ready to run - a resolution review

I thought this was an appropriate photo for today's post - we all need a little help with our resolutions.

It's time for a little resolution update from me.  You can read my original resolution post here.  I guess I only shared three of my resolutions with blogdom - I did make a  few more.  I'll have to go look those up now and see how I'm doing.  Ummm...just looked...I'm doing OK, but I definitely I have some work to do.

Anyway, back to the three goals I shared with all of you - I just wanted to give you an update on one of them - the half marathon.  I have to say it's going well.  Thanks to my running buddy, Tricia (yes, she's the one who also helped assemble the paper cake) and the weather finally warming up a bit (although it's supposed to snow again today), I am doing A-OK on this one and am set to run a half-marathon on September 20 (e-mail me if you'd like to know which one).  Yes, I realize that is about 5 months away, but that's how I like it - lots of time to work up to it.  Not that I have ever done this before, but I'm not a girl who likes to be overwhelmed or underprepared.  And thanks to my handy Mac, you should all be able to see our training schedule.  Most of the schedules we found were for three months of training, you needed to be able to run about three miles to start, and you never got to the 13 miles before the race day.  We had a little more time so we are working up more slowly, reaching the 13 miles about a month before the race and then backing off until the race for a "recovery period."  I'll let you know how I like it in September when I've tested its merits.

And for those of you who are interested in continuing to read, I think it might be helpful to share my history with running.  I used to think that you just had to be a born runner in order to run.  I thought I wasn't a runner - no one in my family ran and every time I ran I got winded in about 10 seconds.  I was that kid who always finished last and walked half of it when we ran the mile for the Presidential Fitness Challenge in elementary and junior high.  I started running my first year in college.  My first roommate was a cross country runner and the first person I met who ran long distances who I didn't consider to be crazy.  In high school, there was a boy who had a crush on me (I know this because one time he told me he was going to marry me - he didn't) who ran, but he always talked about how horrible he felt afterwards - not so motivating.  So, my first college roommate showed me that running could be an enjoyable challenge and I've ran a little bit ever since then.  I've only ever ran a 5K before - I usually end up running one a year, so I'm definitely not a serious runner, but I'd like to be.  I've got some things against me, mostly family history:

• Like the fact that I will probably get rheumatoid arthritis sometime in the next 10-15 years - both my Mom and Grandma have it and I think I may have had my first "flare-up" on Monday night.  But, I just read in the paper about a woman who has had rheumatoid since her 20s and is now in her 40s and training for marathons. 
• My mother is under 55 and has had both hips replaced.  I think I might be OK here - I can still sit on the floor with my legs crossed - something she couldn't do at my age.
• My baby is almost two and I still feel like I had him a few months ago. Is this normal? I bounced right back from Peter, but I just feel like I'm dragging here, and it's not just the weight - it's the lack of circulation, tiredness, etc.  This is definitely a motivating factor for me - if getting in shape can't help me feel better, then I know I've got problems.
• This is not really something that's against me in terms of running, but another big motivation for me is that there's every sort of cancer and heart disease in both sides of my genealogy.

So, I guess what I'm saying here, is  if you want to run, keep a positive attitude and give it a try.  Start slow and just keep going.  It took me about 10 years to get to the point where I wanted to do a long run, but I really think any sort of running is beneficial.  Even though I haven't always been consistent with my running, it's definitely been a positive aspect of my life, something to keep working on, and I'm looking forward to September!

Comments

[Sarah]

Eh, I think everyone is different about "bouncing back" from pregnancy. Having Jack was really, really hard on me. I still have some issues.

[Cayenne]

Good job Jessi. I haven't run much since college because it seems like I'm always pregnant or nursing or recovering from either. Plus, my kids hate riding in strollers for very long and living in a super hilly area like I did certainly put a damper on things. Maybe I'll be more motivated here. By the way, I ran into that roommate last month, if she's who I think she is. She was my Maternal/Fetal medicine doctor who checked out my ultrasound. That was kind of weird. She looked tired, but really good. She has two kids and is working on her M/F residency. Running into her made me think about where I am and how I got here and what else I could have done with my life. I decided I am very content and pleased with where I am. It was good to see her again, though. I didn't know you were doing so much with running. I'm glad to hear your hips are okay so far. I won't complain about mine anymore! I didn't know that about your mom. Yikes!

[lera]

I would like to start running. I just don't have any spare time that is not spent with kids. (And I don't think I can wake up any earlier.)

Both my father and my youngest brother were on the Cross Country & Track team in high school. I think if I tried, I could do it. It must be in my genes. Somewhere.

[Mom]

Once again, I love the photo ... but then it is of my grandsons ... and big brother is helping little brother ... too sweet. Peter looks very intent on making sure Ned's feet get in the right place ... Congrats on the training ... you're pretty amazing .. I need to follow your lead and get a workout schedule set up ... Do you use any rewards system or is the buddy system the key for your success?

[Christina]

That's awesome. When Mark trains for marathons, they never actually run 26.2 miles in the training. I think they go up to 22 miles. He seems to do several 18 mile runs. It's good you are taking it slow. When Mark first decided to run the Chicago Marathon he thought the suggestion that you should have been running one year before beginning the training did not pertain to him. He got a pulled groin muscle during his training and wasn't able to run the marathon that year! I have great respect for you; I think you'll definitely be ready to run the half marathon in September!

[Natasha]

I am always so amazed at runners, it was never something I enjoyed and it hurt my feet! Walking I can do. But oh wow training for a marathon now that is dedication....way to go.

[Missy]

Oh Jessi. I'm so proud!***tear***
I haven't done much running lately, but I'm almost positive I'll be ready to do the half with you. It's in Utah right?

[Mandy]

I'm excited for you guys, maybe I'll go down to cheer you on. I'd love to do it, but I have "issues" as well (we can talk about it later), I just don't think running is in my future.
I do like to see your workout schedule though, it has inspired me to actually write mine down. So far so good.

[Jenn : )]

What an inspiring post.

Josh and I just started running and I can honestly say that I feel better throughout the day when I've run in the morning. The hard part for me is getting out of bed to do it.

What do you say to yourself on days when you know you should run - but you don't want to get out there? Especially those grey, rainy days?