From Couch Potato to 13.1

Teacher by day runner by nights and weekends

[fromcouchpotatoto13]

Running in Memphis

Well I am slowly but surely adding more and more miles. In fact just last week I ran 7 miles without keeling over and dying! (A serious personal victory) My favorite part about last weeks run was that it was downtown week with my running group. Typically I wouldn't care where I was running -- usually I am just trying to make it through the miles without paying much attention to scenery. But running downtown gave a whole new perspective to a downtown that I love so much. On Tuesday I ran down Beale Street and got tons of high fives from Pearl Jam concert goers, ran by the river as the sun set, and ended the night run at the famous haunted Ernestein and Hazel's for a soul burger. Saturday our group conquered Mud Island and the I ran over that huge bridge TWICE! It was so hard but I was could not have been more happy about what I had accomplished -- and not to mention the awesome view of downtown Memphis I got each time I ran over that darn bridge! The best part is that this is recovery week :) that means fewer miles and that I am halfway through my training. Here's to kicking that 13.1 in the behind!!

[fromcouchpotatoto13]

A month later...

Well it’s been awhile, but I have been training away and promise to be more consistent about updating my progress here! This past weekend I started my running  group with Fleet Feet, a local running store here in Memphis. I originally signed up for the group, because I thought a little monetary investment in my training would help to hold me more accountable to stick to a running schedule. However, as 6 AM on Saturday morning came I was ready to call it quits! Richard (being the good husband he is) shoved me out of bed and reminded me how important it was for me to go. As I arrived I joined my place in the slowest pace group (11 – 13 min mile) because I run at a snails pace, but honestly my goal is just to make it through my miles in an upright position. I was joined by 3 other ladies in my pace group who I shared the next 30 minutes with. As I started running, I realized how much easier it was to have a group to run, and towards the end of the run this slow poke was actually leading the group ☺ I ran my best time for 3 miles and had a good time doing it! After running, I was so glad I decided to join this group and excited about what the next 11 weeks has in store for me! As I train up to 13.1 I encourage you to donate to my fundraising page and help me reach my goal of $500 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Any little donation helps! I hope you’ll help me support St. Jude with a donation and cheering me on along the race course!

Click Here to Donate Now!

[fromcouchpotatoto13]

From 5K to 5am

I ran my first 5k this past weekend. Our favorite go to bar put on the Bardog 5k, and as I began to amp up my training this race was a must do on my calendar. However, as race day approached my excitement began to wane. I had tons of excuses to postpone my training, school had just started, we had just gotten back from our honeymoon, I was too congested to run. So needless to say I was not in peak condition when race day came, but race day came all the same. It was a hot and steamy morning. In fact it felt like I was running through soup which was plain miserable. I eventually made it through the 3.1 miles, and managed to maintain a decent pace. Afterwards I had earned a cool t-shirt and got to celebrate at the Bardog block party with friends, fellow racers, and supporters. 

I was happy that I finished my first  5K, but at the same time I was disappointed. I hadn't been able to run the whole time and I walked more than I anticipated. This week I vowed to step up my weekly runs. That was until I saw the forecast -- not a day with a high under 97 degrees. It was when I saw this that I begrudgingly decided to start running in the morning, something I was praying to avoid. As a teacher I wake up early already to make it to school by 7:30 so running in the morning would require waking up at an ungodly hour. Today was my first day to try an early morning run, and as my alarm went of at 4:45 I thought to myself "Why am I doing this??" But low and behold I rolled out of bed (after hitting snooze a few times) and threw on my sneaks and was out the door. It was an odd experience running around my neighborhood in the dark, eerie almost. My normally busy neighborhood was silent and I loved it. I saw one car on my run, and passed by one fellow runner (who gave me an overly chipper wave and "hello" for 5 AM). My running partner and I were even able to run 2 miles with enough gas in the tank for more (but work got in the way...) Here's hoping I can keep the 4:45 wake up calls going! 

[fromcouchpotatoto13]

Lace 'em up and get going!

So I have to say, I blame this whole half marathon on my coworker and friend Lindsey. If you know me, you know I am NOT an over-enthusiastic gym rat. In fact I am quite the opposite, I am a complete couch potato, and considered exercise as lifting the remote to change the channel. However, it took a major event in order to get me motivated to work out. In an effort to get those sexy arms I wanted for my wedding I joined my friend Lindsey's workout group after school. As school began to wind down, during one of our T25 sessions Lindsey approached me and asked if I ever ran. I laughingly brushed her off. I was not a runner. She and her co-conspirator Jessica told me that they thought that I should take up running and run the St. Jude half marathon with them. I laughingly brushed them off, however the seed was planted. A few weeks later I was signing up to run those painstaking 13.1 miles, all the while thinking "What have I gotten myself in to!?!"

Join me here as I get started on my journey to the 13.1, and as I attempt to raise $500 for St. Jude the world's greatest children's research hospital that just happens to be in my favorite city that I get to call home -- Memphis, TN. Don't be a stranger... I need all the help I can get to make sure I stick to the game plan!