Moving site

I've upgraded a bit I guess. A little more professional since I'm trying to take all this a little more seriously! Visit my new blog at http://triandtrue.wordpress.com

Thanks for following!

Finding my motivation again

I'm not gonna lie, I have totally lost all motivation. I went out for a 1 mile run this morning with the puppy and that went well but I could have taken it or left it.

So I decided that I needed a new goal. I train hard for new experiences but once I realize that I can do it I seem to stop pushing myself. I decided I needed a new goal. I've been wanting to add strength training more in addition to the cardio. I really enjoy my 30 day shred dvd so I'm going to start doing that again.

But I've been kinda wanting something new. I saw that Jillian now has a fitness program, Body Revolution, downside it is is over $100. Like $130 to be exact and that is a lot to drop on DVD's. So I've made myself a deal. I will give myself $10 for everyday I do the 30 day shred DVD. When I reach 14 days I can order this new program. That way I can start developing a routine and motivating myself to do this.

Here goes nothing.

13.1 + 26.2 ~ Not Crazy Just Goofy!

I'm terrible at updating this but since this has all been leading up to the success or failure of my Goof Challenge and a half. I am happy to say that my Goofy Challenge was a fantastic success.

The Donald Half Marathon

This challenge all started because I wanted to run the 15th anniversary Donald Half marathon. Jon said he wanted to try the marathon, so I suggested we just do Goofy and get both. That all began in March of 2011. Fast forward 10 months and I was as confident as ever. However, my husband (and a few naysayers) were not so sure about my abilities. Sadly, the longest run I was able to get in was 16 miles but it took me three and a half hours. So I decided it was all a mind game and I had just made up my mind to do it!
So Disney races begin crazy early in the morning. On Saturday morning we met friends at the bus stop at 3:30am. After an hour on the bus (to go 1 mile) we arrived at the pre-race area. We then walked the mile to the start line. Sadly, we were running late. We could hear the national anthem playing as we were walking up. We rushed to get to our corral as the first wave of runners were starting. I was very thankful that Katie and Steve were there with me! We decided on a 2:1 interval which gave us a nice steady 14 min pace for most of the race. I didn't want to push myself with the marathon the next day.
We decided not to stop for character pictures since the lines were long but I did get them to stop for a before the castle pic!

I will say that great friends and an amazing running group (yay ROTE) helped get me through 2 days of running! We finished the half in a solid 3:15:00. My normal half time is right around 3 hours so this was great. Mainly cause we stopped at the only characters that did not have a line since they were right before the finish. At that point I knew I was going to finish so what did it matter??

ok enough of the half onto the big show!

The Mickey Marathon and the Goofy Challenge and a half!

Ok this was my first marathon. I highly recommend that you run your first marathon and your first goofy at the same time. If for nothing else but the stunned faces that people make when you tell them it is your first for both! I really think that they are amazed you finished and are still standing.

So for the most part I followed the Galloway plan for the Goofy to finish in a upright position. My only goals for this race were to finish and to not throw-up. I was going to be happy as long as I got both my goals. I decided to drop back to 1:1 intervals to hopefully make things easier, this was the best idea I could have had. I am very thankful that Katie and Steve (who were running the relay) had decided that I was their baton and their goal was to get me to the finish. I don't believe I would have run as great a race without those 2!
So Katie and I (we also had Hilly with us, she is this amazing teen who was nursing an injury, she was great to have) set off at 1:1 and Katie kept us at a strict 14:30 pace. I decided that visual goals were better than miles so I just had to get to the first bathroom break in the Magic Kingdom (mile 10.5). At that point I had to get to the relay exchange with Katie so she could hand me off to Steve. However, the relay was a bit longer than they thought so it took him a mile to catch up to me.
Steve's goal was to keep me running until the Animal Kingdom (about mile 16, longer than my long run). Happily, we got there and I was feeling amazing so we kept going. We planned a bathroom break around mile 17 and I was worried about stopping and starting back up but by the time we got there it was very much needed (yay hydration).
I was feeling great until we hit mile 19, which was on straight open highway and it was hot. I pushed myself until mile 22. At that point I started to have a shooting pain under my right knee cap. As we reached the ramp up towards Hollywood Studios I knew I was close enough to walk it in and as much as I did not want to I knew in my mind I couldn't push my knee. So I looked at Steve and said I needed to walk. God love him, he walked the last 4 miles of that marathon with me.
Around mile 24 Jenny found us (he first marathon also) and she was in need of the walking. So she joined us for the last 2 miles on the boardwalk and through Epcot. As we are leaving the world showcase Steve looked at me and said "I don't care about your knee you are running in the last .1 to the finish, just so you know". I'm not sure where we found the energy at that point but the three of us ran to the finish hand-in-hand.
Jenny and I walked to get our Mickey medals and we both just started crying out of joy. It took 6:56:47 according to Disney for me to complete my first marathon. I can't even explain the feeling of happiness and accomplishment when the volunteer put the goofy medal around my neck.

(I can't wait to share this feeling/experience next year with my amazing RP Megan when she does her first marathon :wink:)

So it is official, I am Goofy! Thank you to everyone for their support and encouragement. Also, thanks to those who donated to my race. I ran this for the MS society and was able to raise $500! So all in all, my first mickey and goofy was an amazing experience and I'm not sure I will ever be able to top it!

Gearing up for Goofy

Ok my Goofy Challenge and a half is this coming weekend. Donald Half Marathon on Saturday and Mickey Full Marathon on Sunday. So in honor of this let's take a quick look back at 2011 races

Half Marathons - 4
B&A Trail half - 3:15:47
Maryland Half - 2:59:01
Run for the Dream - 3:17:52
RnR Philly -  3:09:08

10 milers - 2
10K - 2
5K - 4
8K - 1

Total 2011 Races - 13 (not too shabby)


So back to Goofy. Sadly, I did not make my goal of $500 for the MS society. I am short by $80 but that is ok I came pretty freaking close! So as promised here are my dedicated miles! I only received 17 donations so we are going to double up some!

Mile 1 - Kate gets mile 1 for the first donation
Mile 2 - Kae
Mile 3 - Robin
Mile 4 - Matt
Mile 5 - Emica
Mile 6 - 10: The Rodney Family. Thank you all for the donations. You will be getting me through 5!
Mile 11 - Laura B. this one is for you! I'm gonna get you to do a half!!
Mile 12 - Jen H - double donations getting me to 12!
Mile 13 - 15: Kelly & Bob. I will be seeing Kelly at this point.
Mile 16 - 20: Steph C you are going to get me through my toughest miles. Since I can get your voice in my head telling me to keep going!
Mile 21 - Megan - my RP! I will be wishing you were skipping with me at this point
Mile 22 - Jerry & Judy!
Mile 23 - Lou & Peg - I will be pretending you are standing there cheering me on!
Mile 24 - Aunt Debbie! This is for you and Karen!!
Miles 25 & 26 - This is all for you Gina!! Thanks for being an inspiration!!

Wow typing out 26 miles makes it a little more real!! So if you go to rundisney.com you can sign up for tracking to see how I'm doing. Or I have it linked to my Facebook and you can follow there!! Thanks so much to everyone for their love and support through all of this!!

35 days and counting

Ok so I realized tonight that is has been a majorly long time since I've posted. I have good reason...his name is Flynn. He is my current obsession. At 4 months old he is pretty much the most awesome puppy ever! (this is by far my favorite pic of him)

So because of that I have been working tirelessly on house training and general training and trying to fit in running. So blogging has not really been an option. So after a quick time outside, I know I have enough time to update.

I've considered giving a lengthy update on all of my last races but to be completely honest I wouldn't remember all of the details.

So a quick list, there was
RnR Philly half marathon - 3:09:08
Baltimore Marathon Relay - I don't really count this time it was a lot of sitting around
Marine Corps 10K - 1:27:40 (ahh the ice)
Cold Turkey 10K - 1:17:53 - 5 min PR!!

So I have learned that if you take 2 weeks off from running to relax and chase a puppy you can PR your next race by 5 minutes!!

So it is 35 days until the big 39.3!! To say I'm starting to freak out is an understatement. I am however only $100 away from my $500 goal, which makes me very happy! My current training goal is to get in some decent runs in the next few weeks without over doing it. My current race plan is that I will be running the donald half on Saturday and then will run the first half of Goofy and walk to just finish the rest of it! Only goal is to finish!!

Energy Gels and Mile Markers

Ok so I joined Laura on Monday for a 5 mile run. I decided that now was a good time to start adding energy gels to my training, and 5 miles seemed a safe distance. I went to RoadRunner and bought 1 of each type so that I could try some and find the one I like. My first was a Chocolate Honey Stinger Gel. I still am not fond of the consistency but it was really super sweet. It was almost too sweet. So we will just keep trying to find a good one!

A couple weeks ago I picked up the book Mile Markers from the Border's closing sale. It was a really good deal and I had been wanting to read it. I can say that so far it is a really good, motivational book. Reminds me of why I started running and why my RP's are so important to me. I feel the need to share a quote from the book that really touched me...

"My girlfriends are my sweat sisters. Since our first mile together, whatever hill we have faced we have climbed together. I would not consider facing any challenge without them. We train each other in ordinary times, and we surround one another like a moving fortress when a crisis hits, We share humor like a cold germ and contagiously crack up to the point of soundless laugher and roadside hyperventilation. We have woken sleeping neighborhoods with out storytelling. We have seen each other's strengths and weaknesses, and we know when to push and when to protect. When something needs to be said, we have earned the right to say it and have built the courage to hear it. When the ache of disappointment or loss is greater then words, we run quietly side by side and wait for God."


I highly recommend this book and I'm only about a quarter of the way through it. It is really a great reminder of why we run and the motivation and friendships behind it!

A birthday run

So my friend Jen decided that for her birthday she wanted to run the Haddassah Check it out challenge 8K in Towson. So we were all a little skeptical since she might be the only one that really enjoys running in the heat. However, we all decided to make the best of it  and embrace the crazy.

We decided that if she wanted us to run we wanted to make it as crazy as possible. So 1 personalized running shirt, a bunch of tutu's, and a pink flamingo later we were set to run.

Please know 2 things about this picture, 1. The Godfather was forced into this picture (but secretly he loved it), and 2. I have no idea what we thought was so funny at this moment.

Megan and I once again teamed up. She is an awesome RP because we both had no problem saying NO to the hill on Providence Rd, interval or not. Unlike previous races we have been training and were able to handle this race a lot better. We stuck to our intervals for the most part, only walked a few times, and had some great conversation.

Now since it was everyone's first 8K it was an automatic PR for everyone, we decided we didn't want to set the bar high for future improvement, lol. After all the heat and the hills we finished in 1:12:40. I'm happy about that time. I didn't feel like I wanted to die afterwards, and the tutu's were a huge hit at the race!!

Now time to get down to goofy training and raising money for the MS society. Next up: Kim tries to figure out GU!