The secret to keeping your New Year's Resolution

Every January it's the same old thing. The gym that I frequent is always busy, the racks at the stores are full of workout gear and there are ads all over for weight loss this and diet secret that. 

I was one of those New Year's resolution makers that said I would start hitting the gym. I was 29...about to hit 30. I had three small kids at home and I was skinny but I wasn't fit. I had heard that your metabolism changes at 30. I had fears that my nightly bowl of ice cream and my dessert snacking were going to catch up with me, so I took advantage of one of those 3 weeks free gym trials and I started to work out. I switched gyms once I found out how much the fees were, but I did start a healthy habit that I have actually kept for eight years now.

But I must confess, I hate this time of year. I hate the people who show up at my gym and make me shift my normal routine. Faces I see for a few weeks before they drop off again. The workout clothes that get bought with good intentions, but that only get worn after February to run errands in.

Trust me. It's gotten harder and harder for me to sometimes find the time to fit workouts in, but I think I might have the secret for you so that you can keep your New Year's resolution to live a healthier lifestyle.

My half marathon recap for team World Vision

I recently ran my fifth half marathon {13.1 miles} and have had some time to reflect on the experience.  I ran for the first time with Team World Vision and it was a great experience.  

After seeing first hand the work that World Vision is doing in subsaharan Africa for the kids and families there, I knew that I had to run.  Mentally, though, this was the toughest race I've done so far. I'm throwing down my thoughts on the Seattle Rock n Roll and all that training today.

©2015 Chris Huber/World Vision

Training again. Some tips that I have learned through the years.

I don't let the fact that I hate running stop me from running. I have found that I am a fairly typical type A personality which is why I think that I keep signing up to run races. I have run four half marathons and more than a handful of 5k's.  I'm currently signed up for half marathon number five in June.
I made myself a snarky running shirt and I think that helps me during my training runs.  I have also learned a few things over the years. If you are training for your first 5k or your fifth half marathon, maybe some of my tips will help.

My half marathon recap

On Sunday I ran my fourth half marathon. For those of you who aren't runners, that's 13.1 miles. Half way to crazy, but not all the way! If you have ever trained for a race, your life starts to get consumed with running. How many miles am I going to get in this week? What pace do I need to run this morning? Should I rest today or squeeze a run in? In August, my mind seemed to only be prepping for the race,  so I shared a week long series on running here at Holy Craft. You can see what gear I use here What training program I follow here My playlist here And a little bit of what kept me motivated here It's been our family tradition for the past two years to have a Teodoro Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving morning. Last year my cousin Angie had just started running and after the run we talked about running a half marathon the following year.  She was wanting a goal to work towards, and I was looking for a way to celebrate my 35th birthday.

 Angie started running

and was so good at it!

Most of the time she pushes a jogging stroller with two kids and her dog!

Now that is dedication!

Her sister in law Megan joined her on her runs three times a week and after I started working up my distance, I started joining them as well.

This is the three of us before the race.

And this is the three of us after.

Because of a knee injury, Megan wanted to run her own pace.

Angie and I ran together for the first 7 miles or so, 

that is, until I rolled my ankle and just couldn't seem to find it in me to pick up the pace.

The finish line for the 10k and the half are at the same spot.

You have to run past the 10k finish to continue on course.

About 1/4 mile before the 10k finish, I was running along and rolled my ankle.

Not sure how it happened, but it was enough to slow me down and play with my mind mentally.

I kept thinking I had every excuse to drop off at the finish, but I kept going.

We look more tired in this after picture!

I felt like I was slowing Angie down, and told her several times to keep going without me.

She started to pull away slowly around mile 7.

The final leg of the race is an out and back along the waterfront.

There are a few hills over overpasses that are long and steady.

Angie was just in front of me and so was the 1:50 pacer.

At mile 9.5 there is a turn around.

The first mile of the race we had torrential downpour with some thundershowers.

It was wet!

The roads were slick and as I went to round the corner to start heading back, I felt my legs go out from under me.

I slipped and fell flat on my face.

Literally.

I don't remember the last time I fell that hard.

Hard enough that I didn't get up right away.

 I literally just laid there.

Two women stopped behind me

{it's a tight turn and I blocked the way}

helped me up and told me I was bleeding on my face but just a little.

My elbow and my hand hurt worse and neither were bleeding,

so I carried on.

I was feeling spent around mile 10 and finally gave in and walked for about a tenth of a mile.

After my ankle roll and now my face plant, I was feeling like this whole run thing wasn't going my way.

I kept seeing the gap between me and the people I was running behind get bigger and racers started passing me.  I was starting to give up.

I walked another hill.

I trained for hills, and never walked the hill the two other times I have run this course.

And I finally pulled myself together and managed to push through...until I got to the next hill.

Thankfully, these ladies were at the top cheering me on.

Heidi has run the half a few times before with me and Alise was running her first 10k.

Both are friends from church and had finished their race and were waiting 

around to cheer me on at the finish.

I have never been more grateful to see them midway up the hill and it was my motivation to keep on running

and not walk that final hill before the finish.

I finished the race in 1:53:51.

7th in my age division and 24th overall.

Not too shabby for walking part of it, rolling an ankle and spending some time face down on the pavement!

Some things I think are worth mentioning after this race.

People cheering on the streets are angels from heaven.

I was so thankful to have strangers on the sidelines cheering me on.

If you can, be a spectator and cheer loud and hard for those runners.

Thank those who are working the race.

The volunteers are taking time out of their schedules to be there standing in the rain.

They don't have to be.

Make sure you say thank you.

Having a friend who has run the course and knows how hard the final hill is,

is the best motivator to keep you going when you are ready to quit!

I am thankful for friends that stuck around and pushed me to the end.

Know a friend running a race?

Spend some time on the sidelines cheering on their accomplishment.

After the race, I hit up the medical team for some bandaids and some ice. I asked for Vicodin but they were plum out.   My body is less sore from running and more sore from bumps and bruises this time around,  but I am so thankful that I stuck with it and finished the race, even when I was ready to quit. Now back to icing and elevating. And hibernating from running for the winter. The elliptical at the gym {complete with reality TV} is calling me name!

Running week-running for a cause

This week, I have been focusing on running. Mostly because running is what seems to be consuming my every thought since I am knee deep in training for my fourth half marathon in September.

I've had a new focus with running the past few weeks though.

A few weeks ago, my friend Paula

{as in the Paula from the Pillowcase Project}

posted on her facebook page something about running to the White House.

It took me a second to realize that it was a virtual run, because, heck, Paula is like that.

She would totally lace up her sneakers and Forest Gump herself across the United States all in the name of raising awareness.  Especially for something like raising awareness for childhood cancer.

She invited me to join her in logging my running miles,

miles I was already logging because of training,

and running for a child who has cancer.

Unfortunately, it didn't take her long to pair me with not just one child with cancer, but two.

Over the course of the past few weeks, I have gotten to know a little bit more about Rylee and Kyler's stories, and have spent hours in prayer for them {and their families} as I run.

I want to take a second to introduce you to one of those kiddos that I am running for.

His name is Kyler.

Kyler is 3.

He is fighting leukemia for the second time in his short life.

He loves Pizza Hut, he misses his dog Max and when he grows up he wants to be Captain America. 

AND Thor.

Kyler has a big sister who is 9 and is still in their home state of Montana with her Dad and his baby sister is just 3 months old and is with Kyler and his mom Misty at the Seattle Children's Hospital.

It's been a tough road for this family the least I can do is pray for them and dedicate my runs to this brave little guy who is WAY stronger than I could ever imagine to be.

I hear the defeat in Misty's posts as she writes about another set back. I feel the anger at cancer as she deals with the effects of what it has done to her family. I can sense the anxiety as she waits for another treatment or another test. And I run. It's all I can do. It gives me a purpose and some mornings it's the only thing getting me out the door.
If you are interested in learning more about this virtual run, you can visit their page on facebook.
I love that I have had the opportunity to get a glimpse into these families. Do you run for a cause? Do you have a purpose for getting out there and logging miles? I would love to hear about it.

Running week-training programs

This week, I have been focusing on a week of running with Holy Craft.

I'm a few weeks out from running my fourth half marathon and am now entering double digit long runs.

Running is usually more fun {for me at least}

if you have a goal like a race in mind.

So today, we will focus on training programs.

I started running when I turned 30.

I've never liked it, but I do it because I like being outside and walking is too slow.

Through the years, I've also had lots of friends who enjoy running and have encouraged me to enter races or to run with them.  Running socially is fun for me.  It makes me forget that I am doing something that I don't really like!

I didn't really train for my first 5k, but I did do a few training runs in preparation for my first running event.

Those seemed to help because I ended up taking third in my age division in the first 5k event I ever signed up for!

For those of you who aren't runners but want to be,

I have heard nothing but good things about the couch to 5K program.

If you are literally not doing any activity and want to start getting up and moving, this 9 week program seems to help a lot of people.

The training program that I loosely use for half marathon training is the Hal Higdon intermediate schedule.

Essentially the rules that I follow are that I count back the weeks before the race starting with the week prior to the race and have my long run be one mile less than the race day run.

So, if my race is on the 14th, I will run 12 miles on the 7th, 11 miles on the 1st, etc...

I continue to count back weeks and miles subtracting a mile on my long run each week.

I really start training when I am doing more than 5 miles on my long runs.

When I start my training, I try to run 3 days a week.

One of those days is a long run, the other two days are 5k's.

I'm hitting the gym two other days a week {usually doing the elliptical and weights} 

and taking two rest days.

Once I start adding distance, my long run becomes my short run and I do that until I start to hit around 7 miles.  Once I hit 7 miles on my long run, my two other days of running usually jump to around 5-6.5 miles each day.  

About a month before my race, I am usually running around 20-25 miles a week, and cross training two days a week with two rest days.

There are a lot of training programs that focus a lot on tempo runs and speedwork.

I find that to be too difficult for me when I just see the goal being to run.

But I've heard plenty of people tell me that if they are looking to increase their pace, focusing on those tempo runs is a great place to start.

I've also seen a lot of training plans that increase distance early on in the program.

I'm prone to knee injuries {plus also I hate running}, so I like to keep it simple and stick to my add a mile mentality.  It seems to work for me.

I've never trained for a full marathon, but I will add that from what I have read, most people find their lives consumed by the training for a full marathon.  

It requires hours of running several days a week.

Because of this, the half marathon entries are on the rise.

It's not a race that is easy to run without some training, but the training isn't all consuming.

The best race sign I have ever seen!

The final thing that I want to mention is that I don't enter a lot of races.

I know of a lot of people who enter races nearly every weekend.

I get quite turned off by the fee that it costs to run.

I do enjoy the spirit of the race, the comradery on race day and the support of those spectators, however, 

that comes at a cost.  Depending on when you sign up some races can cost upwards of $100 or more!

Those runs can add up!

So that's how I train.

How do you prepare for a race?

Do you sign up for a race every week?

Every month?

Every year?

I'm interested to hear!

Runners week at Holy Craft-gear

Yesterday, I started my series called Running with Holy Craft.

I'm knee deep in training for my 4th half marathon in September to celebrate turning 35.

I'm starting to think the only thing I'm going to be celebrating is that fact that I won't have to run anymore!

But that is neither here nor there!

Today, I'm going to be focusing on gear.

Everyone always says that running is an activity that doesn't require special equipment.

That's a lie.

Sure, you can get by with a pair of running shoes, but if you are serious about training for anything, or for running for a hobby, then there is a laundry list of things that you will need.

Shoes

Almost everyone I know owns a pair of sneakers.

But are your sneakers the best fit for your foot?

Are your shoes old and breaking down?

Running in old worn out shoes or ill fitting running shoes is the leading cause of injuries in runners.

Over time, your shoes lose shock absorption, cushioning and stability, which increases the stress and impact on your legs and joints.  Most often leading to overuse injuries.

A good rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes every 300-400 miles.

Depending on how often you are running, this could mean that you are replacing your shoes every 2-3 months!  

This is hard because your shoes probably won't look worn out.

But believe me, after having foot problems, it's worth taking care of your feet and getting the right shoe.

Socks

Running in the Pacific Northwest usually means runs in the rain.

And if you are running long distances, your feet get sweaty.

Combine the two and you have the perfect storm for getting blisters and losing toenails!

I lost a toenail after my first half marathon because during the run it sprinkled the whole time.

Sloshing in puddles got water in my shoes and my socks were cheap Target brand socks.

I invest in these Road Runner dry max socks

They are $30 for a three pack, but they last me a whole year before they need replaced.

And since switching, I haven't lost a toenail yet!

Garmin Forerunner

I've talked before about how much I love my Garmin Forerunner 305.

I'm not very good at pacing myself so having something that can tell me my pace at a glance and something that keeps my distance and time close at hand is a winner in my book.

I've also been using it recently to tell the % grade of hills that I run.

Mostly gee wiz information, but information all the same.

 

ID

I shared with you last month my latest running accessory, but it's worth sharing again in case you missed it.

The Road ID slim band is a band that I run with that has all of my pertinent information on it.

I run a lot of roads now, and if something happened to me, no one would know what to do with me or how to contact someone that I loved.

I have my name, our house phone number, my husbands name and cell phone number, our insurance number and a little scripture verse that keeps me motivated {Isaiah 40:31}

Body Glide Once I started running more than 6 miles at a time, I brake out my tube of body glide. I usually chafe right under my armpits and I rub this stuff on like deodorant. It costs around $7 and is worth every penny. Especially since it lasts forever. People use it on their feet, their thighs, pretty much anywhere there will be rubbing while you exercise. Clothing
There really isn't anything special about my workout clothing. I like capri length workout pants. The Lucy brand is one of my favorites, but the ones pictured by eco yoga is my other favorite. I bought them at TJ Maxx and haven't been able to replace them. I've tried compression pants {by Lucy} but haven't noticed a difference in my running other than the fact that they are tighter and make it hard to breathe! Some people swear by them.
After a week of being down on running, I decided to take one of my plain T's and spruce it up a bit. I cut out "Running Sucks" on my Silhouette with heat transfer paper and ironed it on. Sort of sums up how I feel about running right now.

Another one of my favorite workout outfits is this tank from Reebok 

{purchased at a garage sale for $2}

and these Gap body yoga shorts.

And apparently you have to stand with your hands on 

your hips when wearing said workout attire.

And also, my legs are darn white!

I like a tank top because my pits sweat, and I get hot.

TMI? Whatevs.

This tank has vents down the sides and a pocket in the back.

Perfect for putting my keys in when I have to drive somewhere to run.

The difference in the shirts is that the top one is cotton {wouldn't wear it on a long run because of chafing}

and the bottom one is something magical that is made for running.

I don't know the term.  Poly something I'm sure.

Not hard to find, and makes for a comfy run.

If you notice, I also have my hair in a ponytail.

I use the Goody Stay Tight hair elastics.

They are the best for keeping your hair pulled back and they never break!

source
And I always work out with a hot mess headband. My version of the sweaty bands, but WAY cheaper! These headbands stay in place, don't slip or need readjusted and catch sweat. They are awesome! You can find my tutorial for them here.


So that's my gear. So much for just lacing up an old pair of sneakers and running! Do you have any gear that you swear by for running?
I would love to hear about it.

Running Week at Holy Craft with Half Marathon Training Playlist

I've been running again.

A lot.

Like so much so that it consumes nearly everything I think about.

Which is why this week is dedicated to running here at Holy Craft.

I've talked about running on my blog before.

I've even made mention that I was going to hang up my running shoes.

And I did.

It's been over a year since I have entered any official race.

But this year I turn 35.

I'm hitting my mid 30's and feel like I am in better shape now then I was in my 20's.

I signed up for my fourth half marathon to celebrate my milestone birthday.

On September 15, I will be running the You Go Girl half marathon in Tacoma, WA.

A race I have run two other times before.

I know what to expect.

I know the course.

And I have plenty of people that I know running the race as well.

All good things.

So feeling mentally prepared to tackle 13.1 in a few weeks, I thought I would share some of the things that I use to get me through a run.

First up is music.

I LOVE music!

Call me old fashioned, but I don't run with my smart phone.

I've tried using an arm band and they are uncomfortable to me 

so I go back to the old fashioned ipod shuffle.

It clips on to my clothing and I can quickly and easily skip or replay a song with the touch of a button.

source

I've tried other headphones.

Like the skull candy noise canceling ear buds.

I don't like them.

Mostly because if I run with people I can't use them and still talk.

Also, I run a lot of roads and want to make sure that I can hear a car behind me before I see it.

source

So I stick with the good old handy dandy ipod ear buds that come with your purchase.

They allow enough background noise to provide music but aren't loud enough that I can't hear around me.

source

And finally, the play list.

The most important part of training for me is a good play list.

I keep the songs that motivated me

{and that I am not sick of}

for the actual race,

but I have a different play list for training and for race day.

Play lists for me take hours to create.

Here are my carefully selected songs for training:

Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

Red Nation by The Game

I Miss the Misery by Halestorm

Here Comes the Bloom by Nelly

Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

I Need a Dr. by Dr. Dre

Love The Way You Lie by Eminem

Lose Yourself by Eminem

Bawitdaba by Kid Rock

Rock Superstar by Cyprus Hill

Ridin' by Chamillionare

Disco Inferno by 50 cent

Kryptonite by Three Doors Down

Family Affair by Mary J. Blidge

Enter Sandman by Metallica

All Over You by Live

Fat Bottomed Girl by Queen

Rock Star by Nickleback

Pon De Replay by Rhianna

Crank That by Soldja boy

Gold Digger by Kanye West

For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica

Rolling in the Deep by Adele

Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground

Wake Up Call by Maroon 5

Livin' On a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Sing for the Moment by Eminem

Battlefield by Jordin Sparks

Like a Prayer by Madonna

Free Fallin' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Love Somebody by Maroon 5

I'm a Believer by Tedashii

Wake Up Call by Maroon 5

Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson

I will Wait by Mumford and Sons

Please Don't Leave Me by Pink

We Are Young by FUN

Babel by Mumford and Sons

Whispers in the Dark by Mumford and Sons

Holland Road by Mumford and Sons

Not Ready to Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks

Lover of the Light by Mumford and Sons

Lovers' Eyes by Mumford and Sons

Jesus Walks by Kanye West

Stay Away by Nirvana

Love Is in the House by TobyMac

The Joker by Tom Petty

Savin' Me by Nickleback

Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons

Kashmir by Led Zeppelin

Push by Matchbox Twenty

Below my Feet by Mumford and Sons

Come Together by Michael Jackson

Mean by Taylor Swift

Enchanted by Taylor Swift

Under the Bridge by The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Love Drunk by Boys Like Girls

Caress me Down by Sublime

The Man Who Never Lied by Maroon 5

Four and a half hours of music for you to listen to while you train.

I hate listening to the same songs over and over again so this list gives me some variety.

The songs that were picked are consistent with the beat that I need to run an 8:30 mile.

Any songs you think I should add to my list?

Come back tomorrow as we talk about running gear.

I'm off and running again and have some Merrell shoes for training

If you have been reading along with my blog for long enough, you would know that I run, but don't call myself a runner.  I've never embraced the title of runner even though I have trained for and completed numerous 5k's and three half marathons. 

I even went as far as to write a post about how I was hanging up my running shoes...for a little while.

When I turned 30, I celebrated my birthday by participating in my first official 5k race.

Each year, I like to celebrate turning one year older by participating in some type of athletic event during my birthday month of September.

I didn't do that last year, and I sort of missed it.

This year, I am turning 35.

Sort of a milestone birthday.

I'm hitting my mid 30's and decided to sign up and train for half marathon number four.

Want to join me?

The good people at Merrell heard about how I was celebrating my birthday, and offered me a new pair of running shoes to help get me inspired to train for this big event.

I had no idea that Merrell had so many athletic shoes to choose from!

It was a hard decision with so many fantastic designs that don't just look good, but that perform well also.

I ultimately settled on the Road Glove Dash 2 in grey and pink.

Aren't they cute?!

I'm sure at this point we have all heard or seen the shoes that are part of the barefoot collection.

The shoes that look like toes are less my style, but these look like normal running shoes, but with the benefits of barefoot running.

What are some of the benefits of barefoot running you might ask?

The Merrell Barefoot collection (found here) allows the feet to discover a more natural stride and gait, and encourages a lower impact midfoot landing.  They are designed to engage the feet efficiently, avoid injury, improve alignment and strengthen the body's core.  These super light shoes (6 oz) stimulate the senses and increase quickness and agility. 

Are you sold?  Because I was!

That sounds like everything I want in a running shoe.

I've had a few opportunities to take them out to the track for a test drive.

They are so light, comfortable and easy to run in.

Merrell has more than just running shoes. They also have tons of mens, womens and children's shoes for anything you need. And Merrell stays true to comfort without compromising style, even in their everyday shoes, boots and sandals.  You can shop Merrell here. Let's start training!

Hanging up my running shoes...for a little while

I run, but I don't call myself a runner. I actually hate running.

I don't get that elusive runners high that everyone seems to talk about, instead, I just get injury's. I've racked up thousands of dollars in doctors bills because of running related injuries. You would think that I have been running all my life, but I haven't. I only took up the sport about three years ago.

I ran my first 5k in celebration of my 30th birthday. I actually placed in the top 3 for my age division. After that race, I made friends with my local podiatrist and was in his care for about a year. I had some major foot issues (name your foot "itis" and I had it!), most of them occurring and flaring up because of running. I now wear custom orthodics. Sexy, right?!

Last year, I ran my first half marathon. I had major surgery just four months before the race, but was determined to train and run just to show myself that I could.

I ended up with a knee injury that slowed me down but I was determined to run. I will never forget the feeling as I ran through the streets of Tacoma. I would tear up when I would see little kids lining the streets with signs of encouragement for their moms. Husbands cheering and volunteers ringing bells and shouting out "you go girl". I ran with a feeling of pride that I could do this and at the end, I was thankful that I had.

I had the worst blister from my socks rubbing in my shoes from the rain and even lost a toe nail because of it. At that point, I felt like I could have taken on the title of "runner", but I didn't want to embrace it.

When winter rolls around, and the skies are dark and grey, I tend to hibernate. I stop running on a regular basis. I hate running on the treadmill. The thing that I hate the most about training for an endurance race, like a half marathon, is that it changes the way I work out.

I work out 4-5 days a week for around 1-2 hours a day. I do classes, I lift weights and I do cardio, mostly on the elliptical or the bike because it's easier on my knees. But when I train for a race, I have to focus on getting long runs in, getting short runs in, and generally just running.

Did I mention that I hate running?

This summer, I have a friend that had just come off of running and training for her fourth half marathon. She needed to squeeze in some longer runs on a weekly basis to keep her stamina up, and I told her I would like to join her. So we started running early every Saturday morning.

I went from not running at all, to running at least 12 miles a week. On Saturday we would fit in a long run together, and while we talked, the time passed quickly. We started with 5 miles the first week, then the next week we did 7.5. During the week, I warmed up at the gym with a 5k at least 3 days a week. Once I hit 7.5 miles, I had a crazy thought to run a half marathon again.

I ran 9 miles on my own the next week to see if indeed I was ready and then I signed up for a half marathon that was less than a month away. Crazy? Yep! I continued to train and after my last long training run of 11 miles, I felt great. I knew I was ready to run the Tacoma Narrows Half.

For some reason I had a goal for myself to complete a half marathon in less than 2 hours. I have no idea where I pulled that number from, or why I wanted to complete a race in that time, but I did. My first half marathon I crossed the finish line in 2:02. I was satisfied with my time, but knew there were a few things I could work on to shave off a few minutes (like start a bit faster and not take as much time at the water stations)...oh and not just come out of major surgery!

I started my second half marathon physically prepared, but not mentally prepared. Endurance running is very mental and I didn't prepare myself for that. I had a goal time in mind, but hadn't really trained any differently for this race to make me hit that goal time. I started off too fast (at times, I was running nearly 2 1/2 minutes faster than I trained), and I hit a wall. I was able to maintain that faster speed for about 8 miles of the course, and then I was spent.

I wanted to quit. I don't remember much about running the streets, what I do remember is the self talk I had to do to get myself moving every step of the way. As I came to the 11 mile mark, the two hour pacer started to move in front of me. The gal running next to me said "oh no you don't!" and I knew that I could either make the choice to pick up my pace, or concede to the fact that I wasn't going to make my goal time.

The question I have to ask myself is running a race about the finish or is about the goal you have set? At that point in the race, I was happy to just finish and I thought as long as I have that pacer in my sights, I can still finish close to my desired goal time. A win win.

At the final half mile of the race, the 2 hour pacer stopped in front of me and said she was a bit ahead of schedule. I was quite relieved and didn't realize how important that goal time was to me. I crossed the finish line with an official time of 1:58.04, but with a time of 1:55.31 on my Garmin (I stopped it at the water stations). Under two hours.

I found a curb and sat down thankful that the worst run of my life was over. I had the worst attitude, and part of me was glad that I could cross that goal time off my list of things I wanted to accomplish in life.

I spent the week after recovering, and then knew I had to get right back into running again to train for yet another half marathon in 6 weeks. I had signed up early to run the same course I ran for my first half the year before.
I headed out on a 9 mile run with my friend Jen and had to stop about 7 miles in because my knee was giving me issues. I have a pretty high pain tolerance (I have given birth naturally), and I don't complain often, but I couldn't press through.
I started taking 6-8 ibuprofen daily just so that I could walk with the pain (if you know me, you know I hate to take medicine for anything). I continued to go to the gym and get my cardio in on the elliptical and on the bike, but anytime I would try to fit a run in, my knee would stop me in my tracks less than a mile in. I mentally wrestled with myself wondering if I was secretly looking for a reason to not run the upcoming half, or if I was indeed injured enough that I shouldn't try to run.

I dread the thought of going to the sports medicine doctor I saw last year, knowing he's going to want to run several very expensive tests. I was torn for weeks wondering if I could at least run through my injury and at least try to finish the 10k that the race also offers. I finally made the decision to not run. And I was o.k. with that, until I got the e-mail in my inbox talking about the upcoming race and I physically got sick to my stomach.
I'm not the kind of person who says they are going to do something and then doesn't. I signed up, and made the commitment. I had given my knee 6 weeks of rest (gulp, but what if I didn't have the endurance anymore?) and could finally get through the day without the help of over the counter meds (but what if I was doing permanent damage to my knee?). I wasn't in a cast and I was able to still walk so I thought what the heck. Maybe if I have someone to run with during the race, it will take my mind off of the whole thing.
So I called my friend Jen again and asked if she would like a running buddy. She made me promise that I would stop anytime I felt like my knee was not going to hold out on me and with a new back injury on her part, neither of us had high expectations for the race.

Having just run a half marathon last month finishing in my goal time, I decided to answer my own question. Is running a race about finishing or running in a set time? The race this time was about finishing. And finish I did!
I think not having high expectations and slowing my pace down helped me to actually enjoy the run. My knee hurt and even froze up at one of the water stations at mile 11, but once I got moving again, I was thankful to cross that finish line with a time of 2:12. A respectable time considering my injury and lack of training for this particular race.
I've spent a lot of time thinking about running and why I do it. Especially since I don't love it. What I do like about running is the fact that there is a goal to work towards. A measurable distance and a goal time/distance/pace that can be set. I've decided that since I don't really love running, I should really only do it when I *want* to. On my own terms. So for now, with three half marathons under my belt, I'm hanging up my running shoes.