HomegirlRuns

Why I'm training for a half marathon.

Ok. So I only have one 5k under my belt. I'll be running my second one on Friday night. After Tweeting with @ReneeJRoss (blogger, weight-loser, runner extraordinaire) I decided to start training for a half marathon. A few short months I was skeptical that I could even run a 5k, but after getting out there and actually doing it, I'm convinced that a half marathon and even possibly a marathon are within my reach.  

Over the past couple of years, I have danced some serious cha-cha (two-steps up, three steps back, reverse and repeat ad nauseum) towards getting back down to my ideal weight. I made more progress than I had made in a long time when I did the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. During that challenge, I lost a lot of fat and inches, and looked amazing. I continued after that and lost a little more weight. Then I had to sit out of the gym for a little bit and never got back into my fitness routine. That and my un-awesome habit of stress-eating and here I am on the 'three-steps-back' leg of  my cha-cha. I plan to do the 24 Day Challenge again, but since I want to keep the weight-loss results and build on them afterward, I need to work on establishing some healthy habits first. Thus, the half marathon training.

I found this totally doable 12 Week Half Marathon Training schedule for Beginners on Fitsugar.com. I like it because it keeps me running every other day and gradually building on to my mileage. I plan to follow it strictly, so I don't injure myself. Today was my first rest day and I did a lot of stretching this morning. I think I'm going to take advantage of the rest days and do my upper body and core training on those days. 

More than anything, training for a half marathon will get me focused on an actual goal and physically working toward achieving it on a regular basis. I have other goals. I'm kind of hoping that by making progress on this one, the productivity will spill over into my other projects.  :-/

Time will tell. 

P.S. I also joined MyFitnessPal.com because I need to be aware and reminded of how what and how much I eat every day. It's also nice to have a place where everybody there is as neurotic about calorie consumption as you are so you're not so much preaching to the choir as singing along in it.  [Best metaphor I could come up with--what do you want--I was raised in church.] If you're on MyFitnessPal, friend me--> Homegirlruns. 

P.P.S. Please check out my son's first Kid's 1K race report. :-) 

Advocare Holiday Helpers: Guilt-free Holiday Eating

As an Advocare distributor and holiday food lover, I would be remiss in my duty not to share with you guys these three lovely ways Advocare can help us get through the holidays parties and dinners without piling on the pounds. I have already added two days of weight training to my workout schedule next week, and will probably fit an extra run in there too. I'm still working to lose more fat and inches and don't want to lose any momentum this week. If you're in the same boat as me, please check out Advocare's Three Holiday Helpers:

 

Komen Austin Race for the Cure 2011

Homegirl's first 5k & outdoor run is in the bag! 

I totally did not train properly for it. Mostly because my first run went so well. After covering almost 2 miles in less than 30 minutes, I was like 'Pshhh 5k? I GOT this.' Only I didn't. After not training for the 5k, I still ended up running a 12'52" (12 minutes, 52 seconds) mile to finish the race in just over 40 minutes. Considering that it was also my first time running outside (I only run on treadmills because...you know...the dogs), I am actually satisfied with that time. Still kicking myself because it could have been so much better.  I was holding out on putting this post up with hopes for an official finish line photo, but a search for my bib number over at Brightroom.com, the official race photographers, turned up not one photo of me in action. I was chip timed though, so there is some official record of my first 5k. A Facebook friend of mine told me she saw me running on Fox News Austin, but I couldn't find the video. If anybody else does, please send me the link. I'm rambling. On to my official race report...

I'm SO Ready For 5k Training

First of all, I ran 1.9 miles in 27 minutes at the gym yesterday. Ok. That technically qualifies as more of a "jog" than a "run", but the point is I did it for 27 minutes straight! And I only slowed to a walk because of muscle soreness that from cardiovascular fatigue (Is that even a phrase? It sounds appropriate.). I had set the treadmill for a 45 minute run, but after 27 minutes keeping between a 4 and a 5 mph pace, I ended up walked the remaining time, because I had SO not paced myself. Which is ok because my purpose yesterday was to see how long/far I could actually run without stopping. If you recall, the last time I tried this I only made it 8 minutes because I had to pee.

Anyway, I am happy to know where I stand as a beginning runner now. I will be busy at work looking for articles and workouts about pacing. I am sure there is an app for that. If I can run 1.9 miles in 27 minutes as a newbie, I know that with training (and with my 8 ft. stride--I know that because of my track days in grade school), I will be more than ready for a Thanksgiving Day 5k. At some point, I should probably run outside...since the 5k will likely be held outside. I found a track that will likely be leash-free dog-free and will give it a go as the weather starts to feel more like fall. 

In the meantime, I will stick with running at my gym. All the way on the back row, on the elevated treadmills with the ten inch flatscreen tuned in to Food Network TV.

My Advocare 24 Day Challenge Youtube Video!

Watching this makes me want to do the 24 Day Challenge again! I think I will start it on October 1. Before getting stuffed on Thanksgiving. Will you join me?