Unmotivated...

I am terrible about updating. The summer program is wrapping up and lately, I've been somewhat unmotivated to get out and run. Part of it is the weather. I don't do well when it's too warm to run, and quite frankly, anything warmer than 60 degrees is a challenge for me. Which is precisely the reason I joined the summer program, so that I would keep going and not have any excuses to keep myself from doing it. I haven't learned to love running in the heat, but I have learned to prepare myself better.

The last few weeks have been amazing, weather-wise. Some people were complaining that it was unseasonably cool, but it was perfect to me. Highs during the day were low 80s and the lows were high 50s -- perfect running weather. I was motivated to get up and run before work because I'd rather run in the morning when it's cooler than in the afternoon/evening when it's warmer.

My sleep schedule has been so off the last couple of weeks though. I've been barely getting 6 hours of sleep, averaging more like 5. So the lack of sleep hasn't been helping. And the weather was warm last week, so I haven't run outside at all. I've been doing the elliptical indoors to do the workouts, but I get bored inside. This is why doing the gym thing never worked out for me (no pun intended), I just eventually get bored doing the same repetitive motions, looking at the same thing for long periods of time.

There is a heat advisory starting Sunday ("heat index readings to reach the low to mid 90s on Sunday...and around 100 on Monday and Tuesday"). Gonna have to buck up and deal with indoor workouts for the next week.

In other news, I got new shoes last week.

Still getting used to them, but so far so good. Also, got a bunch of new socks from the niece and nephew! Which was great since my feet have changed a bit since starting the program and the socks I got before are now too big.

I signed up for the fall program as well. I'm going to be in the running group, which still blows my mind. I'm actually running-running now, can you believe it? I'm going to see if I can run the entire 5K for my goal race in two weeks.

Also, I signed up for two races in October as well. So, despite my lack of motivation lately, I know I've got races coming up. Hoping this fall brings my running groove back...

Week 9

Week 8

Week 7

Week 6

Week 5

Had a weird hamstring/knee thing, so I was off for two weeks. :/

Week 3

Week 2

Due to the way my days went, these pictures were taken after 10:30 PM. Midnight sun = midnight runs!

Week 1

Summer session will be weird because I'll be gone a lot. At least I was able to join the first two practices!

In Between Sessions

I had lofty goals of maintaining my running schedule between spring and summer sessions and ended up running only once.

Good thing I signed up for the summer session!

Week 12

No Boundaries

I meant to start this blog to chronicle my experience as a runner much sooner than now. Better late than never, right? ;)

Lyn and RJ @ Tough Mudder

For a variety of reasons, I decided to start running this year. I think my real inspiration have been my siblings. RJ has done the Chicago Marathon, Tough Mudder, UrbanAthlon (all three in three weekends in a row!). Lyn did Tough Mudder with RJ and has recently completed her first half marathon. Jon is getting ready to do the Spartan Race. Joe has done numerous marathons.

I enrolled in a running program through Fleet Feet called No Boundaries that started in March. It's a 12-week program and this week marks the completion of the program with our goal race being the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday.

I was one of those people who HATED to run. So, it was to my surprise that I actually have enjoyed it. I think it helped that this was a reasonable and realistic training program, and the people who surround you (whether a coach/mentor or fellow runner) are so supportive and generally awesome. I really appreciated that the intent of the program was to run, but we didn't take ourselves so seriously that we couldn't have fun!

I have surprised myself that I was able to keep up with the program. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd be able to. It sounded damn near impossible. Really, I'm expected to be able to run for 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes for 55 minutes? I'm technically two weeks off from the training schedule because I had bronchitis and had to take a little time off to recuperate. But still! I've started running the aforementioned interval and I'll continue to work on it for the next couple of weeks. Not in time for the goal race, but that's okay.

Week 11

Week 10

Week 9

I was doing planks and Baby Girl had to come and help me out.

Week 7

Run For Boston