#8 - participate in some sort of marathon or race - DONE

technically, i've checked this off my 30before30 list twice before this year (here and here with 5k's), but this one is the one that really counts for me - i finally ran the half marathon that i've been scared of since i signed up for it in august!

i'm not going to lie, i wasn't too excited the night before the marathon. in fact, tucker had to talk me in to doing it probably about 5 different times (at least). i was super, super nervous that i wouldn't be able to do it under my goal time and in turn, i'd get really frustrated with myself. but of course, i had signed up for it, paid for it, trained for it, we drove to dallas & picked up my bib and packet for the race. it was just going to have to happen, regardless of how many times i fake coughed and pretended i was sick & couldn't run.

so on saturday night, the night before the race, i slept approximately an hour and a half. and when i woke up really early to eat my banana, my carb-loaded breakfast bar & black tea, my stomach was in knots. but by the time we walked over to my corral and got me all set up and ready to go, i got over the nerves. i was already there - it was going to have to happen, so i might as well just get over it. my biggest concern was that i didn't train enough, and hadn't run far enough to get through this easily. and i was absolutely right - it wasn't easy. but, it actually went a little bit better than i thought, i'm assuming because of all the adrenaline and endorphins that were running through me. i will say that it would have been much more enjoyable if it was colder...running in 76 degrees is not nearly as fun as running in 50 degrees. 

at mile 9, i was so, so tired and started walking and about 30 seconds in to walking, a woman came up behind me, patted me on the back and said "no no, keep running. you & i have been at the same pace throughout the whole run" - so i sped up and started to run again. thank you so much, mile 9 lady in the pink tutu! 

and thank you thank you thank you to my handsome, sweet husband that told me he was proud of me about 50 times, wore a shirt that had my name on it and gave me a hug & kiss at the end of the marathon, when i was at my grimiest and sweatiest. 

{running} & ale

at the beginning of august, i mentioned that i signed up for my first ever half marathon (since it is #8 on my 30before30 list), and talked about how training for it was not going quiiite as well as i had hoped. and, well....i just hated running.

but you guys...we're starting to become friends, running & i. 

i'm supposed to be training 5 times a week, and i won't lie by saying that that's always the case. there have definitely been a few times that the extra vodka + soda from the night before kept me in bed instead of getting up for a run. but for the most part, i'm actually enjoying it now and i've noticed a huge, huge difference in my endurance level. it's also helped me stick to eating healthier (again - this is not always the case. i definitely have days where i eat berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, or several slices of pizza. i will never turn those down!)...i've started to realize that there's truth behind those super fit people who say, "one should eat to live, not live to eat" - it makes such a huge difference for me to go run after several days of healthy, clean eating versus a day of say, tailgating at a longhorns game!

and although i always plan to have those days of mini-indulgences and late night desserts, by reminding myself how i feel on my runs after healthy eating, i hope to minimize those and make sure they're rare enough to be counted as treats.

and with it still being in the 90's here in texas, it's a tad bit miserable to go for a run anytime after 8:30am and any time before 7:30pm, so i keep day dreaming of cooler weather and being able to take off whenever i feel like it. i still have about 3 months until the marathon, which means at least 2 of those months should be in cool and cold weather. (cold weather according to texas standards, anyway)

but until then, i'll "cheers" to running, since we're getting along marvelously for right now and i'd love to keep it that way.

ps. i'm running a little 5k with a friend tomorrow morning. hoping for nice weather and not too many hills!

(see my full 30before30 list here)

running

last week, i officially signed up to run a half marathon in dallas. i'm not quite sure what i was thinking, but it's too late for me to back out now. i've already committed to a friend who's also running, i've paid for it, i've told the world about it - and this was all on purpose, to keep myself from being able to say "never mind!"

one of the goals on my 30before30 list is to participate in some sort of marathon or race. back in april, i did a really fun, easy 5k and while that allowed me to technically cross off a list item, i didn't really feel like it was worthy.

i have (almost exactly) 4 months to train for this, sometimes that seems like more than enough time & at others, it seems like i'm an idiot. i'm not running with a group, because honestly...i loathe working out with people. i hate when someone tries to speak to me while i'm panting and not even able to form a word, much less a whole, coherent sentence or witty response. but even without a running group, i got this! i know i do. it's not the actual race that i'm worried about. there's no doubt in my mind that on december 9th i'll cross the line at 13.1 miles. i know i've got that part down. because i'm not going to let myself walk near the end when i get tired - i know myself well enough to know that i'll compete with myself allll the way through the finish.  it's the discipline that it takes, that's what's scary.

it's the waking up early on weekdays and weekends to make sure that you've reached your 5-runs-per-week goal. and the "no thanks, i'll pass on that one last delicious cocktail, i have to run in the morning". and the, "yes i know it's already 90 degrees at 8am, but i've got to get out there" statements. those are the things that concern me. but i know that i have to start letting this become fun for me, and i know it'll get there. i just can't wait for that moment! i've reached that point with bikram - i can't wait to get in that hot room, and i'm always excited to get to sweat my ass off for 90 minutes straight.

 so, running, here's to hoping that i start to love you sometime very, very soon!

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are you a runner? any tips to share with me?