I feel like things are starting to come together again with my training. This was a good running week despite the aftermath of the October snow storm.

I know that it might look like there is no rhyme or reason to my training schedule. I felt that way sometimes with my first half marathon training plan, but it worked. I have to stay flexible because of my work schedule, Carlos’ calendar and Orlando’s work schedule. This week was a perfect example of how I adapted the training plan around everyone’s needs.

On Sunday, Carlos and I went to spend the day at my sister’s house out near Boston. We ended up spending the night because my husband let me know that the power probably wouldn’t return that night and all the schools in the area were cancelled on Monday. Can you believe a snow day in October? I maintained Sunday as a rest day since I had run 15 miles the day before.

On Monday, my sister took me to her gym so I could get a run in. I managed to run 4 broken up miles; 2 miles, then check on Carlos in the gym daycare, then 2 more miles. I was proud of myself for running even though I was wearing my sister’s boyfriend’s sneakers because I didn’t have my own. Not sure if I have incredibly big feet for a woman (size 9) or he has small feet! Awkward!! Unfortunately I didn’t have my own headphones either so I had to borrow my sister’s earbuds. I don’t like to be negative, but can I just say how much I hate earbuds. Am I the only one whose inner ears sweat and seem to push the earbuds right out? They will not stay in my ears and I find them incredibly uncomfortable. So by mile 2 I was running without music. Treadmill = boring, Treadmill without music = torture. My sister was bopping along next to me with her earbuds in the whole time. Oh well 4 out of my intended 5 miles was better than nothing.

My Mom popped in for a visit on Tuesday afternoon and although it was a scheduled rest day I decided to take advantage of having my Mom there to watch Carlos and go for a short run. I did a 3 mile loop around my house. The weather was perfect for it though the streets were a mess and I was dodging branches and fallen tree limbs everywhere. It felt great to be outside and running so I didn’t mind.

On Tuesday night I woke up to a few text messages before work announcing that there was no school again on Wednesday. I had a 10 mile run planned because I already knew that I would be pushing off my long run until Sunday. I really wanted to get that run done. I sent a quick text to my friend enlisting her daughter to babysit the next morning. It was a cold one and the streets were simply not safe for such a long run so I decided to sweat it out on the treadmill at my gym. This time I had my own headphones!

There was school on Thursday which doesn’t affect Carlos since he only goes Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but it meant that he would go to school the next day. Carlos and I did some light upper body strength training in the living room. He uses my 2 pound weights and I used the 5 pound weights. I did some planks, modified push ups and a few other exercises. Then we had a dance party in the kitchen. I try to do something active everyday even if it’s not on my schedule.

I got my 8 mile run in on Friday as scheduled while Carlos was at school. My husband had a dentist appointment and a job to do on Saturday, and Carlos had a birthday party in early afternoon so I already knew that it was a bad day for a long run. I made it a rest day and did some stretching here and there throughout the day. I went to bed relatively early in preparation for my longest run to date. The 17 miler! More to come on that. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I can’t believe it’s Monday again.

One of the reasons I started running was because it was simple. I mean simple in the sense that all you need is a pair of sneakers. After my son was born I knew that I needed to find a type of exercise that I could do relatively quickly and without necessarily going anywhere. My gym isn’t far but it’s often challenging to find time to go. So running fit the bill. I could tie my sneakers, leave out my front door and run in any direction.

Back then my iPod looked like this:

I didn’t run far enough to require water or fuel. Then things changed a bit. The iPod started to look something like this:

I started training for actual races and grew bored just running out my front door. Rather than run on a treadmill or a track I needed something to calculate my mileage. My workout gear started to look a little something like this:

Nike+ System with Nike Receiver and Sensor Case to Hold Nike iPod Sport Kit Sensor

I loved the Nike+ system. It took my running to an entirely new level. Suddenly I was not only able to run anywhere and know how far I had gone but I was made aware of my pace. My Nike+ and I trained for my first half marathon together. It was an invaluable tool.  Instead of running multiple times around the one mile loop at the nearby college pond I was able to run anywhere. This made running more interesting. The more interested I was the more likely I was to stick with it.

Most of my half marathon training took place during the summer – the summer of 2010 was an incredibly hot summer here in the northeast. Now that I was running anywhere my legs desired I needed to carry hydration on me. I found it uncomfortable to run with a water bottle in my hand. I checked out water belts but decided that was a big NO. I’m hippy enough. I don’t need anything else jiggling around that area. This seemed to be the only logical choice:

Camelbak Annadel 50 oz Hydration Pack

I remember getting ready for a long run with my Camelbak on for the first time. My husband, son and I all had a good laugh. Who the hell was I? I like my Camelbak, but I admit I don’t use it very often because I do feel a little ridiculous with it on my back. It is reserved for long runs only.

All around the blog world runners of every size, shape, speed and age were singing the praises of their beloved Garmin Forerunners. “Hmmm they look kind of bulky to me,” I thought. “I don’t need that I have my Nike+,” I muttered to myself wondering what all the fuss was about. Then just 3 weeks before my first half marathon my Nike+ died abruptly. I ran my last long run with an iPhone app that was so frustrating to use it somehow made me run more than 13 miles rather than the scheduled 12. Yes it’s all the iPhone app’s fault. I played around with a few other apps but I didn’t like them and they seemed to suck the battery life besides the fact that I had no desire to run with my iPhone.

One day a blogger announced a seriously ridiculous great deal on this:

The Garmin Forerunner 205 was on sale on Amazon.com for $89 plus I had a $25 gift card. So for $64 I added a new member to my running repertoire. It was indeed big, but I instantly understood what all the fuss was about. This gadget is as amazing as everyone claimed.

Back in January my car was broken into while I was running. My iPhone was stolen from its hiding place under the passenger seat. After that debacle I needed some way to carry my iPhone on me while running. A little skeptical at first I reluctantly ordered a SPIBelt.

The SPIBelt is incredible. It fits my phone and my bulky car key. Anyone wondering where I stored the car key before I bought this? Oh yeah in my sports bra! Back to the SPIBelt though. It stays in place, doesn’t jiggle and it is very comfortable.

The break in got me thinking about my safety as a runner. I run alone and although my husband knows where I run if something were to happen no one  would know who my husband was. So I got one of these:

Road ID

This is a Road ID. The photo is taken from their website. The IDs are customizable and engraved with your personal information. It is thin, lightweight and unnoticeably comfortable while running.

Last but not least my iPod disappeared in April. Really, it literally just disappeared. I know exactly where I put it when I came into the house on that fateful day. Hours later it was gone, walked right out of here. We haven’t see it since. I managed to get an almost identical iPod Nano from Craigslist and that served the purpose until it started acting up. It now belongs to Carlos and for our birthdays Orlando and I splurged on this beauty:

iPod Nano Multi-Touch

Orlando and I never run at the same time so it works for us to share the iPod. I love it. I wear it on my wrist like a watch while I’m running. I can switch songs with a button now instead of fumbling with the dial or screen which doesn’t work if you have gloves on.

Somehow over the course of a couple of years I’ve gone from a pair of running sneakers to all this gear. I feel a bit ridiculous sometimes, but it keeps me moving. It’s 5:30 on Sunday morning. You can probably imagine what I look like as I get ready to hit the road for my 17 mile long run. Orlando is going to bring Carlos to my Mom’s this morning because he has a job to do. I am planning to run to my Mom’s house which is about 15 minutes away by car. Remind me again, who am I?

After my running hiatus thanks to the broken rib I am back on the road to the Disney Marathon. I am not sure what happened during those weeks off, but running is no longer the same. Prior to the accident I felt great on most of my runs. I could easily run a 5K in under 30 minutes. I regularly ran 4-5 miles without even a brief walking break. My pace was steadily improving. I longed to be out on the trail running.

Now I feel as though I am starting at the beginning. I feel like I’m moving slower than ever. I take walking breaks within the first three miles as it takes me a little longer to get my breathing under control.  The worse part about this is that I think about quitting long before my intended mileage is complete.

It has been really frustrating. I need to figure this out soon because I have a marathon to run. Then I saw this quote on Twitter the other day and it really hit the nail on the head for me.

“If fitness is your goal, not a marathon PR, you don’t need radical training programs. Let running/fitness chase you, not you chasing it.” Hal Higdon

I was never planning on winning the marathon. I registered for it to set a goal for myself, to increase my level of physical fitness and to set an example for my son that you can do anything you set your mind to and that physical activity is integral to overall good health. Why then have I been spending so much time wallowing about my running time? Why have I been chasing the running?

So what I’m slower and taking walking breaks. Big deal, I’m still running. My rhythm is off and my breathing a bit uncomfortable…and? I just took three weeks off because of a broken rib. What did I expect upon my return to running, that I would lace up my running shoes, bolt out the door and set a PR? I am different. I’m a little more cautious and more focused on how my body feels while I’m running.

I’m genuinely happy to be running again. I know from my past experience I will continue to improve again. I am firming up my training schedule to reflect the changes that have occurred both mentally and physically. When it comes right down to it, running is a mental sport. I really believe it is more mental than physical. Normally I can tune out the negative messages telling me to quit or shorten a run. They are louder right now because my body isn’t as physically comfortable with the run. I think it’s time for a new music playlist with some new tunes to distract my thoughts and keep my legs going.

Running has taught me so many things about myself. This is yet another set of lessons.

• Listen to your body
• You can go further than you ever thought possible
• A bad run yesterday does not make for a bad run today
• The human body is truly amazing
• Even a bad run makes me feel better than if I hadn’t gone for a run

This is by far my favorite local place to run. It is peaceful and beautiful all year long. Here is a glimpse of what it looks like in the fall.

Apple Picking: A Mommy and Son Day