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UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Hey everyone! Thanks to your support, I have reached my fundraising goal.

Going to be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to running this Sunday since I didn’t feel prepared for it, but I am overwhelmed at all the support I received today.

I’m excited to cross the finish line, even if that means I walk 75% of this race. Excited to complete yet another milestone in my life, even if I don’t reach a PR. Stay updated on social media if you’re interested in seeing how I survive the 26.2 mi of torture.

For those of you that are curious about what will happen to this blog after the marathon, I’m happy to announce that I will be training for a triathlon soon. So stay tuned to read about/watch videos about me building my swimming, cycling, and running base.

I am so grateful for each and every one of you that have supported me and I cannot thank you all enough!

I actually agree with you tabby, listen to your body shiny medals will come and go, but your Health is all you got.

Very true, playing it safe for this race until my fitness level is where it needs to be. Thanks for dropping by.

UPDATE: ITS RACE WEEK!

If you visited the donation page then you already saw this message, but I will be donating an additional $5 for every person that donates this week, and an additional $10 for every person that donates on race day.

I am so thankful for every person that donated and made it possible for me to run the LA marathon. I’m still short about $300 of my goal, so I still need your help. Try to find me on TV on sunday! I will be updating my social media as much as possible during the race so stay tuned.

Instagram: @tabitfit

twitter: @princesstabit

sc: princess-tabit

OVERALL UPDATE

Hello to whoever follows me here.

Sorry I haven’t posted an update in a while. In the past month and a half I have been sick and injured time and again. Am I ready for the marathon? Absolutely not. Have I reached my fundraising goal? Not even close.

Since I’ve been sick and nursing my injuries since last December, my plan in February was to increase my milage each week until I hit at least 20 miles, but that hasn’t happened since I continue to get sick. With the way things are going I don’t feel confident in my ability to even complete the marathon. In mid-December I was confident and actually starting to improve, but one ankle injury and it was all downhill from there.

I struggled facing the truth that I might not accomplish my goal of a sub 5 hour marathon time. As I began to get sick almost every other week, I started to question if I would even be able to finish the marathon. Physically and mentally I have been at my absolute worst.

It wasn’t until today where I came to accept my current situation. When I ran my first marathon, the longest distance I ran was 12 miles, at around an 11:45min/mi pace. Now, my pace seems to be varying between 12min/mi and 14min/mi. I keep trying to come up with some plan to just survive the marathon. The reality is I am definitely not ready for this marathon and there is a high probability that I will not finish.

I desperately want to finish the marathon (regardless of time). Hell, I’ll walk the entire thing if that’s what it comes to. But I’m also starting to be okay with calling it quits if my body needs to. As much as I want another medal and another 26.2 sticker to put somewhere, I care for my overall health, safety, and fitness more than the shiny finisher gear. Professional athletes don’t finish on occasion, for various reasons, and if I want to progress as a runner and athlete then I need to start listening to my body.

So with all of that said, I have no idea what I’m doing to train for the marathon and I have absolutely no approach to the marathon this year. Slowly, I will be okay with that. My goal now is to just have fun knowing that I raised money to help out the kids at St. Jude.

If you’d like to donate the link is on my page

WEEK 9 of Training: Recap

Better audio. But week 9 wasn’t that great.

WEEK 8 of Training: Recap

I know the audio quality is not that great. I’ll work to improve it the next time I go for a hike.

12-27-16

So I went on a 5.2 mile hike to Echo Mtn. via the Sam Merrill Trail.

This was the only activity I did this week. I had been recovering from tearing some muscles after twisting my ankle the week before, and to top it all off I was still getting over a cold. If the holidays weren’t bad enough for training and nutrition, I had to deal with injury and illness.

This hike was pretty challenging for me due to the fact that I was essentially limping my way up due to blisters and ankle issues. In addition, I rolled my ankle again on the way back down, just adding to my injuries.

The holidays have not been good to me. I started the break off strong, completing my long runs and most of the other runs and exercises on my training plan. But by the time Christmas hit I was out. I’ve missed about two to three weeks of training and I am very stressed out.

I’m really hoping my second marathon is not a sad repeat of my first.

12-18-16

Ended the weekend with a morning run on the beach. Definitely earned that Sunday brunch. For weeks I have been longing to use the coveted Nike+ Run Club “Just Do It Sunday” stickers. I don’t know what gave me the motivation to run a 5k that wasn’t on my training schedule, but I got it done and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for being active.

After a great day at the beach, I decided to participate in Ethan Newberry’s (The Ginger Runner) Gingermas Run Hunt. Essentially, it is a scavenger hunt for christmas decorations with prizes for those that collected the most points (found the most items on the list). I only got 2 miles in and failed at spelling “Merry Gingermas” in my strava activity, but I had a blast. It really got me into the holiday spirit and renewed my appreciation for christmas lights and decorations. Maybe next year I can snag more points and some free ginger runner swag.

Hope you all have a pleasant and safe holiday. Thank you for your continuous support!

12-15-16

Consider this a redemption run from last night’s “mile run.” Sure I walked some and took breaks here and there, but right now I’m focusing on listening to my body and going at my own pace. Finishing the distance is more important than increasing my pace for now. I can work on improving everything else once my body is accustomed to running longer distances.

Overall, it felt good to run 5.15 miles even if I walked a bit.

12-14-16

I was going for a 3 mile run that day, but my Garmin was dying. Sticking to a training schedule can be hard. Especially if you dive in with no prior training. The next time I train for a marathon, I’m giving myself at least 2 months to get accustomed to running and to build my base.

No more last minute race registrations for me.

11-30-16

Pro tip #1: When life gives you donuts, run the extra mile for them.

Week 7 Recap

Dec. 12-18, 2016

Made a little v-log for the b-log

11-28-16

Went out for a little test run/benchmark run to see how my ankles were doing. According to my slowly improving pace, my ankles were just fine. Currently, my tibialis posterior muscle is strained from the constant use while running. Having flat feet, falling ankles, and the wrong shoes don’t help much either.

As a result, I have been dealing with some moderate pain on the inside of my right leg near my calves and ankles. I have been doing my best to take care of my injury and recover when I can but the stress of missing out on doing longer miles is definitely getting to my head.

There is a huge struggle in telling yourself that it is okay to let your body heal and it is okay to not be racking as many miles as your friends that are also training for the marathon. Like always, I need to remind myself to be present and go at my own pace.

Seeking help from professionals has exponentially improved my training. If you can, I advise that you speak to your doctor, physical therapist, individuals at the local running shop, and if possible hire a coach (I wasn’t fortunate enough to have a coach, but having a trained individual, who has been in your position, push you to your true limit really helps especially when you have self doubt).

Apart from all this, I hope the rest of the week goes well and I’m able to train and knockout every single workout. I hope all of you are doing well and chasing your goals. To everyone that has donated to St. Jude on my behalf, thank you thank you thank you. It means the world to me.

Go out and crush it.

Training and Holidays

November 22-24, 2016

Training during the holidays can be difficult. There are family obligations, events to attend, and food... SO MUCH FOOD. If there is anything that tests your willpower and dedication to your nutrition and training, it’s the holiday season. Given that situation, I learned that my willpower needs a lot of work.

The days leading up to Thanksgiving were perfectly fine, I was on track with my training and I was eating well. I even controlled myself during dinner at Thanksgiving (eating only lean meat from the turkey and avoiding desserts and carbs). The days after, however, did not go so well.

I was in recovery mode after my long run was cut short due to wild dog encounters and weak ankles. Already in a bad mood from the run, I ate my feelings throughout the weekend in an attempt to “recover” and as Monday quickly approached I attempted to save myself from all the damage that had already been done. But, eating a salad doesn’t make up for days of bad eating habits and unhealthy food.

This week did not go as well as I planned, but I can no longer dwell on the mistakes that I made. There is no need to struggle to “make up for lost time” or milage in this case. That would only lead to injury. The only option now is to stay present, stay in the moment, and trust that I can accomplish my goal if I continue to give my best each day.

Just something to remember: YOUR best may not always be THE best, and that’s okay. It’s important to know your limits and what you are capable. If you currently run a 12 or 13 minute mile, there is no good in comparing it to someone else’s sub 6-minute mile. Put in the work that you are capable of putting in and continue to gradually improve.

BQs don’t happen overnight.

#holidays #fitness #marathon training #training

11-15-16

Experts say early morning runs are good for your physical and mental health. So I’m trying to develop an early morning run schedule. Transitioning from mostly evening runs to early morning (I’m talking 5am, nobody is awake early) runs has been pretty difficult.

Being a full time student while training has had its ups and downs. Running early in the morning seems to be helping me academically. Now that I’m up earlier I have more time to study in the mornings before class.

The only downside is that I still want to run in the evenings. So on Tuesday I made the mistake of doubling up my workouts. Feeling good with my morning run I decided to do another run that same day. Biggest mistake I have made during this training season.

I developed some horrible pain in my shins and ankles during my evening run. It became difficult to walk without pain for the remainder of the day. This put my training back a bit as I missed two training days and had to do some indoor cycling to make up for lost time and deal with my injuries.

Being extremely prone to injuries due to my weak arches and heavy weight makes me so upset. I want so much to be this fit runner and mentally that is how I’ve always envisioned myself. It just sucks when your outsides don’t match with what you see inside.

I won’t let this stop me. I will continue to improve and grow as an athlete until I reach all the goals I have set for myself.

To all my supporters: I cannot thank you enough. You give me the courage to tackle those 26.2 miles and I hope to inspire you enough to give to children in need.

To everyone else trying to reach their goals: You can do this. Never stop believing in yourself.

11-14-16

You know what’s really fun? Turning everyday errands into training opportunities. Today I ran to the bank near my hometown. I usually drive down, but I saw that it was only a mile away so I had to take the opportunity to test my abilities.

Mentally, I was super excited for the run. Ready to attempt PRs and look cool doing it. However, half a mile into the run my feet had other plans. I have been experiencing some bad pain in my feet and ankle areas on my recent runs and it takes the fun out of running.

It’s exhausting when your heart and mind want to excel at running but your body just isn’t at the same level. I felt defeated and wanted to turn back, but I put my emotions aside and decided to finish the run. I did not run the entire time, I walked when my body needed it.

The most important thing to me that day was finishing what I set out to do. I am trying to adapt this persevering mentality for marathon day. So, when I go out on a tough run I tell myself, “It is going to hurt on race day. You are going to want to quit so many times, so you might as well get used to that feeling and learn how to push through it.” This internal dialogue is really helping my training. The body is capable of doing amazing things when the mind is willing.

So this week I’m trying to give my best, grit my teeth, and push through.

11-11-16

Election week took a toll on my training. I missed three training days and tried to make it all up during the weekend. I do NOT recommend this at all, especially if you are new to running. If you miss a day, it’s not the end of world. You have the rest of your training plan and the rest of your life to grow as a runner and an athlete.

Racking on extra miles and doubling up miles to make up for lost time just doesn’t work. The rest days, recovery workouts, and cross training days are just as important as your long runs, speed training, and benchmark runs.

This has been difficult for me to remember when marathon training. Off season, I consider myself a body builder. I typically go to the gym and weight lift 6-7 days a week. However, when I’m running I find myself dedicating myself to running only. This has caused me many injuries in the past. Running is a total body exercise. You need a strong body to be a strong runner and the only way to do that is to train your entire body (not just your core and hamstrings).

As I progress further into my training plan, I am nervous. The plan is progressing quicker than I expected and I really should have taken more time to prepare for the rigorous training. If you plan on running a half marathon or marathon, I suggest you start by running 3-4 times a week for 2-4 months to get your body used to training. After this you can start a training plan and sign up for races. This 2-4 month period allows your body to transition at its own pace into this new form of training. It also gives you time to figure out what your needs are as a runner. This includes:

Getting the proper shoe fit

Getting the proper wardrobe (which clothes make you most comfortable while running)

Learning what fuels your body needs (recognizing which gels, hydration methods, or food types work best before, during, and after your runs)

Determining what injuries you are prone to and how to prevent them

Finding the right recovery techniques for you

If you determine your needs before you start training, then you can focus all your time and energy on your training program. Trust me, the worst feeling is getting injured during training or running into complications. This often leads to taking a significant amount of time off from training, which can cause stress especially when you’re trying to reach certain milage goals each week.

The key to success is listening to your body and staying active.

Good luck to my fellow marathoners and St. Jude Heroes, and a giant thank you to all my supporters. I couldn’t do this without you.

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