A Short Break

On Sunday I ran 7 miles! And I ran the whole time! After about mile 2 and up until mile 6.5 it felt really great. I was really really slow and I'm pretty sure I got beat by some people who were running 10 miles but whatever. Seven miles is three miles longer than I've ever run without walking before.

Unfortunately, my left toes were killing me for most of the run. It didn't hurt bad enough that I needed or even wanted to stop, which is good. Really, it felt like I was unconciously holding my toes up in my shoe rather than letting them rest on the sole and bend and straighten with the natural movement of my steps, which would obviously make my foot sore. If I could force myself to curl my toes, that temporarily relieved the pain, though it did return promptly. What made me nervous was that the pain started to extend into the ball of my foot. I'm just completely at a loss as to what this could possibly be.

I know people often get stress fractures of the feet, so I'm hoping that's not what it is. My first reaction was that I wanted to just continue training normally until I fell or physically couldn't run anymore. At least then I would know I gave it literally all I had. Then I started to think that through. If it is a stress fracture, it could progress into a full-on fracture. Spending my summer in a foot cast, unable to float the river or be in the water is just not worth it to me. Additionally, it's not at all worth it to me to hurt myself so badly that I need to quit working out altogether for an extended period of time. That, in fact, sounds miserable.

So my plan is to not run for this week at all, until Saturday. I'll do a short run Saturday and my long run on Sunday. I'm really upset about this because it was finally starting to feel good and not hurt all the time. Hopefully my long run (eight miles) will not hurt as bad this week.

Wish me luck and happy feet!

My Workout Pet Peeves

Seriously, I promise I'll post pictures from the Riverbank Run soon. I'm just really technology impaired and have been too busy to take 2 hours to sit down and figure out how to put pictures on this thing.

Anyway, at The Lift last night we had a substitute instructor. I'm not the type of person who will leave as soon as they see that the regular person isn't there, but it does grind my gears just a bit. I believe it takes at least 2 workouts with someone to get into the groove of what they do, so when a new person comes I feel a little lost. (Yes, I know everyone gets sick/deserves a vacation.) This prompted me to come up with a list of other things I dislike about group workout classes.

1. Techno covers of Top 40 music. If I want to hear a Miley-wannabe singing "I Can't Wait To See You Again", I'll watch American Idol.
2. Working one muscle group almost exclusively in a class that is geard toward a whole body workout. I'm training for a half-marathon for God's sake. My legs are getting plenty of work, thank you. I'm all for squats and lunges but can a girl get a bicep curl please?
3. Slippery gym floors and slippery steps/bosus DO NOT MIX. Let's get some rubber feet for those steps!
4. There's really no need to talk like the Sit & Be Fit lady on speed. (Those of you that grew up watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood on Billings PBS know exactly what I'm talking about.) I know that's not your real voice because I heard you talking to your friend before class so just stop it!
5. Lunges. Just lunges in general.
6. I'm perfectly capable of doing crunches on my own. What I'm not really capable of doing on my own is timed planks. (It's pretty hard to look at your watch when you're supporting all of your weight on your arms.) This is why timed planks are a good activity for a group exercise class, and crunches are a lame activity. Creativity is a must!
7. I know the instructor wants to get a workout too, but when someone is bending exclusively at the waist during squats you should probably take a second to correct that, no?

I'm really not trying to be a grumpus here. I did have a good workout and I've got some sore muscles today so it's not like the whole night was a total loss. And I know all the squats and lunges are good for my running. I'll make sure to say a special thank you to our substitute instructor if I make it through 6 miles on Sunday!! :)

Riverbank Run

I loved doing the Riverbank Run! It was really fun, and I finished in about 39 minutes, which is great for me! In comparison, in Wednesday's run, I ran 3 miles in about 45 minutes. Pictures to come!

Here's a link to the results: http://www.theracershub.com/results_view.php?id=859&result_type=db&highlight=Hoover

And a link to the Missoulian story about the event: http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_9b581d34-4fda-11df-ab77-001cc4c002e0.html

I'm definitely going to do more 5k races!

This Little Piggy...

Well, despite the nasty blisters on my arches due to the aforementioned stupidity, last night's run went fairly well.

I have been trying to cut back on my Ibuprofen use for the past couple of weeks, because I think it was giving me headaches. I haven't taken any all week, and my shins hurt a bit at the beginning and end of my run last night, but they feel great today. I'm so relieved that they seem to FINALLY be getting better!!

During my run last night, the 2nd and 3rd toes on my left food hurt bad. I'm thinking it was just a cramp since they felt fine immediately after my run and haven't bothered me since. I'll keep you posted on this newest malady.

The Riverbank Run is Saturday. (I still haven't registered, better get on that today!) I'm going to try to drag Ryan out of bed to take a picture of me at the finish, so I'll try and post that, along with my results and a general summary, this weeekend.

Sock Lesson Number 2 or Sometimes I Do Really Stupid Stuff

An important note: Forgetting to put socks in your gym bag and going without them on your hike to the M leads to really smelly feet and blisters EVERYWHERE.

Those of you who know and love me and my feet can appreciate how truly gross my running shoes will quickly become if I keep this up.

Sock Lesson #2: Throw an extra pair or two in your gym bag and keep them there. Seriously.

Update

Well, another week has gone by without a post. I promise I haven't just dropped off the face of the planet, and I AM still running. I'm also working on moving into a new apartment so I'm pretty overwhelmed with many tasks and projects that aren't related to running.

I am still planning on doing the Riverbank Run on Saturday, though I haven't registered yet.

This weekend, I was in Great Falls visiting the grandparents, so I missed the Sunday long-run. I did run 2 miles on their treadmill, but just couldn't bring myself to do 5 miles alone on a treadmill. At least I got a run in, right? And I'm going to try to go enjoy the sunshine with an M hike after work tonight. That might not happen, however, depending on what news I get from my new property management company. Sigh.

In other news, I did some clothes shopping this weekend and am pleased to report I bought two shirts in a size smaller than I was wearing before! My body is currently a pear-shaped nightmare but that will....eventually....change. I hope. Regardless, it's nice to see my hard work paying off in more ways than one!

Also, my amazing boyfriend bought me a bike for my birthday! I'm so excited to ride to work this summer and save money on gas as well as get some extra exercise in. I also have lots of friends who I've already been hitting up to come on bike rides with me!

I will definitely post some pictures of the new bike and hopefully from the Riverbank Run in the next week!

The Sock Lesson

Up until recently, one thing I haven't had too much of an opinion on in regards to running is socks. Are running socks really necessary? Or will my funny-stripes Costco socks hack it? The answer, readers, is yes, running socks ARE really necessary, and NO your Costco socks won't suffice.

About three weeks ago, on the would-be 3-mile run that Lisa and I managed to turn into an almost 4-mile run (thanks to some less than stellar directions), I started to feel some rubbing on the arch of my left foot. Stupidly, I didn't stop to fix the problem. I ended up with a blister on the arch of my foot, presumably from socks that were too thin and/or wrinkled.

Last week, I ran my 4-mile run in Billings wearing thick FitSox brand Runner's Edge socks. I didn't even feel the existing blister, and no new ones appeared.

This week, on a similar 4-mile run, I wore thin socks again. I thought they would be fine, because they were supposedly "performance socks." Not so. I now have a blister on the arch of my right foot, and a new blister underneath the old, almost healed blister on my left foot.

Lesson learned. Thick socks = happy feet.

I'm Still Plugging Along...

Dear Readers,

I genuinely apologize for my lack of posts lately! On top of running, there is a lot going on in my personal/work/Alpha Phi lives that has kept me from the keyboard. However, I AM still keeping up with my training, for the most part.

On Sunday, since I was in Billings for Easter weekend, I missed training class. However, I DID have a great 4-mile run with my dad! I think I'm finally reaching the coveted threshold where adding an extra mile on to a run isn't as tough as it once seemed. (I'll get back to you on if I still feel that way after we get to 5 miles in two weeks!)

Aside from that, I've been enjoying some 2- and 3-mile runs with Lisa on Wednesdays and Sundays, (when we don't get lost!) and am either running 1-2 miles, going to The Lift, or hiking the M on off days. I really hate running by myself so it's usually hiking the M or running on the treadmill in front of the TVs at the gym. I know that's not as good for me but at least I'm doing it! I've said it before, but I'm thinking cross-training is key!

My shins are still hurting, but it's not getting any worse so I guess that's a good thing. I'll take what I can get!

I recently got a blister on the arch of my left foot, but that turned out to be a lot more minor than I thought it would be. Nevertheless, I'm saving the thin Gold-Toe socks for short runs and sticking with my Runner's Edge FitSoks for the long runs!

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and positive thoughts! Writing this blog and knowing you're all rooting for me is making this easier and way more fun, AND forcing me not to quit! (Because that would be REAL embarassing.)

Success!

Last night was another 2-mile run, and I did the whole thing without walking!!! (To be fair, I stopped for 30 seconds in the middle to tie my shoe. But still.) I'm so excited because this is definitely something I couldn't have done back in January. Now for that 3-miler coming up on Sunday...

Relief

Last week, I was feeling really discouraged with running. It wasn't feeling like it was getting any easier and it sure wasn't fun. Luckily, I had a couple of good runs last week and I'm feeling a lot better now.

On Sunday, a group run day, we were set to run two miles again. I ran with my friend Lisa, who is definitely a better runner than me. That really pushed me and forced me to run more than I would have had I been running alone, AND it was a lot more fun. I walked a LOT less than the week before! It also gave me a necessary confidence boost so I'm feeling better about the whole ordeal. (Though I still refer to running as "an ordeal." :)) Thanks, Lisa!

I am seriously considering doing the YMCA Riverbank Run on April 24th. It's a 5k, so it is farther than I've gone at this point, but we're set to do 3 miles this coming Sunday and I'll conceivably have done 5 by the 24th, so a 5k will be a piece of cake! Setting a short term goal like this is good for me, because I'm a procrastinator so preparing for something that's not happening until July just really isn't my style. This gives me a reason to run NOW, not put it off like I do everything else! (Also, bonus: I love the YMCA preschool and youth programs and this helps benefit them!)

Life Happens

I'm discovering it is harder to keep a training schedule than I initially realized. Sometimes, life just gets in the way. And I've never been one to let working out get in the way of life. :)

As you probably have guessed by now, I did NOT make it to The Lift last night, nor did I get my mile in. It was Ryan's birthday and I should have anticipated that working out just wouldn't be happening.

That said, I do need to be better about anticipating ahead of time when getting a run in after work just isn't feasible, and force myself to get up early those days for a pre-work gym trip. (Though running in the morning makes me tired and ravenous all day.)

To make up for my lost mile yesterday, I will hopefully be running a mile after work and then meeting Ryan for a hike up the M, weather permitting. I'll also be running quite a bit the rest of the week. I know I need to be better about getting my runs in, or it will never get easier!

"Official Training" Day 2

So Sunday was the second day of Run Wild Missoula training. This time, we took a lovely 2 mile jog from The Runner's Edge to Greenough Park and back. It went...ok. Before the run, Anders talked about taking walk breaks early and often on the long runs, which made me feel better about the fact that I wasn't going to be able to run the whole thing. I think I did wait a bit long to take my first walk break, and ended up walking more than I wanted to. Luckily, this week's training program is exactly the same as last week's, so I get another chance.

I feel really overwhelmed with the training schedule. I'm just not sure I'm going to be able to do it. Running even 1 mile doesn't feel like it's gotten any easier. However, this is just the second week so maybe it will get better by the end of this week. I'm told there is some sort of threshold that you cross and adding on miles doesn't seem so painful anymore. I'll be waiting anxiously...

In any case, today is a "rest" day, which I am grateful for!! Stay tuned to see how tomorrow goes. I'm going to attempt to go to The Lift AND run 1 mile, in order to stick to the mileage recommended on the training schedule.

"Official" Training, Night 1

Well, $80 later I am a proud member of Run Wild Missoula and an official participant in RWM's Missoula Marathon training class. I am an "HB", a Half Beginner. That means we are starting very slow. Which is great!

Last night's run was one mile. I was able to run almost the whole way, except one little part in the middle that was up a steep hill. (By the end, I was definitely more shuffling than running, but both my feet were off the ground at the same--albeit, brief--time so that counts as running in my book.) I think that's pretty good considering I haven't run much lately, and it was my first time running on something other than a treadmill.

This Sunday's run is 2 miles (Sundays are "long run" days) and I'm mostly positive I won't be running the whole way. I'm OK with that because I get another chance the following week.

Classes are Wednesday nights at 6:00 and Sunday mornings at (gulp) 8 a.m. I will DEFINITELY miss my Sunday mornings sleeping in, but they'll be back in July. I don't really sleep in after winter is over anyway. I'm looking forward to the time change so that it stays lighter and warmer for our Wednesday night runs!

I'm supposed to run 1 mile today (which might take place tomorrow morning or might be replaced with a hike up the M) and then 1 mile on Saturday. We get two "rest" days per week(!!): Mondays and Fridays. (I'm sure you can mix it up to suit your schedule though.)

Going to the class has definitely jump-started my motivation! There are three women who work at MFCU that go as well, and we're all HBs, so that should hold me accountable!! I just hope I can keep up with the pace of the class!

Has Anybody Seen My Motivation??

Wow, I haven't blogged in almost 2 weeks! Which also means, unfortunately, that I haven't run in about a week and a half. Whoops. I guess I kind of lost motivation. However, I have hiked the M a few times, and, though I have had appointments and meetings that conflict with The Lift, I've been doing some lifting on my own. I definitely need to get back into the swing of things!!

The Runner's Edge marathon training classes started Sunday. I was out of town and had to miss the first session, so I will be going to my first one tomorrow night. The first run is only 1 mile. I was doing a little more than a mile the last few times I ran. However, I've never run outside/not on a treadmill before so I'm feeling a little nervous about it. I will definitely blog about it on Thursday!

Wish me luck and send good "strong legs and lungs" thoughts my way!!

Proud Moments

The run I did last night was the first of the TCIGTR workouts where there was just one large chunk of running instead of alternating running and walking. I am excited to say I ran for 15 minutes without stopping, which was about 1 and 1/3 miles. It felt great, especially when I looked back at that first day when I could barely even run for 5 minutes without stopping! I also can't believe that just two weeks ago I was nervous about doing the workout that required that I run sets of 3 minutes with walking in between! Woohoo!

On Tuesday, I went to The Lift. Because it's The Lift Plus, we do lots of jumping jacks, etc. like I mentioned in a previous post. I found after the first set of jumping jacks that a person battling shin splints probably shouldn't do them. I was able to modify much of what we did but it was frustrating because I felt like I could be doing more if it wasn't for my stupid legs! So it goes, I guess.

Today is a "day of rest" where I'll be spending some quality time with my ice bag and the Olympics. I'll hopefully be getting up early for a run in tomorrow morning, but I make no promises.

Power Song(s) of the Day: "Do Somethin'" by Britney Spears. I know. Just shut up.

"Soul Sister" by Train. This is not necessarily a good song for running/cardio, but Stephanie always plays it in The Lift when we're doing abs at the end and it is great for that! Although this song is rapidly becoming overplayed, I love it.

Shin update #2,378

Are you guys tired of reading about my shins yet? I'm tired of writing about them! I'm feeling optimistic that the insoles will help because my right leg feels GREAT today! My left leg is hurting a bit but ice and Ibuprofen are helping immensely. Not too much pain on my run last night either. According to TCIGTR as long as it doesn't hurt while you're actually running it's ok to keep going. Tonight I'm going to The Lift and then running again tomorrow so I'll update you again after that.

Last night I ran a total of 1.3 miles. Not as close to my goal of two miles as I'd like to be by now but I think I'll make it!

Power Song of the Day: "Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued" by Fall Out Boy. FOB generally changes their sound a bit with every new album, and From Under the Cork Tree is the album with the sound I like the best. Additionally this song has lots of power chords and funny lyrics.

I LOVE The Runner's Edge!

OK, the last thing I want is for my blog to turn into a big advertisement for anything, but I have to give some serious thanks to The Runner's Edge.

Because my shins have still been bothering me, I swung in yesterday to see if I should try different shoes. (Yep, they'll take back the shoes they sold you even if you've worn them.) However, because Brooks are awesome, the man who helped me didn't recommend new shoes. Instead, we're going to try some insoles. Here's where The Runner's Edge being awesome comes in: not only did he recommend a product that will help me, but he actually put them in my shoes and let me walk around. Apparently the arches of my feet are farther forward than most people's, because it took four or five pairs before we found one that hit me in the right place. Further, he trimmed them down to fit my shoes perfectly, taught me how to mold them to my feet using my oven, and then said, (here's the best part) that I can still return them if they don't help! What? That's amazing!

He also let me run on their in-store treadmill and watched my stride to make sure I wasn't doing anything funny. (I'm not.)

In other "shin" news, they are definitely still sore. I am starting to ice them three times a day, which every single person I've talked to about this recommends. (That's right, I will be sitting on the floor of the University Branch of Missoula Federal Credit Union's break room during my lunch break icing my shins. Sweet.) The guy at The Runner's Edge said I'm probably OK to keep running as long as I ice a lot and use anti-inflammatories. (Yes Mom, I'll stop if it gets too bad...I'll know if I'm hurting myself, I promise!) He recommended running every other day and cross-training or resting in the off-days to allow them time to rest/heal in between.

It's frustrating and scary because I'm really enjoying running and I'm really excited to meet my goal. The pain is by no means unbearable. In fact, it doesn't even hurt that bad. It's more like a nagging soreness. It's the fear of stress fracture/other injury that's stressing me out. So keep your fingers crossed that the insoles solve the problem!!

On a completely unrelated note, everyone wish my friend Allison luck as she runs in the Snow Joke half-marathon this coming weekend. Read about it here: http://www.cheetahherders.com/snowjoke.html Seriously. Read the entrants guide. It's amazing.

Power Song of the Day: "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance. The lyrics are funny and it's got a good melody. Plus it's fairly short which is good for my ADD.

Crunch time!

My half-marathon training classes start in 17 days and I'm starting to get a little nervous. I'm nowhere near being able to run 2 miles without stopping. I'm definitely able to run more than when I first started though. Last night TCIGTR directed me to run 8 minutes, walk 3 minutes, and run 8 minutes again and I was able to do it. It wasn't fun, but I completed it and was even able to push myself to run an extra 30 seconds on the last set of running. I just don't want to hurt myself again! I think cross training will be key for me in the next five months.

The good news is my legs/shins didn't hurt at all when I was running last night. I did ski a (very) little bit on Monday so my calves were a little sore which definitely made the run harder. However I'm happy to say the only pain I felt was muscle fatigue. What a relief!

Power Song(s) of the Day: "Ohio is for Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights--This song is depressing as hell but it has a really good beat and is fun to listen to LOUD which I like when I'm running.

"Hum Hallelujah" by Fall Out Boy--FOB in general is good running music, but this song in particular is great for working out. It's very complex with a lot going on all at once which I find distracts me from thinking about how much my quads are burning or how tired I am.

Obivouly if you don't like emo you probably shouldn't take music advice from me.

Side Note: Shaun White amazes me. Seriously.

What Not to Eat...

So, today I learned a very important lesson: do not eat a ginormous lunch less than one hour before you run. It does not feel good. My tummy was turning by the end and I didn't have as good of a run as I think I could have had I eaten earlier and perhaps hydrated myself a little better. (Apparently two cups of coffee and one large iced tea does not a hydrated woman make. Who knew?) So not my smartest day, obviously.

Nausea aside, I had another good, tough run today. There was very little pain in my lower legs, though they're a little tired now. The Runner's Edge training classes start two weeks from tomorrow and I think I'll be ready. I can't believe how fast time is flying!!

I would like to start doing yoga again. Since I had some extra time after my run today, I did a lot more stretching than I normally do. (Though I do always stretch post run.) I noticed that my muscles, particulary in my legs have gotten a LOT tighter since I quit doing yoga every week. My utadasana, or inverted mountain pose, was not looking good! (Utadasana is standing with your feet pointed slightly inward at the front of your mat and leaning forward at the hips to touch your toes. I'm not a yogi so that description is probably way off but just go with it.) A few months ago, I could put my hands almost flat on the ground in this pose with my knees straight. Today, I could barely brush the ground with my fingertips and my knees were even a little bent. Damn! I did a few Downward Facing Dogs and those felt good, so once I get into a good training routine I'm going to try and go back to my Monday night yoga classes.

Anyway, in an earlier post I mentioned my running power song, but I realized today when I was running that I actually have a number of good power songs for working out, so I'll start closing my blog posts with a song that inspired me recently. Most will come from my iPod but a few might come from what Stephanie plays in The Lift or what I hear in spinning. A few disclaimers, though: 1. It's been a long time since I've had a fully functioning computer, so the music on my iPod is way old. 2. I really prefer punk and rock music so I don't recommend downloading these songs for your small children or impressionable friends.

Power Song of the Day: "Billie Jean" by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. While I'm a die-hard MJ fan and would normally be offended that anyone would even try and cover Billie Jean, Me First does a nice job of turning it into a punk song and giving it a good beat for working out. The original is obviously better for any and all other situations, though.

Back in the Game

Well, I didn't write much last week because, frankly, I wasn't doing much of anything last week. I decided to take it really easy and aside from one day on the elliptical I stayed away from the gym. My legs feel MUCH better. Last night I was able to complete another tough run. My legs didn't feel GOOD when it was over but they didn't feel scary-hurt either. I think it's just a matter of strengthening my lower-leg muscles and not trying to run 4 times a week. (Seriously. What was that guy thinking when he wrote The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running??)

Last night's run was great! The workout was walking 5 minutes, then alternating running 5 minutes w/ walking 2 minutes, then walking 4 minutes. A few weeks ago, when I first decided to "become" a runner, I tried to run for 5 minutes. I did make it through the 5 minutes that time, but just barely. Last night I was able to stand upright without holding on to the treadmill, (a change from that time a few weeks ago!) and while it wasn't super easy, it wasn't as hard as I expected either. Exciting!

Tonight is The Lift class, tomorrow night spinning, maybe a run on Thursday, and hopefully some swimming this weekend. My friend Amy and I are thinking of doing a Bootcamp class at The Women's Club so that would be great cross training. (Though 6 a.m. class 3 days a week is a BIG committment for me.)

Side note: I found my power song: "She is Beautiful" by Andrew W.K. I KNOW, RIGHT?! So weird. I guess your power song picks you, not vice versa.

In Stitches and Splints

Recently, I bought The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, (hereafter referred to as TCIGTR) which has, among lots of other information, a set of workouts that build up to running 30 minutes without stopping. Since I run a pretty slow mile, this will enable me to run more than 2 miles comfortably by the time the marathon training classes start in March. Since they start the training at 2 miles, I figure this will guarantee that I don't embarass myself.

The workouts started with walking ten minutes, alternating running 1 minute with walking 1 minute for ten minutes, then walking ten minutes. They build up from there, adding more running and less walking until eventually you're running the entire 30 minutes. Ideally, it should take 4 weeks of running 4 times per week.

Well, I have good news and bad news. I, like Wesley in The Princess Bride, am a firm believer in bad news first. However, in this case, the bad news is really the main topic of this post so we'll start with the good news.

The good news is I made it through the toughest run yet in the TCIGTR plan. I was very nearly positive I wouldn't make it through this one on the first try, so I'm stoked that I did it. It was really tough, I won't lie, but I'm really glad I didn't give up.

On to the bad news. My shins are killing me. KILLING ME. I asked the trainers at The Women's Club about them, and they gave me some advice: stretches, strengthening exercises, crosstraining, and cutting back my running to 2x per week until they heal.

I'm really bummed that I am having this set-back in my training. Part of me wants to push through the pain and do it anyway, but I know that's a terrible plan. The LAST thing I want to have happen is a stress fracture, which according to TCIGTR can develop from shin splints. So I'm taking it easy this week, doing The Lift tonight and maybe swimming on Thursday, then a short run on the weekend. I'm hoping to add in spinning next week and a bit more running if my legs feel better, but I'm not going to try for four in one week until the week after next. This still gives me just enough time to get to 2 miles before training starts. So expect lots of cross-training posts in the next two weeks.

I'm kind of panicking with how quickly time is going. The marathon will be here before I know it! I also didn't use strong enough wording in the last paragraph: I'm really damn frustrated that I can't run as much as I want to!! (Mom and Dad, pick yourselves up off the floor. Yes, I just said I WANT to run. Don't feel bad, I surprised myself, too.)

Anyway, to my running friends, if you have any advice on shin splints and/or how much or how little I should be running, I would love to hear it!

A side note: A HUGE thank you to the ladies at The Women's Club, who are so knowledgeable and nice. I've never had a gym that had certified trainers at the front desk who you could talk to without an appointment and without shelling out one red cent. Amazing.

My Running Wish List

It occurred to me today that this is going to be an expensive hobby at first. So, I started a wish-list of everything I want/need by race day. The list is, in no particular order, as follows:

1. A few wicking tank tops and a few new pairs of shorts
2. More sports bras
3. Running Socks
4. An arm-band for my iPod
5. New headphones that don't fall out of my ears when running. (Seriously Apple...who designed the standard ear buds? You fail, Steve Jobs.)
6. Registration for the race
7. Registration for The Runner's Edge training classes.


That's all for now. I'm sure the list will get longer as I start running farther. Whoever said running is free is a liar. LIAR.

Cross Training, Day 1

Last night was the first time since I decided to become a runner that I've done something besides, well, run. I went to one of my favorite classes at The Women's Club, The Lift Plus. According to www.thewomensclub.com, The Lift is an "exciting weight training class utilizing a specially designed barbell, steps and dumbbells. No fancy footwork, just simple and intense resistance training set to motivating music." Since the class on Tuesday nights is The Lift Plus, the instructor usually throws in a minutes of jumping jacks, jogging in place, or other super-fun (that was sarcasm) things here and there to get our hearts pumping.

I like this class for a number of reasons. 1. The instructor, Stephanie, is cool. 2. You don't have to be very coordinated, which keeps my flailing to a minimum. 3. I'll be honest here. If I try to weight lift on my own, I look like a fool. Or a tool. Whichever noun you're more comfortable with. 4. I just am not dedicated enough to force myself to do squats and lunges outside of a peer-pressure setting. (I HATE lunges. Hate them. I could get into all the things I would rather do than lunges, but it might get graphic, so I'll spare you.) Anyway, going to this class makes me feel like I've done a bit of resistance training, so I don't feel bad about skipping it the rest of the week. (I know one day a week of resistance training is not enough. I'll get there. I promise.)

During the class, I was excited to find that I was able to hold the plank position for 3 sets of 30 seconds. (Modified plank, of course.) If you don't know what "plank" is, get in the push-up position, with your arms extended all the way. Suck in your stomach. Now stay like that for a while. If you can't do that, do it in the modified push-up position, with your knees on the ground. Fun stuff, huh? Before Christmas, I could hold the plank for about 3 seconds. (I'm not exaggerating.) I'm really excited to find that my core has gotten a lot stronger from running!

I'm hoping to get in some swimming this weekend for my next round of cross training.

A Little Inspiration

Monday night, Anders Brookers, the owner of Missoula's premier running store, The Runner's Edge, gave a talk at the Good Food Store regarding training for the full- and half- Missoula Marathon. I was excited to go and dragged Ryan along. (It turns out we will not be participating as a couple in this year's Valentine's Day Scrumpy Jack Scramble 5k run. I got the "don't even ask" head shake when it was brought up during the talk.)

Side Note: If you ever have the opportunity to try the GFS's Sweet Potato Soup, DO IT. It has peanut butter in it. It's incredible.

Anyway, Anders is also the coach of the Hellgate High School track and cross-country teams, so he knows his stuff. He didn't say much that I hadn't already read on the website, but he did answer some questions on things like the advantages of caffienated vs de-caffienated power gels. He also reiterated that the half-marathon is a very acheivable goal from where I'm at now. Apparently, one could even conceivably make it through the whole marathon at this point, but I'm not crazy enough to make myself that miserable for the next 23 weeks. I do need to be able to do my job without falling asleep at my desk, after all!

We were also told to expect to be hungry all the time. Uh, I already am hungry all the time. What the flip is going to happen when I start running long distances? I will definitely be investing in almonds and other proteins! I should also expect to be tired all the time. Sounds awesome!

In all seriousness, I'm very excited about the marathon and I'm definitely going to shell out the $80 to do the Runner's Edge training classes.

More on my training and progress in the next post!

A Day of Skiing

So this post is not directly about running, but it's about physical activity so I figure I'm close enough. Maybe it will all come back to running in the end, maybe it won't. It's hard to tell with me sometimes.

Today was "Media Day" at Lookout Pass, so Ryan and I got to ski, eat lunch, and rent gear for free. Lookout Pass sits right on the Montana/Idaho border, so we're able to say we skied in two states in one day!

Anyway, here's a little background on my skiing history: I skied almost every weekend as a kid. By 7th grade or so, my favorite run was Mad Wolf at Big Sky. I was pretty good, if I do say so. But by high school, skiing with your parents every weekend was obviously way less fun than working at the local SCUBA shop (?), so I let my skiing skills fall by the wayside. Fast forward to college: new part of Montana, new ski hills, new boyfriend. Ryan LOVES to ski. Loves it. It took two years of persuading, but he finally got me up on a mountain. That year (2007), we skied at Snowbowl and I made it through about 2 runs and had to be done. Last year, I made it through three at Whitefish, but the rumor is that there were tears on the last one. After that debacle, I promised Ryan and myself that I would go to the gym throughout the off-season and work for stronger legs so that this year I would be at least able to make it through a solid half-day of skiing.

Well folks, I did it. I made it through a number of runs (the jury is still out on exactly how many) and...I actually had fun. I'm really excited and proud because this is the first time I've put myself to the test to see if my gym time has actually produced any results. My upper legs didn't hurt at all the whole time, and my lower legs got tired fast, but it was bearable. Hooray! All those squats and lunges and spinning classes paid off.

So I guess how this all ties in to the running is that after accomplishing my goal of becoming a better skier, I am more motivated and confident in my ability to reach my next goal: 13.1 miles on July 11th!

Tomorrow night, Anders Brooker, the owner of The Runner's Edge, is putting on a talk at The Good Food Store about starting from zero and training for the Missoula half- and full marathon. I'm definitely going, so I'll be posting about what he has to say on Tuesday!!

P.S. I still love my new shoes!!

Ahhh, New Shoes....

Well, $105 later, I am the proud new owner of Brooks "Adrenaline" running shoes. Though my bank account is definitely hurting, I can happily say after my morning run/walk today that this was a very good purchase. My calves, ankles, and shins hardly hurt at all, and I was actually able to feel my muscles working, instead of just my lower legs crying out in pain. (Though at the moment I'm not sure which is worse.)

I'm currently run/walking about 2 miles, and adding more running and less walking every day. It's tough to push myself and even tougher to roll out of bed at 5:45 in the morning, but once I make it through the doors of the gym I know I made the right choice and my attitude improves immensely. Next week I'm planning on adding in a cardio-lifting class on Tuesday nights to build muscle in my lower body and ensure that my upper body doesn't get neglected in all of this. Once I make some more progress with the running, I'll add swimming one day a week as well.

A very special thank you to the lady at The Runner's Edge who patiently guided me through the many choices in running shoes without trying to upsell me. I'm a Runner's Edge shopper for life! (Also, thanks for the free socks!)

Shin Splints, Anyone?

"Get good shoes." "Spend money on good shoes." "Seriously, Emily, you need to get new shoes." I've heard these and many more variations on this phrase from just about everyone I've talked to about running. For the record, the shoes I'm using are NOT just some Target-brand cross trainers. They are, or were, good, expensive, Brooks running shoes. Unfortunately, they were also purchased about three-and-a-half years ago. I knew I did need to get new shoes sooner than later. But last night on the treadmill, I found out I needed to get shoes "NOW" not "SOON".

Um, OW. Seriously. I will never run in old, broken-down shoes again. If someone had drawn a cartoon of me on the treadmill, there would be red lightening bolts shooting from my calves, shins and ankles. So, alas, immediately after work tonight Ryan and I will be heading down to the Runner's Edge to get NEW SHOES.

Goodbye, paycheck that was just deposited into my account today. It was nice knowing you.

What in the hell am I thinking?

I am not a runner. I'm just not. I work out 4-5 times a week and I'm in pretty decent shape at this point. I can do a 45-minute spinning class with no problems. I can swim for hours. (Ok, maybe not hours, but a long time.) I own the elliptical machine. But when it comes to running, I just can't do it.

Up until this point, I've been pretty ok with my inability to run. Yet for some reason, I just woke up one day last week and said "I think I'm going to try to become a runner." My dad went through a stage like this at one point too, I think, so I guess maybe it runs in the family. It might also be peer pressure: many of my friends ran the Missoula Marathon last year. While I admired their dedication and skill, I had absolutely no desire to join them. Until now.

So I've set a fairly lofty yet reachable goal for myself. I want to finish the half-marathon in this year's Missoula Marathon. The race is on July 11th. I have up until May 31st to register and pay the cheapest price. I think by then I'll know if this is an accomplishable goal or not. If I realize it's not, that's ok with me. I'm not going to force myself to do something that could cause an injury or other damage to my body or my psyche. But really, 13.1 miles isn't THAT far, is it?

So why am I blogging about my experiences? There's a myriad of reasons, really. I've been wanting to start a blog for a while but didn't feel like I had anything to talk about. But probably the biggest reason is that if I know my friends and family are reading this and cheering me on, it will hold me accountable to KEEP GOING!

So wish me luck, everyone, and keep checking back for updates on my progress and my thoughts about why anyone would ever want to do this.