles and it actually felt easy. After my run yesterday, I could tell I'm getting stronger. Do you remember a few weeks back when 12 miles was too difficult, so I stopped after 9 miles? Yeah, well I'm stronger than before! Heck, last night I was running around outside with Savanna. Obviously, I wasn't sore from running 12 miles which is a beautiful thing.
Me:
I'm doing well! I haven't been having any pain or weird bowel habits. *knock on wood* It's like I'm a normal human being. A few weeks ago I met Taylor in Sarasota for the weekend. I love the friendship that we have! She mentioned she'd like me to make time to write more. I've been making a point to take some time every week to sit down and write, plot, or develop characters. Typically, I don't talk much about my writing because I feel it's personal and I'm not ready to be criticized. Heck, I still keep this blog hidden from most of the people I know. One day I slipped when my supervisor asked what I did the previous night. She has this way of making me talk. I told her I wrote most of night. Naturally, she asked me questions about what I was writing. First I vaguely said I was attempting to write a novel. She then asked if it was a romance novel. I couldn't help but laugh out loud and clarified that the genre I'm writing about is fantasy. It's about magical creatures. Now she's been asking me how my novel is going like it's no big deal. I give her as little details as possible, but honestly I think it helps to hold me accountable to keep writing.
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