So much for no upcoming races

I just registered for the Oktoberfest 10k in Highland on October 17th. It's the first year for the race and it sounds pretty good (flat course and a raffle at the end- they're even giving away 2 pairs of Mizuno's in the prizes, nice!).
I don't have a lot of time to work on my speed, so I know I'm not gonna break my sub 8-minute pace I got in that 10 miler by any means, but I do hope I get under a 9-minute mile.
It will be fun to run a mid-distance race before the running season ends.
So... so much for running for the sake of running, I've got another race to get ready for! Fun times.

The little things

Today I didn't feel like running.
I'll admit it, not one ounce of me felt like putting on my running gear, loading up my jogging stroller into the van before preschool, and hitting the pavement.
But I did it anyway.
Just go through the motions, I thought. Just get it done.
The first five minutes of my run consisted of me debating if I should continue my pathetic pace or just forget about it and take a walk. Walk? I couldn't do it. Not when I set out to run. I am a runner, I thought, not a walker.
So one step after another, I was running and before I knew it I was in my rhythm and enjoying it.
How many days has that happened?
How many days like this have to pass for me to realize that I will never regret pushing through laziness and accomplishing a run that day, no matter how short or slow?
I ran for 30 minutes today.
My pace was less than commendable.
The numbers are nothing.
But the tenacity it takes on days like this to stick with your goals is something. Days like this lead to marathons.
It may seem silly, but today more than ever I felt like a runner. I didn't run because I ate a big burrito before bed and needed to burn calories. I didn't run because I have an upcoming race. I ran because I run. That's what I do, and today especially, I'm glad I did it.

Refreshed

It has been over a month since I last posted. In my last post, I had just completed the marathon and couldn't wait to race again. Then I realized I really should take a rest and let that shin fully heal. Well when nearly a month had passed and I had only run 3 or 4 times, I realized rest had been replaced with laziness.
THEN after reading Becca's (I could just say "your" since I think you're the only one who really reads this Becca) post about running with the jogging stroller while Teya was in preschool, I knew that could work for me too- I had a plan and I had hope for regular running again, even with our new hectic schedule of Justin working late hours all the time and me working, too.
So I bought this jogging stroller used on the classifieds for $30:

It's actually a REALLY nice jogging stroller (Dreamer Design- they run about $300 new) and it's in great shape so I totally scored. It is really tall so it makes it easier to push and it's got great shocks on it.
So this week I ran while Kenz was in preschool and did a nice-n-easy 8 miler this morning. I'm doing about 9 minute miles currently and it feels good- not a real competitive pace, but it feels good to just run the pace I feel like running and not necessarily be training for anything. It feels so great to be back in the swing of things, my body is happy again.

It's over.

Just kidding, it has really only just begun. All these months of training have involved a lot of excitement and disappointment, joy and pain, confidence and doubt. Really, it has been quite the roller coaster getting ready for marathon number one. And now that it's over, I don't really want it to be. I miss the roller coaster, I guess? No, it's not that. I just love races. I want more, I need more... I'm totally addicted.
I didn't expect this. I kept thinking, "Just gotta make it through the marathon and then I'm not gonna run for MONTHS!"
No way, Jose. As it turns out, I can't wait to get running again. What have I been doing all week? Looking up races. There's a 5k this weekend down the street. Too early? Probably. But I really want to do it, despite all my aches and pains. There's a half marathon that looks really tough next month. Want to do that, too. Want to run the St. George marathon if I can buy someone's spot... yup, I've got race fever.
So anyway- I started this blog to document my marathon training. And it's all there. But I want to keep on blogging about my running experiences. So I will keep updates of my races here, and maybe anything interesting I stumble across with running. So yeah, off I go...

Park City Marathon

Okay I did it! See here.

I will post some more thoughts here soon, but as for now, I need a nap. :)

This is it

Tomorrow is the last day in my existence that I'll be able to say, "I've never run a marathon."

I'm starting to get nervous. I keep worrying about my injury- how it will hold up, how much it will slow me down. And the speed thing is definitely bothering me. I know my speed is nowhere near what it used to be, and although I know your first marathon is all about finishing, I'm still gonna be disappointed if my pace is ridiculously slow. If I see old, fat people beating me, I might just cry. And really, it will probably happen. I'm also really worried about my nutrition. I'm trying to carb load but I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't want to eat too much differently than usual to avoid digestive issues, so I'm just hoping what I'm eating will work out.

On a positive note, I'm also getting really excited. I go pick up my packet and bib in a couple of hours and I know being around all the runners is gonna get me pumped. It will get me ready for race morning. Seriously, there are very few things that are more exciting than the morning of a big race. AND Tiffany is flying in tomorrow and I'm just so excited we get to run this together. I know we can do it, we've each had our setbacks (injuries), but we practically ran a marathon together 3 weeks ago for our longest run. We may have had 11 minute miles, but we did it. Okay Park City Marathon... here we come!

One week til the Marathon!

So today was my FINAL long run before the big day. I only had to run 8 miles which was nice. My shin is doing so much better (I'm not hobbling anymore!!), but it still felt irritated throughout the course of the run. I'm babying it though and hope it won't be a problem next Saturday.

Today I ran at about a 10 minute pace. I'm so much slower than I was before the injury, but it's okay. I can run fast again after the marathon, but I'm not risking anything at this point.

I'm assuming my race pace will be 11 minute miles or so. Hopefully not 12 minute milers, but you never know. Park City Marathon tells you right from the start that you won't be setting a pr on this course. My sis-in-law's dad (who has run many, many marathons) said you can pretty much add 30 minutes to your regular marathon time for Park City so I'm taking his word for it.

At any rate, I'm really excited. I don't care about time (and I'm not just saying that, this is marathon #1 so I'm okay with setting the bar low!). I am just really stoked that I'm gonna run 26.2 in one week!!